An Open Letter to Bill Simon

Team Simon | 6/28/03 | TEAM Simon

[TheAngryClam]

Dear Bill:

Rumors are persisting that you are readying to actively campaign for governor once again.

We hope these rumors prove untrue. If you become a candidate you WILL hurt the efforts of so many who’ve worked so hard for the last year; first for yourcampaign and now to make this historic recall happen. You will hurt the Republican Party, spoiling its chances of replacing Gray Davis. By splitting the Republican vote, you will also ultimately hurt yourself, forever damaging your credibility in the Party.

We can only assume that you are getting considerable encouragement from campaign professionals to run, probably from the same campaign professionals who destroyed your chance to unseat Gray Davis last year. We cannot believe you have sought the opinions of a wide range of party leaders, donors or grassroots activists about your potential candidacy. If you had, you would have received a resounding “PLEASE BILL, DON’T RUN!”

We know of no Republican who is objectively in support of you running in the recall election, in fact quite the opposite is true. Republicans we have spoken with are mortified at the prospect of your candidacy and its effect in reshaping the recall campaign. Aside from the obvious prospect of you splitting the Republican vote in this winner take all contest, you will give Gray Davis ample ammunition to mislead the voters about the recall.

If your campaign is anything like the stumbling, clumsy performance we painfully but nonetheless enthusiastically supported last year, the Democrats could conceivably manage to elect one of their own, or Gray Davis could even survive the recall. The Simon for Governor Campaign has already once saved Gray Davis from the jaws of defeat. This performance does not need a sequel.

The conflicts of interest of those supporting your potential candidacy are very transparent. Some see their power disappearing before their eyes, some see you as little more than a welfare check, but they all share little more than a yearning for the limelight once more. Bill, we beg you to look beyond these tainted motives and seek the guidance of those who genuinely have your best interests, and the best interests of the Party, in mind. Your wife Cindy is opposed to you running again. That should tell you something.

We beg you not to file as a candidate for Governor. Please, break away from your former and current political handlers and speak with the party’s leadership, donors and activists. You will find that you are liked and respected and people are willing and eager to support you for a statewide run sometime in the future. You will also find a united group who are against your rumored candidacy.

Bill, we hope you will listen to your former supporters, and ignore those campaign professionals who served you so poorly in the past and not file as a candidate in the upcoming campaign to replace Gray Davis. Now is the time, that only together can we renew the California Dream.

Sincerely,

Team Simon Volunteers

*TEAM SIMON VOLUNTEERS are a statewide group of Republican Activists. For the past year they've spent countless thousands of hours working the grassroots leg of the campaign for Bill Simon and are now as busy as ever collecting signatures for the Recall.*

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[TheAngryClam]

I wholeheartedly agree.

[ladyinred]

I am afraid I must agree also. I heard him on a talk show the other day, and he is just so fake sounding. I don't think he is fake, don't get me wrong, he obviously is sincere, but he comes across like Al Gore does.
We need someone with some enthusiasm to run for Governor. I am convinced had we had that during the election there would be no need for a recall!

[sruleoflaw]

I wish someone would forward this thread to Bill Simon and
especially to Sal Russo with the recall campaign. I worked hard for Bill Simon, wrote op-eds on his behalf,contributed money, put on a bumper sticker, hosted him on radio talk shows. Bill is a good guy. BUT, he had his chance. It is time for Tom McClintock. Riordan is more liberal than Davis, Issa is a congressman and has some baggage; and Simon lost a campaign he could have -- and should have -- won. It's time for McClintock.

[TheAngryClam]

Apart from the hosted on my talk show part, I did all that too. I was responsible for a coordinated letter to the editor campaign up in the Bay Area since I was in college at the time.

And from my sources on the Team Simon email list, this was sent to Sal Russo. It also got to the man California freepers love to hate, Gerry Parsky.

[b9]

What about Arnold?

[A CA Guy]

He has a chance in ten years if he gains professionalism and people forget his past campaign.

[Owens08]

Thoughts? Comments?

This email seems to make some really good points.

[TheAngryClam]

I think he needs to run for attorney general in 2006.

Here's why:

1) he was a federal prosecutor, so he actually has experience for once
2) the GOP had to wheedle and cajole Dick Ackerman to run for it in 2002. It's the perfect job no one really wants, so he wouldn't have to spend a lot of money/political capital/face in a primary.
3) the AG office has a lot of control over our almost non-existent California gun rights, and Simon is an actual gun owner. That means a lot to me as a fan of the 2nd Amendment and finally
4) people like me, who did truly believe when he ran for governor only to be disappointed, will support him for that, although I DO NOT support him running in the recall.

[A CA Guy]

He could probably try running for that without damaging Republicans if he blows it. Good idea!

[ambrose]

Why can't he run for the State Senate or House of Reps first?

[Owens08]

I couldn't agree more with the idea of Bill Simon running for Attorney General in 2006!

Coming off of a bad defeat last year, Bill has only one more chance. If he runs again, for anything, and loses, his political career is over. For that reason, I hope he stays away from the risky recall, and instead runs for AG, a down ticket position in 2006.

From that office, he can show himself an effective leader, a conservative voice, and an able politician. He can hone his skills, grow his base, and gear back up for a future fun for Governor.

That way, he can be out of the way for Condi Rice to become Governor in '06, and position himself to fill the seat once she's done.

Despite Bill's past mistakes, I still believe in him. I just hope he plays his cards right this time around, and maintains his status as a viable statewide candidate for 2006!

[CARepubGal]

Pro Death RINO. Kennedy relative by infusion. No way!

[John Lenin]

We have to get behind Dick Riordan, he is the only GOP person who can win this race.

[TheAngryClam]

I don't think he's planning on running.

If you're looking for the RINO in this race, it's Arnold.

And, regardless of my take on his politics, if he runs, he wins. That simple.

[John Lenin]

I will not vote for Arnold. This is no time for a rookie politician.

[TheAngryClam]

Then your choices are probably going to be Issa, McClintock, and whatever scum the Democrats come up with.

[Owens08]

Arnold is just Dick Riordan with bigger muscles and more name-id. If anything, Arnold is more liberal.

He's pro gay-rights, pro gun-control, and pro-choice.

Worst of all, during the Clinton impeachment hearings, he said he was "embarrassed to be a Republican."

Arnold is just like Riordan, a man more liberal than Gray Davis.

[CARepubGal]

Precisely. Ahnuld will be as bad as Dufus if not worse.

[CARepubGal]

McClintock is the best of the bunch.

[John Lenin]

Riordan did a good job with the city of L.A.. The city was in financial trouble when he took over and it was in good shape when he left. He's a very likeable guy and extremely pro-business. I fear that Simon and Arnold will enter the race and give the demoRATS the governorship again. Stupid is as stupid does. And Simon should just disappear after the horrible campaign he ran.