Simon Loyalists Say E-Mail Dirty Trick Backfired

Los Angeles Times ^ | 7/14/03 | Patt Morrison

[TheAngryClam]

Nope, it wasn't us, they say.

Supporters of Bill Simon for governor — both last year, and now as a candidate in a probable recall election — say it wasn't their loyalists who sent out an e-mail letter signed "Team Simon" volunteers and advising Simon to sit out the election to avoid splitting the party vote and worse.

Joel Strom, the Team Simon chair, says no one from his statewide leadership group wrote such a letter, and whoever did "did not accomplish the goal he/she apparently set out to achieve and, in fact, only helped to sharpen our focus on our work as volunteers."

A letter to the "Team Simon Statewide Leadership" characterized the "PLEASE BILL, DON'T RUN" letter as a "silly prank concocted by a nervous potential opponent who fears our strong statewide organization." The effort "to distract and divide us" in fact "failed miserably," it said, because Team Simon remains "strongly intact" and "highly supportive of Bill's bright political future."

Who might be behind such a dismissive missive? Team Simon's leadership wouldn't speculate, but you know you've got an election on your hands when this sort of thing gets up and running.

[nickcarraway]

Sorry. I favor a smokey backroom session, to narrow it down to one standard bearer.

I don't want multiple candidate, either. But the smokey backroom sessions in this state might be deciding between Lenin and Stalin.

[Kuksool]

After looking at the list of potential candidates running for Governor, the recall election is going to be about which candidate CA voters dislike the least. With a crowded field, there is no guarantee that a Pubbie will be elected to replace Gray Davis.

[TheAngryClam]

More likely between Larry, Curly and Moe.

[TheAngryClam]

I don't think that a Republican winning the recall was ever a foregone conclusion (unlike many here on FR). That's part of the reason I find Bill Simon's line, which ElkGroveDan has been repeating here, that a huge pile of Republican candidates will help the recall, so lacking.

Yes, it will aide the ouster of Gray Davis by getting every little sliver of factionalists to the polls, but that's only one of our two goals. The other, which it actively defeats by splitting the vote (and why I want Simon out so bad), is to get a Republican (a real one, not Riordan or some other RINO like Arnold or Richman) into the office.

Simon's in the way of that, and I want him to get out of the way, but it's looking like he's too self-absorbed and narcissistic to do so.

[TheAngryClam]

Ed Rollins sure sucks so much, Dan.

49 out of 50 states over Mondale.

That was going to be a landslide anyway, but the magnitude of it was great even for then.

Incidentally, that was also the last general election that a statewide candidate Sal Russo was working for won.

[Smogger]

Dude what are you people smoking. No Republican will EVER win the state of California running as a conservative. California only elects moderates. Period. Reagan. Moderate. Deukmejian. Moderate. Wilson. Moderate.

If you remember these guys as being fire breathing conservatives your memory is screwed up.

The next governor of California will be a moderate Republican too. Deal with it.

Compareed to Grey Davis Arnie is practically Pat Buchanan.

[TheAngryClam]

Uh... ok.

Care to explain your list of moderates? Pete Wilson is the only name I see that really belongs.

[nickcarraway]

Reagan is a moderate? Pat Brown tried to tank George Christopher candidacy in the primary, so the conservative Ronald reagan could win.

[Smogger]

You mean the most recent one that managed to win an election? Why yes he was the most recent Republican to win election. What does that tell you.

Reagan and Deukmejian are certainly moderate when compared to say GWB. So it all depends on your perspective. The state GOP needs to run a candidate the can actuall win, and that candidate is going to most likely be moderate on many issues. Do you disagree?

[nickcarraway]

Dude what are you people smoking. No Republican will EVER win the state of California running as a conservative. California only elects moderates. Period. Reagan. Moderate. Deukmejian. Moderate. Wilson. Moderate.

What are you smoking? If Reagan is a moderate that the U.S. only elects moderates, not just California. What president recently or in the history of the U.S. more conservative than Ronald Reagan? You'd have to go back to Coolidge to even make a case (maybe some would say Kennedy?)

By the way Reagan entered politics in his speech supporting Barry Goldwater. Was Goldwater another moderate?

[TheAngryClam]

Reagan and Deukmejian are certainly moderate when compared to say GWB.

You're smoking crack, dude. GWB is such a pinko sometimes.

[nickcarraway]

Reagan and Deukmejian are certainly moderate when compared to say GWB

Reagan is moderate compared to GWB? Only you and couple NPR-types would claim that? Prove it. Reagan lowered taxes and promoted national defense and he didn't have as favorable a situation in congress as GWB. Reagan never signed CFR or created drug entitlements.

[Smogger]

You're smoking crack, dude. GWB is such a pinko sometimes.

HAHAHAAHAHA!! Spoken like a true ultra-conservative. ;-)

[nickcarraway]

The state GOP needs to run a candidate the can actuall win, and that candidate is going to most likely be moderate on many issues. Do you disagree?

Yes, I diagree. The GOP needs to run a conservative, instead of trying to chase a few voters who will never cross over.

[TheAngryClam]

What would you call prescription drug benefits, his love of the Ted Kennedy education bill, and $15 billion for AIDS in Africa?

You don't need to be a member of JBS to not be happy about those.

[Smogger]

What would you call prescription drug benefits, his love of the Ted Kennedy education bill, and $15 billion for AIDS in Africa?

Bush would call them "compassionate conservatism."

I would call them "trying to win an election." You know those things we hold every few years where everyone not just those that you share your paticular ideology are encouraged to vote?

[nickcarraway]

Well, at least be consistent. First, you appeared to criticize California for not being conservative enough, when what you meant is that you don't support the conservatives. Really California Republican voters are too conservative for you.

[TheAngryClam]

With that in mind, do you stand by your statement that Reagan was a more moderate president than GWB?

[nickcarraway]

Please explain how GWB is more conservative than Reagan?

[Smogger]

Yes, I diagree. The GOP needs to run a conservative, instead of trying to chase a few voters who will never cross over.

Your not chasing a "few voters." Your chasing the majority of voters who are registered independent, aren't crossing over from anywhere, and will determine the outcome of the election.

There is a time to be ideological, and a time to be practical. And when you have been subjected to 5 years of Grey Davis the time to be practical and WIN THE U^#*$ election is NOW!!!!!