Mark Steyn: The Gubernator?

The Sunday Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 08/10/03 | Mark Steyn

[onyx]

Slit-your-wrist-keysters and self-proclaimed "pure conservatives" call Pete Wilson a RINO and gosh he was a 2-term governor right before gray-doofus beat Lungren!

[Howlin]

They LOVE to lose, it's in their genes!

No, it's not in their genes.

It's something like a psychosomatic disease: sort of a projection thing, if you will.

See, they can't put a candidate up that can win, so the only choice they have is to keep saying that we're too stupid to recognize a great candidate when we see one!

[Wolfstar]

I am a political realist. You are, of course, talking about Tom McClintock. Yep, he's a good man. If this were a primary, I would support his campaign and vote for him. If he failed to win the primary, I'd support the Republican nominee.

But it's not a primary and unless some miracle happens, McClintock does not have a snowball's chance of winning. You can dream it; you can wish it; you can get out and work hard to elect him. Won't make any difference. The man simply is not going to win this election. As for Simon, sorry, no can do. I supported him last time, voted for him in both the primaries and the general. But I was absolutely disgusted by the incredibly inept — frankly, downright stupid — campaign he ran. Based on his management of that campaign, the man is not qualified to be governor.

So you tell me...what choice is there? I'll be damned if I'm going to chase after some pipedream while Cruz Bustamante becomes governor of California.

[Wolfstar]

That was an amazing performance on her part, wasn't it? I heard that reporter ask the question you quoted and couldn't help chuckling some. But I was actually furious at her, and I was delighted when the crowd booed her. I can't think of anything lower to call her except pond scum while still keeping my post clean!

[Sabertooth]

That news would shock even the Hollywood "elite"! ;)

Or... not.

[beckett]

I hope everyone else understood what I meant...

I'm sure everyone did, Victoria, even lonevoice, AJ Armitage and me.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks Beckett. ;-)

[Sabertooth]

This just in: the Marquis de Sade, long believed dead, emerged from the basement of Anton LaVey's home in San Franciso yesterday and filed for governor on the Republican ticket. When asked by a reporter whether the Marquis' more notorious and peculiar pecadilloes might make it difficult for some Republicans to vote for him, one angry FReeper replied, "Who cares? He knows how to pinch a penney and will whip the state budget into shape--you just watch! Fundamental morality has no place in modern politics unless your name is Bill Clinton. Pro-gay? Pro-abortion? Anti-gun rights? No problem."

You left out "Anything, as long as it helps President Bush in 2004!"

[Wolfstar]

...steal the harvest of a true, grass roots rebellion...

And what did the recall proponents expect? That no one would go after one of the most powerful governor slots in the nation, and that either Issa or McClintock would just waltz into the job? Did you really think it was going to be that easy to slip someone you believe to be a "true" Conservative in the back door of THIS state's political system?

I mean anyone even a little in touch with political reality could see this recall effort had potential disaster written all over it. But noooo... Folks such as yourself, with visions of easily grabbed sugarplums dancing in your heads, could not — indeed still cannot — see disaster staring you right in the face in the person of Cruz Bustamante.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

The London papers are talking about the attacks on Arnold from the "right",but,their only source for the attacks, is Rush Limbaugh.Rush is apparently going all out to try and scuttle Arnold's candidacy.

[Wolfstar]

As much as he likes to flatter himself that he is, Rush Limbaugh simply isn't that big. In fact, he probably has less influece here than in some other states, because he comes on at 9:00am Pacific time when the majority of adults are at work, or in class if they are college students.

[Kevin Curry]

Could Rush go mano a mano with the Terminator? Could Rush fly a Harrier jumpjet and wipe out the bad guys with a machinegun hover-weep of a high rise? I think not. 'Nuff said.

[Howlin]

They are quoting Rush? My, he'll be pleased.

[Sabertooth]

And what did the recall proponents expect? That no one would go after one of the most powerful governor slots in the nation, and that either Issa or McClintock would just waltz into the job? Did you really think it was going to be that easy to slip someone you believe to be a "true" Conservative in the back door of THIS state's political system?

No, my unrealistic expectation was that so many wouldn't be caught up so easily in a celebrity cult.

I also expected some intellectual honesty, in the tacit acknowledgement that every argument underlying the "support Arnold, because more uninformed people do" position was just a slogan that could be as easily turned on its head.

But that's just me, the unrealist.

[lonevoice]

Victoria, I did understand what you meant. Beckett's right that I was just making a small joke (very small). ;)

The clause you wrote, "He has said he is a family man and so is his wife," if taken literally, makes his wife out to be a man. I think Lonevoice simply pointed out that even jaded, gayed-out, transgendered Hollyweird would be a little shocked to learn of Maria's secret.

[Howlin]

Rush's problem is that he's literally a day late.

When he first started his show, he was "it." Now, with the cable networks and instant news, most of the stuff he talks about has already been discussed and digested.

And I still say he's ill as a snake because he's not invited to THIS White House.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Oh, it's ok. I was the last one to get the joke, LOL!!!

[gatorbait]

Perot didn't give us Clinton -- all the deluded Perot VOTERS did.

And the same ones are about to give us Bustamante.

Exactly so. and worse, regardng Perot, even after he showed his true colors, the single issue "principled" voters stuck by him. These people are as childish as the those who looked to Bill Caligula as heir father and saviour.Perhaps they are even worse,for we expect the weak minds and will in demoncRAT .When people professing to be anmong our political peergroup act in the same way, we are dumbfouded .

[gatorbait]

It's the "slit-your-wrist-Keysters" who are more concerned with calling fellow FReepers RINOS than they are with defeating democRATS!



How about the "GoPat,go" crowd ? Or the Harry Browne is the right hand of God group? Seriously, these folks seem to enjoy a position of moral superiority based on losing,badly , but, by gosh,having "principle" How sad, really, sort of like political Munchhausen syndrome.

[kingu]

Reading through 138 replies isn't an easy task, but the time and effort was well worth it.

First and foremost, none of this matters if Gray isn't recalled. This is no slam dunk, if Arnold Schwarzenegger and Cruz Bustamonte get into a slugging match trying to garner one side of the voters or the other, the general population will just vote to keep Davis. The old line 'Better the Devil you know...' is something that is always alive in American politics.

Something that has not really come up is that Schwarzengger knows that he doesn't know everything. That's why he's got Pete Wilson helping running the campaign, people like Richard Riordan giving advice.. He won't run the office, it will be the people he brings along that will.

As for his positions on some issues, IE gun control, gays, abortion - The governor of California has very little say in these matters. He might sign legislation that will be in opposition to the standard Republican view on these issues, but even with Democrat governors, there has been limited movement on these issues in recent years.

Reading what little is out there, Schwarzenegger's comments on gun control, for example, matches the party line on many points: Keeping guns out of the hands of convicted criminals, enforcing the existing laws, and cutting down on gun theft.

Yes, McClintock, Simon or even Huffington might better reflect the views of the core party, but if any of those win it will be by a small minority of voters, putting a weak governor in place, ready for another recall, or worse, locking up Sacramento even worse.

I'm full bore supporting Schwarzenegger because he has the best chance of getting people out to the polls and voting for him. I'm supporting him because I want a Republican, even if in name only, in that office bringing more Republicans with him. And I'm supporting him because he has the best chance of exceeding 50 percent of the vote with everyone supporting him, scaring the RATS in Sacramento who will be facing an election all too soon.

And to top all of that, if the Republican vote gets too scattered, Gov. Cruz Bustamonte will sail in and all the party hacks will get their hooks into him.