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Ingraham: What Would Reagan Do?
www.LauraIngraham.com ^ | August 11, 2003 | Laura Ingraham

Posted on 08/11/2003 9:39:58 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day

WHAT WOULD REAGAN DO?

After faking everyone out, including me, with his decision to run for the governorship of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger now needs to get down to business. Box-office flops may be embarrassing, but a political flop after such a build-up as he has engineered would be much worse. There’s no after-life in DVD rentals for failed candidates.

Navigating the Malibu-Brentwood-Bel Air social circuit is a snap. Holding forth on a press junket to promote the latest film is a no-brainer — although those questions from “Access Hollywood” can be real mindbenders, I’m sure. But navigating the sprawling, vexing labyrinth known as California politics is another matter altogether.

Even in California, man cannot get elected on celebrity alone. Mr. Schwarzenegger needs some basic guidelines to follow to avoid having his current sizzle turn into an election-day fizzle. So here’s my memo to Mr. Schwarzenegger:

One: Think Reagan.

Be upbeat, sunny, and positive. Yes, the deficit is astronomical and hard choices are necessary, but you will get it done. Period. Gray “Skies” Davis will do what he always does in campaigns — he’ll avoid taking personal responsibility and go negative. Let him. Flick him off like a piece of lint.

Californians need hope and optimism. Give it to them. Whenever you’re in doubt, ask yourself, “What would Reagan do?” “How would the Gipper respond?”

Two: Tout your American success story.

You are an immigrant who worked hard, played by the rules, and achieved the American dream. Tell your story — again and again. You are an entrepreneur and a risktaker who could never have found such success in any other country in the world. You now want to give something back by dedicating yourself as aggressively to leading California as you have to playing leading roles. When the Davis team tries to portray you as a hard-bodied know-nothing, respond by saying that the voters of California are tired of soft-bodied know-it-alls.

Three: Avoid the tug-of-war between GOP moderates and conservatives.

This will be tough but it’s important. The state’s ongoing feud between the Republican right and middle-of-the-roaders is fierce. Gray “Skies” exploited this rift when he attacked moderate Dick Riordan in the 2002 GOP primary.

The key here is to convince both camps that given all the political and economic carnage across the state, you’re the only one who can bring both sides together. Give a “united we win, divided we fall” speech.

As for the explosive issues — such as abortion, gun control, and immigration — that fuel this raging intraparty struggle, you should not run away from them. State your beliefs but always first acknowledge that reasonable people disagree about these complicated matters. Remember, your strategy should be never vilify, always inspire.

Four: Don’t be afraid to be politically incorrect.

Ignore the consultants and handlers who urge you to steer clear of the hot-button issues about which you feel strongly.The public will want to hear from you on illegal immigrants, affirmative action, and bilingual education. Offend no one and you motivate no one. Your answers to these questions should come from your gut, not from a focus group. Again, treat the opposition with respect, but tell the people what you believe and why. And if your language is sometimes not artful, don’t worry. President Bush has managed just fine, and still can’t pronounce “nuclear.”

Five: Dedicate this recall election to the people.

The campaign to recall Mr. Davis has been a grass-roots effort from Day 1. Back in February the political elites scoffed at the notion that some fledgling movement could ever disrupt Mr. Davis’s hold on power. As usual, they were wrong and totally underestimated the people’s fury and frustration at a political leader who had abused their trust. On the “Tonight Show,” you seemed to have this point down pat when you said “The people are working hard. The people are paying the taxes, the people are raising the families, but the politicians are not doing their job. The politicians are fiddling, fumbling, and failing.” The people, not the politicians, are what make California great; and the people deserve better.

Even if Mr. Schwarzenegger follows this five-point plan, he could still tank at the political box office. The political unknowns that lurk behind every corner could terminate even the Terminator. But I’m betting on him because, unlike Mr. Davis, he doesn’t need the political power. He already is powerful. Now he wants to do some good.

Mr. Schwarzenegger surprised the critics in Hollywood when he parlayed Mr. Olympia into Mr. Box Office. And this week he surprised many of us when he decided to try to parlay Mr. Box Office into Mr. Governor.The next one to be surprised may be Mr. Davis.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; gubernatorial; hollywood; lauraingraham; reagan; recall; schwarzenegger
"Offend no one and you motivate no one."

Laura nails it again.

1 posted on 08/11/2003 9:39:58 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day
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To: MNLDS; rwfromkansas; Tredge; SAMWolf; It's me; nowings; LADY J; Zavien Doombringer; Pharmboy; ...
Lauara Ingraham PING.
2 posted on 08/11/2003 9:46:19 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day (http://thetaoofthedow.blogspot.com)
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To: MNLDS
Good post. I sure wish we could get the mods and the rights to quit infighting. Ahnold is the only Pubbie candidate that has a chance. Hey guys, take a page out of Texas playbook. We've got the Rat bastards hiding in a motel in New Mexico, and we've done it by fighting with them, not with each other.
3 posted on 08/11/2003 9:53:10 PM PDT by Richard Kimball
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To: MNLDS
Go Aaaahhhhnooold!!
4 posted on 08/11/2003 9:55:24 PM PDT by Capitalism2003
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To: Richard Kimball
Good point. Even Issa gets it; he saw the writing on the wall and bowed out.

Didn't Margaret Thatcher's husband once describe his voting strategery in any election as: "I always vote for the most conservative candidate WHO CAN WIN."

I'm no Californian, but it seems to me Simon and McClintock would better serve the party and the public if they would join with Arnold, team up, show a united front. Quid pro quo: "Look, Arnold, I send my 7 or 8% your way, you appoint me to this or that position, and you make sure [illegal immigration; welfare reform; cutting program x, etc.] is one of your three top priorities in Year One."
5 posted on 08/11/2003 9:59:04 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day (http://thetaoofthedow.blogspot.com)
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To: Richard Kimball
Arnold is gray's worst nighmare come true and CA's only hope for a GOP victory. I have decided to vote for him!
6 posted on 08/11/2003 9:59:55 PM PDT by onyx (Name an honest democrat? I can't either!)
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To: MNLDS


Obligatory picture and a we love Laura bump!
7 posted on 08/11/2003 10:01:24 PM PDT by Live free or die
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To: MNLDS
Laura is a godsend. Arnold should print this out and tape it to his mirror(s).
8 posted on 08/11/2003 10:40:17 PM PDT by moodyskeptic
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To: MNLDS
"To thine ownself be true." Be who you are and state your beliefs forcefully and candidly. Treat your opponent with respect but don't be afraid to tell people what you think needs to be done - part of leadership is inspiring others and getting them to follow you. Hopefully Arnold can do it. We'll see.
9 posted on 08/11/2003 10:50:11 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: MNLDS
Thanks for the pingaroonie. I love Laura and if she likes Arnold I like him more. I just hope he's running in the middle but would govern to the right. Just mirror what the Dems do, Arnie.
10 posted on 08/12/2003 6:16:32 AM PDT by Pharmboy (Dems lie 'cause they have to...)
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