How 12 Editorial Cartoonists View the CA Gov Candidate, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

Cagle's Cartoon Index ^ | August 2003 | Various Cartoonists

[summer]

Make no mistake: I think he is best on the issues. I just doubt he has a realistic chance of winning.

And I am admittedly in the camp of voters who favor winning, half a loaf, etc. Something about adjusting one's expectations to reality

truth_seeker, I think it may be more difficult for GOP candidates in CA to raise money, because there are so many of them -- and, that may cause other GOP heavyweights to stay away from fundraising for any of them.

As for adjusting your expectations, how does one explain what is going on right now with Howard Dean in the Dem Party, being the current front-runner? Those Dem sites I read have poster after poster saying how much they HATE the DNC and will not listen to those Dem leaders. It seems to me everytime the DNC opens its mouth, people on those sites donate more money to Howard Dead. The DNC has been the biggest money-raiser for Howard Dean to date!

Finally, what IS the "half loaf" you DO get if Arnold wins? That is where you lose me, despite your other valid points.

[truth_seeker]

"The job of the candidate, especially a Republican candidate, is to know how what one says will be spun and then deny the mediots the opportunity. Buffet was his choice and he should have known what came with it.

He flunked on that one."

And if you watched the TV today, the Arnold campaign recovered quite well from that earlier poor performance.

Campaigns are like that. Mistakes get made. It actually gave him a chance to stand firmly for Prop. 13, and establish himself as the man who would make decisions, be in charge.

I also was encouraged by his discussion about businesses and taxes. Overall the day was a plus for conservative issue positions, with Arnold.

BTW - Buffett serves a purpose in speaking up for California's bond creditworthiness. That point may not impress "real conservatives" but will save taxpayers interest money. (I'm a Republican taxpayer in CA.)

Bustamante could win this. Arnold could win this. Nobody else.

[summer]

Howard Dead = Howard Dean

[summer]

Nobody else

Well, only if that is what the CA voters decide. I don't know they have decided such yet. 44% of CA voters say they could still change their minds. That's a big chuck of voters. FL has swing voters too -- and its those voters who decide state elections here in this state.

[summer]

its = it's

[summer]

DNC = DLC (Dem Leadership Committee)

[summer]

BTW, this is true, even though it's in an editorial cartoon, as you'll often find facts in some comics:

[truth_seeker]

"Finally, what IS the "half loaf" you DO get if Arnold wins?"

That is simple. I get better fiscal governance.

I listened to Bustamante say he'll raise taxes by $8 billion more. I don't know if that is on top of $4 billion car fee increase.

I listened to Arnold today, talking about taxes being too high. Defending Prop. 13. Talking about losing businesses.

I don't have to be a genius to decide which gives me more of what I want.

One way to look at this is that all the "extra" Republicans are like 3rd party spoilers (Perot, Nader, etc).

And by the way--what is the stature of McClintock's financial advisory board? Any retired Secretary's of the Treasury? How about the world's 2nd richest man (who lends creditworthiness to CA bonds)?

Same questions apply to all candidates.

[summer]

That is simple. I get better fiscal governance.

If Arnold wins, I sincerely hope you do get that, truth_seeker.

And, like I said in another post, time will tell if the CA voters made the right choice.

[truth_seeker]

"44% of CA voters say they could still change their minds. That's a big chuck of voters."

If McClintock is going to change voters' minds, he had better get started. He had better get more money. He had better get more mainstream media attention.

In other words, he had better be more effective, as a "total" candidate. In the end, I will be very pissed, if it goes 40% Bustamante, 30% Arnold, 15% McClintock, 10% Simon and 5% all others.

Of course giving McClintock plus Simon a total of 25% is more than any poll I have yet seen to give them. I expect it will take at least 30 to 35% to win.

Expect it to get nasty sometime (maybe at the last minute). Be very certain that Arnold's team is better skilled to handle and respond, than McClintock's or Simon's.

[summer]

Hope you find time to read this entire thread. :)

[summer]

Be very certain that Arnold's team is better skilled to handle and respond

With all due respect to you, truth_seeker, I am not at all certain of that. But, we'll see.

[Tempest]

You know that bothers me. But not as much as a typical beuracrat whose beholden to special interest.

I.E. Any of the proffessional politicians on the ticket.

[summer]

I saw a FR thread the other night where people were upset to learn that the first group Arnold decided to meet with was: The CA teachers union.

[truth_seeker]

"With all due respect to you, truth_seeker, I am not at all certain of that. But, we'll see."

Another clue: Arnold's campaign team includes some prominent pros, from Gov. Wilson's campaigns. And Wilson never lost an election in CA. Mayor of San Diego, Senator, Governor.

People can disagree about his policies. But he was effective at the #1 phase of politics - eg. getting elected.

[Rabid Dog]

I love all the editorial cartoons and photos! Hopefully we'll see some cartoon on Tom (it will mean he is on the radar screen) but he'll never have the caricature appeal of Arnie. Unless there is one of Arnie kicking sand at him and he's the 97 lb weakling that comes back as Charles Atlas.

[summer]

effective at the #1 phase of politics - eg. getting elected.

Again, I think that depends on: the voters. If they are all as certain as you are, then, Arnold is a shoe in. But, if I was in CA, I would still cast my vote for McClintock. Having Arnold get into offie only to tell me he needs a lot more time to figure out what is going on, and to get his on the job training, just would not appeal to me, unless I had a ton of bucks and didn't mind getting ripped off by those outrageous taxes out there. McClintock wants to get rid of taxes on Day One. That would be closer to my schedule. :)

[summer]

I think you have to put McClintock on the radar screen here on FR. Some FR people think he is the best on the issues, but can't get elected. But I never believe the best person should lose an election. Good grief, if that was the case, Gov Bush would never have won a 2nd term - and made history (as the first GOP gov in FL to wina 2nd term). Good luck! :)

[summer]

PS They never did cartoons of Gov Bush - but they did a ton of Janet Reno. LOL...I guess she was easier to lampoon.

[Rabid Dog]

Tom is definitely on the radar screen here at FR and a whole lot of panties are bunched up about it!!