Schwarzenegger's dilemma: Penetrating voters' comfort zone

Sac Bee ^ | 8/21/03 | Dan Walters

[NormsRevenge]

LOS ANGELES -- Arnold Schwarzenegger's dilemma in making the transition from movie star to politician was framed by the last question he fielded Wednesday during a session with reporters that was supposed to showcase his understanding of economic matters.

The question came from a blond bombshell-type "reporter" from "Entertainment Tonight," the syndicated television show that chronicles the comings and goings of show-biz personalities. What exalted role, the questioner asked breathlessly, would fellow actor Rob Lowe play in Schwarzenegger's campaign for the governorship of California?

[NormsRevenge]

Will California conservatives swallow Arnie's medicine?

This claim of leadership and I'm da man.. Who annointed him and granted him the right to claim to be a leader? And a leader of what?

Look at his endorsers.. and be honest with yourself.

Big deal, he supported Prop 49 ... at the taxpayers expense.

His support of liberal issues should be of great concern to all voters in this state and nation.

But, in the end, "star" power will win out ,, and who shall be the real losers.. again? The California taxpayers and the children.

[Hodar]

Is Arnold the answer to everything .... probably not.

But, is he a major step in the correct direction? I think so.

So, ask yourself ... would you rather have an enept Republican trying to straighten out California, or more of Gray Davis? Would you like to have another Dem follow Gray Davis's lead and plunge California even deeper? In my opinion, a intellectually challenged and economically retarded Chinchilla could do better than Gray Davis (and team) have done.

Let's face facts ... Arnold is the best candidate, in that he is the ONLY Republican with a chance to not only get the re-call, but to be elected by a popular majority. The other Republican candidates do not have enough votes to do more than to dilute the conservative base.

[TheDon]

"In my opinion, a intellectually challenged and economically retarded Chinchilla could do better than Gray Davis (and team) have done."

LOL! Great line!

[rightazrain]

I agree with you, Hodar. The "100% or nothing" crowd needs to take a closer look at Arnold. At least today, he said the right things and made a good impression on no less than Rush Limbaugh.

I have lots of relatives in CA and they are desperate for at least some change for the better.

[NormsRevenge]

Yeah, I bet Arnie will get along real well with all the demRats in the state legislature and high state offices... and the unions...

[DoctorZIn]

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[daviddennis]

Would Tom McClintock or Bill Simon do any better?

I think Arnold would at least do a good job at putting the case to the broad masses of Californians, going over the head of the legislature, and most likely convincing them to act.

I'm not saying he'd get everything he wanted, but I see him as easily beating Bustamante, McClintock and Davis in influence.

D

[NormsRevenge]

The sad truth, the media and the CA GOP state leadership made sure we didn't get a chance to see how Simon would have worked with the legislature of snakes. (albeit rookie a campaign that played out badly)

I fear that Tom will now suffer the same fate for a Johnnie Come Lately again, foisted on the electorate and running as "moderate" (translate moderate however you will).

IMO, the CA GOP deserves to go down big time, what ever way it plays out. Forget about all this unelectability crap, that is so much defeatism and misdirected rhetoric.

[Choose Ye This Day]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/mmedia/apdaily/082003-12v.htm

Arnold on taxes

[goldstategop]

Its not star power. Its being decisive. Arnold has moved a quite a ways in our direction. Will he run at Democrats from the right on economic and fiscal policy during the campaign? We'll see. For as Rush said, the only thing that hasn't been tried yet in California IS conservatism and it works every time.

[deport]

At this stage if polls are any indication then he along with Bustamante are the two most likely top contenders of the recall race should Davis be recalled..... The real question is will any other of the 133 candidates become at least a viable contender to either Cruz or Arnold? If not it's between the two of them as none of the other candidates seem to be able to break out of single digits.

The following is from the Public Policy Institute of CA poll

---

Two of the questions on the Poll  ... 
http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/S_803MBS.pdf 

PPIC STATEWIDE SURVEY: CALIFORNIANS AND THEIR GOVERNMENT
AUGUST 8—AUGUST 17, 2003
2,001 CALIFORNIA ADULT RESIDENTS; ENGLISH AND SPANISH
MARGIN OF ERROR +/- 2% AT 95% CONFIDENCE LEVEL FOR TOTAL SAMPLE


6. On October 7 th , there will be a special election on whether to
recall Governor Davis from office. On this ballot, voters will be 
asked two questions: first, whether Davis should be removed as 
governor, and second, who from a list of candidates should replace
him if he is recalled. The list of about 150 possible replacement
candidates includes: [rotate list, then say “among others”] 
• Peter Camejo, Green Party 
• Cruz Bustamante, Democrat 
• Arianna Huffington, Independent 
• Tom McClintock, Republican 
• Arnold Schwarzenegger, Republican 
• Peter Ueberroth, Republican 
• Bill Simon, Republican 

If the special election to recall Governor Davis were held today, 
would you vote "yes" to remove Davis as governor or "no" to keep
Davis as governor? 

58% yes, remove Davis as governor 
36 no, keep Davis as governor 
6 don’t know 

7. Regardless of how you would vote on the first part of the 
recall, how would you vote on the second part of the recall ballot: 
If the election were held today, who would you vote for? [if necessary: 
read rotated list, then ask “or someone else?”] 

23% Arnold Schwarzenegger, Republican 
18 Cruz Bustamante, Democrat 
5 Tom McClintock, Republican 
4 Bill Simon, Republican 
4 Peter Ueberroth, Republican 
3 Peter Camejo, Green Party 
3 Arianna Huffington, Independent 
8 Someone else (specify) 
32 don’t know

[daviddennis]

Even though I think Arnold is probably the best candidate due to his theatrical flair and attention-getting ways, at heart I agree with you.

I think a Republican, properly presented, should be electable. After all, Gray Davis ran initally as a Riordan-style candidate - fiscally conservative but pro-abortion. (It's hard to conceive of Gray as fiscally conservative nowadays, but that's exactly the message he sent to the public when he ran).

Until Arnold, we've been pretty bad at finding charismatic candidates the general public is willing to line up behind. The good news is the Democrats have done just as badly.

I think Arnold is just the tonic to reverse our decline.

D