Posted on 08/22/2003 2:42:45 PM PDT by Snerfling
With a long business trip back East coming up shortly and my hair beginning to look a little shaggy, I figured lunch would be a good time to get my hair cut today.
My barber is up a couple of blocks from the beach on upper Main street in Huntington Beach. As he cut my hair, he casually mentioned that Arnie was having lunch at the Inca Grill down the street.
I remarked that perhaps I would take a drive by as I was leaving to take a look; the other barber said that would be a bad idea, since they had heard from other customers that there was a large crowd.
I was about to blow it off but at the last moment decided to walk the couple of hundred yards just to see what was going on. As I got closer, I could see the cops had blocked off lower Main street and that the news vans/helicopters were out in force.
Hmmm, this was a bigger event than I had figured. I thought it would be a regular 'meet the folks' type of staged event with a couple of people around. Instead, it was a full-blown mob scene.
I could see that the bulk of the crowd was gathered down by Main & PCH at Jack's. I figured Arnie would cross the PCH and head for the pier after he left the shop, so I sort of waited in the wings.
Instead, he headed across the street to HSS, and in so doing walked right by me. However, this is a relative term, since he was surrounded by 6-8 fullbacks trying to clear a path through at least a few thousand people.
The interesting thing I noted was the look of surprise/fear(?) on his face as his entourage tried to push their way forward. Usually, politicians or other notable celebrities have pretty good crowd control systems in place ie barricades, etc.
This was a situation that was clearly verging on the edge of out-of-control. As I stood there marveling at the adrenlin rush of the mob, I thought two things: (1) Arnie is probably thinking "what the f**k have I gotten myself into", and (2) how's anyone else even going to come close to this guy's visability.
Anyhow, check out the news clips tonight. It will be interesting to see what it looks like through the lens of a TV camera.
Were did you see it?
As opposed to Bill Simon who was our candidate against Gray Davis. Anyone who ran a halfway decent campaign would have beaten Davis. Of course, Simon was no laughingstock. He was too pathetic for that.
Thanks for the post, I was worried that this get together had gotten ugly.
Do you have any idea why Simon allowed himself to be photographed surfing? Especially since it appeared he wasn't very good at it and he was trying to surf ankleslappers.
He was trying to get the Steamer's Lane vote. Worked real good, didn't it....
Arnold is smarter, he just hangs out at the surf shop and signs surfboards.
Republican candidate for governor Arnold Schwarzenegger talks to reporters and others after autrographing a surfboard at Jack's Surf Shop in the Southern California coastal city of Huntington Beach, Calif., Friday, Aug. 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger met with area business leaders and met local shop owners during a visit keyed to reforming the economy in California. (AP Photo/Bob Galbraith)
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, running as a Republican candidate for governor in the upcoming California recall election, makes his way down Main Street during a campaign appearance in Huntington Beach, California, August 22, 2003. (Robert Galbraith/Reuters)
Reuters - Aug 22 9:42 PM
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is surrounded by supporters as he tours Main Street during a campaign appearance in Huntington Beach, California, August 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger received a hero's welcome in this beach town, thrilling hundreds of swimsuit-clad admirers and winning endorsements for his gubernatorial bid from a Republican congressman and key fund-raisers. (Robert Galbraith/Reuters)
Reuters - Aug 22 9:43 PM
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is surrounded by supporters as he tours Main Street during a campaign appearance in Huntington Beach, California, August 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger received a hero's welcome in this beach town, thrilling hundreds of swimsuit-clad admirers and winning endorsements for his gubernatorial bid from a Republican congressman and key fund-raisers. Photo by Robert Galbraith/Reuters
Reuters - Aug 22 9:46 PM
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is surrounded by supporters as he tours Main Street during a campaign appearance in Huntington Beach, California, August 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger received a hero's welcome in this beach town, thrilling hundreds of swimsuit-clad admirers and winning endorsements for his gubernatorial bid from a Republican congressman and key fund-raisers. (Robert Galbraith/Reuters)
Reuters - Aug 22 9:42 PM
Republican candidate for governor Arnold Schwarzenegger talks to reporters and others after autrographing a surfboard at Jack's Surf Shop in the Southern California coastal city of Huntington Beach, Calif., Friday, Aug. 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger met with area business leaders and met local shop owners during a visit keyed to reforming the economy in California. (AP Photo/Bob Galbraith)
AP - Aug 22 9:07 PM
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is surrounded by supporters as he tours Main Street during a campaign appearance in Huntington Beach, California, August 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger received a hero's welcome in this beach town on Friday, thrilling hundreds of swimsuit-clad admirers and winning endorsements for his gubernatorial bid from a Republican congressman and key fund-raisers. 'Wait until October 7, we're going to turn this mess around,' the candidate said, referring to the date of the recall election. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Reuters - Aug 22 9:01 PM
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger greets the crowd during a campaign appearance at Jack's Surf Shop in Huntington Beach, California August 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger is a Republican candidate for California governor in the October 7 recall election. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Reuters - Aug 22 9:01 PM
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is surrounded by supporters as he tours Main Street during a campaign appearance in Huntington Beach, California, August 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger is running as a Republican for California governor in the October 7 recall election. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Reuters - Aug 22 8:47 PM
Republican candidate for governor Arnold Schwarzenegger reaches to greet a young fan as he walks down Main Street during a campaign visit to the southern California coastal city of Huntington Beach Friday, Aug. 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger met with area business leaders and met local shop owners during a visit keyed to reforming the economy in California. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
AP - Aug 22 7:30 PM
Republican candidate for California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is given a 'Terminator' T-shirt by Steve Metz, a college stufent from Pasadena, Calif., during the candidate's campaign visit to the Southern California coastal city of Huntington Beach, Calif., Friday, Aug. 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger met with area business leaders and met local shop owners during a visit keyed to reforming the economy in California. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
AP - Aug 22 6:57 PM
Republican candidate for California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger gives the thumbs-up sign as he talks with hundreds of people on Main Street in the Southern California coastal city of Huntington Beach, Calif., Friday, Aug. 22, Schwarzenegger met with area business leaders and met local shop owners during a visit keyed to reforming the economy in California. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
AP - Aug 22 6:57 PM
Republican candidate for governor Arnold Schwarzenegger greets an unidentified patron at Ibiza Restaurant as he visits the Southern California coastal city of Huntington Beach, Calif., Friday, Aug. 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger met with area business leaders and met local shop owners during a campaign visit keyed to reforming the economy in California. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, Pool)
AP - Aug 22 6:49 PM
Republican candidate for governor Arnold Schwarzenegger talks with small business owners during the candidate's campaign visit to the Southern California coastal city of Huntington Beach, Calif., Friday, Aug. 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger met with the business people and toured local shops during a visit keyed to reforming the economy in California. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
AP - Aug 22 6:37 PM
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger , running as a Republican for governor of California, works the crowd during a campaign appearance along Main Street in Huntington Beach, California August 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger will run in the October 7 recall election of current Governor Gray Davis. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Reuters - Aug 22 6:38 PM
Republican candidate for California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger gives the thumbs-up sign to fans cheering from a second-floor balcony as he winds up his campaign visit to the Southern California coastal city of Huntington Beach, Calif., Friday, Aug. 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger met with area business leaders and met local shop owners during a visit keyed to reforming the economy in California. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
AP - Aug 22 6:43 PM
Republican candidate for governor Arnold Schwarzenegger autographs a surf board during a visit to a surf shop in the southern California coastal city of Huntington Beach, Calif., Friday, Aug. 22, 2003. Schwarzenegger met with area business leaders and met local shop owners during a campaign visit keyed to reforming the economy in California. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, Pool)
AP - Aug 22 6:31 PM
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger , who is running as a Republican for Governor in California's recall election, wipes his brow while walking through a crowd in Huntington Beach, August 22, 2003. The Republican actor, who is seeling to replace Governor Gray Davis in the October 7 recall vote, said he opposed tax hikes except to possibly deal with something like a natural disaster. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Reuters - Aug 22 6:36 PM
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger , who is running as a Republican for Governor in California's recall election, gestures during a meeting with business leaders in Huntington Beach, August 22, 2003. The Republican actor, who is seeling to replace Governor Gray Davis in the October 7 recall vote, said he opposed tax hikes except to possibly deal with something like a natural disaster. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Reuters - Aug 22 6:28 PM
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger , who is running as a Republican for Governor in California's recall election, makes a campaign appearance at Jack's Surf Shop in Huntington Beach, August 22, 2003. The Republican actor, who is seeling to replace Governor Gray Davis in the October 7 recall vote, said he opposed tax hikes except to possibly deal with something like a natural disaster. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Reuters - Aug 22 5:57 PM
Schwarzenegger Gets Hero's Welcome in Surf City
Reuters ^ | 8/22/03 | Dan Whitcomb
Posted on 08/22/2003 7:01 PM PDT by kattracks
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (Reuters) - Arnold Schwarzenegger received a hero's welcome in this beach town on Friday, thrilling hundreds of swimsuit-clad admirers and winning endorsements for his gubernatorial bid from a Republican congressman and key fund-raisers.
Wading into throngs of cheering supporters in Southern California's Huntington Beach -- known as Surf City, California -- Schwarzenegger made like a veteran politician, shaking hands, kissing babies and posing for photographs.
He ducked into two restaurants and a surf shop, saying he had been talking to the owners about "the burden they go through every day running a business in California."
"Wait until October 7, we're going to turn this mess around," the candidate said, referring to the date of the recall election.
A Los Angeles Times Poll released on Friday showed voters were nearly evenly split on whether to recall California Gov. Gray Davis, who is a Democrat.
Schwarzenegger is the front-running Republican candidate.
U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a conservative Republican who strolled down Main Street with Schwarzenegger, said he endorsed the actor because Schwarzenegger was the strongest candidate, and his beliefs most closely mirrored those of Rohrabacher.
California Republicans, however, have begun to fret that with three other well-known conservatives in the race, the party may be too fragmented to win the governor's seat and could hand the race to leading Democrat, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante.
The influential Lincoln Club of Orange County, a Republican fund-raising organization, called on Republican challengers Bill Simon, Peter Ueberroth and Tom McClintock to drop out.
"Each is a noble and principled man and would distinguish the Republican Party," said club President Tracy Price. "However, in our view, they can't win. They can only spoil our chances of electing a Republican governor and turning the state around."
PARTY POLITICS AND POLLS
Schwarzenegger refused to be drawn into party politics, saying each politician had to make his or her own decision.
"They are all people I respect. They are all Republicans. They work very hard and at one point or another they have to make a decision. I can't make it for them," he said.
But when pressed, he added: "Obviously, mathematically speaking, it's wiser to only have one candidate."
Recent polls have consistently shown Davis would likely lose his seat and be replaced by either Schwarzenegger or Bustamante.
In Friday's Los Angeles Times poll of 1,351 registered voters, 50 percent of respondents supported the recall, while 45 percent opposed it and 5 percent were undecided. Seventy-two percent said they disapproved of Davis' performance.
Meanwhile, Bustamante picked up endorsements from the state's Democratic congressional delegation and two labor unions. Democratic leaders initially tried to discourage party members from challenging Davis, but switched tactics when it appeared Davis was in trouble.
The governor's wife, Sharon Davis, told CNN on Friday that the change in tactics did not indicate a loss of support for her embattled husband.
"They are all united in one point and that is 'no' on the recall," she said. "It makes a lot of sense what the Democrats are doing, they want a Democratic governor."
At an appearance with Latino business leaders in San Diego, Davis urged voters to reject the recall, calling it "undemocratic." (Additional reporting by Gina Keating)
CLICK HERE for the rest of that thread
Schwarzenegger Draws Mob Campaigning in Surf CityHUNTINGTON BEACH — Arnold Schwarzenegger caused a sensation with a campaign stop in "Surf City" Friday, getting mobbed by shrieking girls in bikini tops and teens in flip-flops as he signed autographs, flexed his muscles at a child's request and promised to bring businesses back to California.The Republican actor met with small-business owners and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher for about 15 minutes in the patio of a restaurant, then strolled down Main Street in a crush of reporters and fans amid screams of "I'll vote for you Arnold" and "Arnie, Arnie." Someone yelled "The teachers are for you, Arnold!"
In a reception most politicians could never hope to see, a crowd waited in the hot sun until he showed up an hour late, and lined the street two or three deep for several blocks to see him. Fans and reporters pushed up to him as he moved down the street and one reporter lost a shoe in the jostling.
The actor stopped to talk to the owners of a restaurant, and at Jack's Surfboards he signed a 10-foot longboard and drew a happy face on it.
"This is the greatest state in the greatest country in the world," Schwarzenegger told the throng that followed him. "It gives you all the opportunity and we want to make sure this state in the future will have all the opportunity. That's why I want to be governor of this state."
Shop owner Sean Shehadeh said he supported the actor and wanted to give him the surfboard but the situation got too crazed.
"We have all these politicians, they're always screwing things up. We pay all these taxes and we have nothing to show for it. I think he can change things," Shehadeh said.
Schwarzenegger was asked whether he believed that other Republicans should get out of the race. Pressure from party leaders is growing on them to do so.
"The way I feel about it is is that everyone has to make their own decision," he said. "They're all people that I respect. They're all people that are Republicans. They work very hard and at one point or another they have to make this decision. I can't make it for them. Obviously, mathematically speaking, it's wiser to only have one candidate."
Asked whether his campaign had encouraged rival candidates to drop out of the race, he said, "I don't really encourage anyone. I just think they have to make up their own minds."
Before leaving the city he jumped on a planter and addressed reporters and fans, promising to restore California glory.
"What has happened to this state? Businesses are moving out. Jobs are moving out. Unemployment rate is rising," he said.
"We have to stop this government overspending, overtaxing and overregulating," he said.
"I am asking all of you for your help," he told the beachtown crowd. They all cheered.
He then drove off in an SUV.
Copyright © 2003 KABC-TV and the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Last Updated: Aug 22, 2003
Caption this Davis Photo
Posted on 08/22/2003 2:07 PM PDT by Republican Red
-- snip --
To: Republican Red
It reminds me of "The Scream" by Munch!
16 posted on 08/22/2003 2:36 PM PDT by sheik yerbouty
-- snip --
To: sheik yerbouty
By God, you're right.
26 posted on 08/22/2003 4:01 PM PDT by Lizavetta
CLICK HERE for the rest of that thread
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