BILL SIMON DROPS OUT OF CAL. RACE (Fox News)

Fox News | August 23, 2003 | nwrep

[nwrep]

Per FOX NEWS

[JohnnyZ]

Arnold isn't my first choice, but he does provide a fall-back position far supperior to BustaMecha.

That seems reasonable to me.

But it's also a gamble if the long-term effects on the GOP are similar to Weld's. Is Cali's situation bad enough that it's future should be risked on a gamble? A lot of people say yes, but it could be much worse.

[montag813]

More: Does not endorse Schwarzenegger, but this is seen as a "tacit endorsement."

Who cares who Simon endorses? He is and always was utterly insignificant. At least McClintock has a brain. He should stay in perhaps a few more weeks in case Arnold self-destructs between now and Labor Day (unlikely wih only "Extra" interviews), and then pull out so Arnold can defeat the Aztlan Candidate.

[Bob J]

Just wondering. Haven't heard much from the chapter up there lately.

[Walkin Man]

Arnie is the only chance for those who are optimists, and optimists set the agenda.

You have a right to your opinion and your vote, more power to you.

But I can't for the life of me see why any conservative person would be optimistic over the election of an avowed leftist like Arnold. He and his devotees in the Calif. Republican Party will no doubt run out or silence all conservative voices and positions in the party when he gains power.

What a great "victory" it will be...

yay

[DoughtyOne]

LOL, I'm bowing to your prowess. I share your anxiety.

[strela]

RINOs like Arnold simply ensure that we are like the frogs that are slowly boiled, as opposed to getting it over with quickly.

Interesting analogy. Let me state another; if you attempt to destroy a candidate who believes in most of the same things that you do and has the best chance of winning, aren't you simply putting the frog in a Cuisinart then setting it to Frappe instead?

[prarie earth]

But McClintock's absolute ceiling is 20% which will not win..unless Arianna quits

[lilylangtree]

Sorry to hear about this. So hang in there T-Mc!

[GmbyMan]

You know, even Reagan had some problems which would have angered those on this board and gotten him called a RINO or even a Leftist. Here is a short list of whom Reagan pissed off:

• Signed the Bill making Abortion Legal in California.
• Raised Taxes in California.
• As President, he signed an amnesty for illegals bill.
• Pulled the Marines out of Beirut with our tails between our legs.
• Allowed spending on social programs to escalate which helped cause the deficits of the 1980's.
• Came out in favor of the Brady Bill.

Despite all the things I wrote above, Reagan was, IMO, the most effective President of the 20th century. I wish we could clone him and make a bunch more of him and even though I haven't always agreed with our present President, I've always felt the same way about him. I think people forget these things when it comes to Reagan. My goal isn't to tear him down but rather to point out that even in the case of a GIANT like Reagan, he was the lessor of two evils to many on this board.

[prarie earth]

Premeire Magazine claimed in that article that Arnold had elective heart surgery to repair the damage done to him by steriods.

And that he needed it for health reasons.

[ConservativeMan55]

Exactly! Lets get all the RINO's out of here!

[DoughtyOne]

I second that emotion, and more accurately motion!

[deport]

Spokesman K.B. Forbes denied the move by Simon, who lost to Democratic Gov. Gray Davis in 2002, came in response to pressure from the party.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/08/23/state1234EDT0050.DTL

[NormsRevenge]

McClintock has every right to stay in it 'til after the debates and beyond.

This crap about pulling out anytime before is ridiculous and deprives the voters a real chance to see the "major" candidates perform under pressure.... but that would certainly please certain factions that have no platform or issue stances or ideas of how best to govern, wouldn't it 8-?

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Good news. Thanks for the ping.

[88keys]

But I guess erudite historical analysis in this thread is going to fly over so many heads of people spewing factually vacant propaganda in their quest to get an old Cotton Whig elected.

If Arnold doesn't know he's an old Cotton Whig, does it still count?! LOL!!

Seriesly, you are not likely to win any more "converts" to your side here...it's the old, old argument of "we have to hit absolutely rock bottom before we can begin to make things better"...

It's not "factually vacant propaganda" but rather a legitimate philosophical point of view to advocate electing a "marginal" candidate when the alternatives are "rock bottom" or "the ideal".

One caveat: of course, the situation changes day by day, so while one's principles should remain steadfast, how one applies those principles to his/her actions will quite properly change...

[DoughtyOne]

I think some people who consider themselves conservatives are bitter that Simon didn't win and blame him for that eventuality, so I don't think these are exclusively RINO charges.

In the end, I believe principled people may have to vote Scharzenegger rather than see BustaHemorrhoid win.

[hole_n_one]

You are so right on.

In this instance, CM 55 based his confidence for McClintocks's success on his confidence that the "Forbes" who was making statements on behalf of Simon was Steve Forbes.

How "right on" was that?

[GmbyMan]

You're offering me an echo, not a choice. McClintock would definitely be better than either as he's the only choice.

Perhaps we should just all vote for Jesus Christ as he's gonna show up eventually and would be better than anyone else. Perhaps the ghost of Calvin Coolidge should run.

Look pal, I'm not yet an Arnold supporter but you have to have some pragmatism on this. If all conservatives vote for McClintock while no one else does, he loses. Period. I'm not throwing in the towel on the guy but you have to realize that politics isn't a game! This isn't about voting for the BEST MAN for the job. It's about voting for the BETTER MAN for the job. Get out of fantasy land and realize this obvious fact!!!!

[Pubbie]

"But McClintock's absolute ceiling is 20%"

I don't see how you can say that, he got 100k more votes than Simon did.

If he can get 20% I don't see why he couldn't get an extra 6% to beat Bustamante.

Also remember that when Art Torres, Bob Mulholand, and Gary South blast Schwarzenegger about his infidelity, some of Arnold's Republican voters will switch to McClintock.

And remember that there is a large portion of undecideds in the race.