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McClintock still has his two vehicle license fee rollback initiatives in his political quiver. They both have been approved by the Calif. SoS last week, and McClintock is biding his time until the forms are printed, sometime next week. The campaign strategy is likely to be something along the lines of piggybacking and drawing synergy from the rollback initiative campaigns... watch for a big kickoff announcement next week... media will be forced to cover it and give McClintock a fresh look as a public figure who has consistently (in contrast to Arnold) been working for fiscal conservative causes at the state level for many years running. I think (?) the license fee increases actually start landing on people around Oct. 1, so that is another milestone date that the media will be forced to spotlight McClintock and his initiatives on. And Arnold can always stumble on his lines a la Simon last campaign season, so it is not at all clear (at least, to me) that McClintock should be counted as out of the race at all. (What am I missing?)

One more thing, if McClintock drops out, what in heaven's name would keep the pressure on Arnold to pledge not to raise taxes or come out in favor of other conservative or strict constructionist positions? (If someone responds Ubberroth, my answer would be to get real please ;-). Maybe the entire reason that team Arnold avoids specifics is because he has just been waiting opportunistically for Simon and McClintock to drop out. Arnold is a likeable guy, but he is still a schmuck IMHO for this and a plethora of other concerns, not the least of which is his announced pro gun control attitude. With Republicans like Arnold around waiting to come into power in Calif., who needs Democrats?