Bustamante Leads Schwarznegger in Recall Race [McClintock gettng 21% of GOP Votes]

LA Times (Registration Required) ^ | August 24, 2003 | staff writer

[prarie earth]

Much of (Arnolds) strategy is based on cross over appeal to non-Republican voters given his comparitvely moderate views on issues such as gun control, abortion and gay rights.

But less than two weeks into his first run for elected office, Schwarznegger has already become a politically polarizing figure.

Roughly seven in ten Democratic voters have an unfavorable impression of the action-movie star, while the same number of likely Republican voters expressed a favorable view.

The actor won the support of 39% of likely Republican voters, 20% of Independents, and 7% of Democrats polled.

McClintock recieved 21% of the Republican vote, Simon recieved 12% and Uberroth 10%.

[Spiff]

Arnolds views:

• Pro Gun Control

  "I'm for gun control. I'm a peace-loving guy." - Time magazine cover story Aug 18, 2003

• Pro Abortion

  Schwarzenegger appeared on FoxNews' "Bill O'Reilly" program in May 2001 and said he disagreed with President Bush's pro-life position. "I'm for choice," Schwarzenegger said on the program. "The women should have the choice. The women should decide what they want to do with their bodies. I'm all for that."

• Pro Gay Agenda

  From Cosmopolitan magazine, "I have no sexual standards in my head that say this is good or this is bad. Homosexual-that only means to me that he enjoys sex with a man and I enjoy sex with a woman. It's all legitimate to me."

• Pro Big Government Programs

  Regarding the passage of Proposition 49: "Every California child deserves access to a proven, quality, life-changing afterschool program, and now they will have it. My hope is that, as goes California, so goes the rest of our nation."

• Pro Clinton/Anti Impeachment

  In 1999 Schwarzenegger told George magazine of his bitterness about the frenzy over Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton and the waste of time and energy it represented. "That was another thing I will never forgive the Republican party for," he said. "I was ashamed to call myself a Republican during that period."

  No self-respecting Republican would vote for the RINO.

  This message brought to you by the South East Arizona RINO Hunters Lodge.

[Hue68]

Arnold stays, Tom will go. It will happen. Tom's a loserman.

[navyblue]

"However, he will make a great Lt. Governor."

There is no election for Lt. Governor! If Cruz is not elected Governor, he remains as Lt. Governor!

[sruleoflaw]

You, FairOpinion, Hillary's Lovely Legs and some others need to go read post No. 121. How do you reconcil such leftist, socialist positions with conservatism? Arnold all for capitalism for himself and socialism for the rest of us as far as I can tell.

[Let's Roll]

The issue isn't whether you have interviewed McClintock and Arnold can't tie his shoes, yada, yada. Is anyone attacking McClintock on these threads for his positions? The issue is whether he can win. Ross Perot ...

Your irrational insistence on McClintock will result in a Bustamante win. If McClintock gets out, will you stay home, vote for Arnold or vote for Bustamante because he is "pure"?

[RS]

"Your boy is a flaming liberal. McClintock will accept his endorsement as soon as he has the brains to leave."

"Flaming Liberal" ???

Im sure you would have no problems pointing us to the evidence of this.

[tortoise]

A lot of Republicans support Arnold only because they believe the fiction that a conservative cannot win.

Irrelevant. A lot of the supporters of Arnold are cross-over moderate Democrats. To win California for the Republicans, you need the cross-over vote. Living here, I know many Democrats who are seriously considering voting for Arnold, but none of them considers McClintock a candidate they would vote for because he is way too socially conservative (ideologically) for their taste. Fiscal conservatives can do just fine in California all things considered.

Even if Arnold stepped out of the race, McClintock would only pick up maybe half of the votes currently going for Arnold. If McClintock stepped out of the race, Arnold would get almost all the supporters of McClintock in his camp.

Bottom line, the Republican that can attract the Democrat cross-overs in an election where you have a real chance at cross-over votes will be the only Republican that can win. Otherwise, you'll have a situation like the last gubernatorial election in California where the moderate cross-over crowd stayed home and the Democrats won by default by a minor margin.

[BlackElk]

Steroids???? Did you actually mention steroids?

[prarie earth]

I think the activitism/which party is more motivated to come out at the polls question is a tossup right now, considering how disliked Davis is in the state.

[sruleoflaw]

Go read post no. 121. That's just a start.

[sruleoflaw]

On a cold day in hell, that's when I would vote for Arnold. Have you read Rush's stuff on Arnold? I know what kind of guy he is...and I'm not impressed. Others will be surprised by Arnold's antics. I won't.

[Cinnamon Girl]

McClintock needs to get on Arnold's advisory team.

[prarie earth]

That would be a start..

[BlackElk]

See #121 for plenty of evidence and a small portion of what is available. I would add: Warren Buffett and Planned Barrenhood Wilson. You don't think much of the lives of innocent children? Neither does Arnold. Neither do Buffett and Wilson. Fine. Don't expect votes from those who do.

[RS]

I'll bet he will drive more Republicans away if Tom uses the same "flaming liberal" label to describe some of the things I and Arnold agree with -
And I don't think I've ever voted for a Democrat.

[SunStar]

McClintock - GET OUT of the race!

No way!!! The conservative stays, the RINO should be shown the door.

[BlackElk]

McClintock has principles. You guys don't. Misery loves company, right? Can't stand the fact that people with principles will show you up every time? Too bad!

[SunStar]

McClintock might be a better ideological choice, but it looks like Arnold has more appeal across the political spectrum...

Did you even read the article? The latest poll shows that Schwarzenegger has a UNFAVORABLE rating for 7 out of 10 Democrats...

[BlackElk]

Start.

[BlackElk]

Start. Be honest. Put your vote where you issues are.