McClintock Key to Democratic Victory in California

Intellectual Conservative.com ^ | 9/2/3 | Bob Chandra

[socal_parrot]

A Democratic plot to boost Tom McClintock’s candidacy at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s expense has recently come to light.

On paper, the recall election should be a cakewalk for California Republicans. A cursory analysis reveals a governor with an approval rating below Richard Nixon at his low point. The only serious Democrat candidate is the state’s uninspiring lieutenant governor, Cruz Bustamante, who unquestioningly followed Governor Davis through his mishaps with the budget and energy crisis. It should be a breeze for Republicans, right? Think again. Democrats are euphoric over Tom McClintock’s intransigence in continuing his long-shot bid for governor. This allows Democrats to divide and conquer their way into office. Democrats are attempting to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and Tom McClintock is an essential part of their game plan.

For starters, Democrats know McClintock cannot win. They know that he has ran for statewide office twice before and lost both times. McClintock’s problem is not so much that he’s unknown but that Californians know about him and have rejected his candidacy time and again. Knowing this, a Democrat plot to boost McClintock’s candidacy at Schwarzenegger’s expense has already surfaced. According to the Sacramento Bee’s Daniel Weintraub, “Ever since Cruz Bustamante entered the race, it's been assumed that California's Indian tribes were going to pool their money and do independent expenditures on his behalf, expensive ads that get around the $21,000 limit on contributions. Now I am hearing rumblings that the Indians might think about helping Cruz in a more creative way as well. If they spent, say, $4 million on behalf of state Sen. Tom McClintock, the most conservative Republican in the race, they might pump McClintock's numbers up while hurting Arnold and not harming Cruz a bit. Remember, Cruz needs a split GOP vote to win. That would be one way to get it.” The reliably Democratic Indian tribes, loyal to Bustamante, would essentially throw their weight behind McClintock to chip away at the support of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the GOP front-runner. The Democrat strategy with regard to Tom McClintock is: “If you know you can beat ‘em, join ‘em.”

McClintock is unfazed by this conniving scheme and is more than happy to play along. His actions suggest that he’s willing to make allies with loyal Democratic groups under the logic, the enemy of my enemy (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is my friend. On August 28th, McClintock and Bustamante went together before the California Nations Indian Gaming Association to pledge their support. Needless to say, money will follow. Whether McClintock knows it or not, he’s being used by the Left. If Democrat allies can keep McClintock in the game, they can put a cap on Arnold’s support. A recent Los Angeles Times poll shows Bustamante with 35% of the vote and McClintock with 12%. The poll indicates that McClintock will lose decisively but more importantly, his vote will ensure that GOP front-runner Schwarzenegger loses as well.

It doesn’t have to be this way. McClintock could see the light and do what’s best for the party – as Bill Simon did by bowing out of the race. Other than his new Democratic support, the picture continues to grow bleaker for McClintock. The Washington Post and Sacramento Bee are reporting that there will be a record turnout for the recall election. This invalidates the early calculus by McClintock supporters - that in a low turnout election, grassroots could carry the day. Further, the base is growing more familiar with Schwarzenegger’s conservatism – Arnold came out against partial-birth abortion, against gay marriage, and for a constitutional spending cap.

There comes a time when personal ambition must be set aside and self-affirming but false justifications for one’s candidacy need to be reexamined. If McClintock stays in the California Senate, and assuming Arnold wins the governorship, he and Arnold could play the good-cop/bad-cop routine to perfection, mirroring President Bush and Tom Delay’s efforts at the national level. Additionally, McClintock may be well positioned to challenge Barbara Boxer in next year’s US Senate race. However, if McClintock persists with his spoiler campaign and throws the election to Bustamante, it is doubtful he will have any political capital for a future race.

But assuming things stay the way they are, with McClintock’s help, Bustamante and the Democrats may well pull off an upset of a lifetime on Election Day.

[PhiKapMom]

Remember in 2000 how Karl Rove pointed out how the religious right had stayed home and almost -- key word being almost -- gave the election to Gore!

If President Bush won in 2000 without the millions of religious right folks, he can certainly do it this time and with their confrontational approach that I am seeing on here, I would like to see them marganlized. If he wins big in 2004, their influence on the Republican Party will be forever broken! Then we won't have the people telling us if their candidate isn't nominated, they won't vote!

[AmericaUnited]

There was no other Republican in the November governor's race and conservative Simon wasn't even able to beat the universally hated Davis, what makes you think that McClintock could beat Bustamante, even if they were the only two running?

Yes, but, but, but ... If all independants, conservatives, moderates, liberals, greens, socialist come together, McClintock CAN WIN!!! HE CAN WIN! HE CAN WIN!

[strela]

If it ain't the lead of the "Deliverance" Republicans (sic) himself !

I'm flattered that you think I'm the "leader" of anything on FreeRepublic. I'm even more flattered that you can remember me in spite of all those times when you seem to disappear from FreeRepublic entirely for a week or so at a time. I'm doing well sometimes to remember which drawer I put my socks in from week to week.

But here's a small suggestion - if you're going to use movie titles to disparage others, try "Rain Man." For it is surely the Tourette's-inflicted 'Rats such as yourself who are driving undecided voters to Schwarzenegger's side in droves after witnessing your personal attacks, snide remarks, and clenched-fist, foot-stomping histrionics on FreeRepublic. Every royal court needs a court jester, and you really look good in a hat with bells.

We thank you, and the voters of the state of California thank you.

[FairOpinion]

Ronald Reagan on the importance of political compromise(in his own words)
An American Life (his autobiography)

"When I began entering into the give and take of legislative bargaining in Sacramento, a lot of the most radical conservatives who had supported me during the election didn't like it.

"Compromise" was a dirty word to them and they wouldn't face the fact that we couldn't get all of what we wanted today. They wanted all or nothing and they wanted it all at once. If you don't get it all, some said, don't take anything.

"I'd learned while negotiating union contracts that you seldom got everything you asked for. And I agreed with FDR, who said in 1933: 'I have no expectations of making a hit every time I come to bat. What I seek is the highest possible batting average.'

"If you got seventy-five or eighty percent of what you were asking for, I say, you take it and fight for the rest later, and that's what I told these radical conservatives who never got used to it.


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/960104/posts

[Cultural Jihad]

What a crybaby. Are you being paid by the word here? If so and if you are earning more than a nickel, your employer is being ripped off.

[Poohbah]

I guess that quote means Reagan was a RINO, a liberal in disguise, et cetera...

[fieldmarshaldj]

At least I'm intellectually honest to admit that Simon ran a lousy fall campaign (one reason I didn't want him in this recall election), but I hope you're intellectually honest enough to admit that he was not helped at all by the Parsky RINOs refusing to help, the Davis political destructo-machine, and, of course, the media. Even running a lousy campaign, he still almost won. McClintock ran a spectacular campaign and despite being massively outspent (7 to 1) and with a 3rd party Conservative spoiler, he did better than any other GOP candidate. Imagine if the other candidate (of the SAME ideology) dropped out and if he could've had more money that the Parsky RINOs held tight to ? He'd be State Controller now.

[PhiKapMom]

That is one of the funniest exchanges I have heard and on the thread Tame was telling us how he got the better end of the deal. That person doesn't deal in reality!

Made my evening! If I was McClintock, I would be wondering what I did to deserve someone like that supporting me!

[strela]

McDonalds may hear it and just decide to make yet another foul product from that least used chicken part.

Hey, with all the lawsuits they're getting slapped with from chubbo teenagers who can't stop eating Big Macs, maybe Chicken McLips can be their new diet offering.

CHICKEN MCLIPS. TASTES GREAT, LESS FILLING, LOSES ELECTIONS!

[dwills]

>> In California conservatives make up about 1/4 to 1/3 of registered Republicans. <<

i was quoting and responding to someone else's post stating that the MechaClintock diehards were 10% of the GOP

although your fractions match the current distillation of our sorry state, these loudmouths are only 10% of those who would vote for republicans had they not chased a bunch out of the party

CA won't be part of the bible belt until after the next big one--and it'd have to be reeeaaallly big!

[Chancellor Palpatine]

And you realize the group he was talking about was the California "true conservatives", LOL.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"I've got news for you... If Arnold wasn't in there, there's NO way Davis gets recalled."

Change that to McClintock, and you got that right. :-)

[PhiKapMom]

Your #463 -- priceless!

[fieldmarshaldj]

Um, exactly what do you think a RINO is, dude ?

[FairOpinion]

"If all independants, conservatives, moderates, liberals,greens, socialist come together, McClintock CAN WIN!!! HE CAN WIN! HE CAN WIN! "

===

LOL! And we know how likely they are to vote for McMule, don't we?

[KellyAdmirer]

I am a Reagan conservative, and quotes like that show how wise he really was. Proud to have voted for Ronald Reagan the two times I could.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Betcha had to consult a thesaurus for that one, zippy. ;-)

Say, how's that job search comin' ? ;-)

[FairOpinion]

"If I was McClintock, I would be wondering what I did to deserve someone like that supporting me! "

===

I think some of McC's supporters are the best advertisement AGAINST McClintock. Would you want to belong to THAT deluded group?

[PhiKapMom]

That is what I always liked about Ronald Reagan was his ability to compromise to get at least some of what he wanted. He wasn't an in your face Republican and in fact, would be appalled at some of the in your face we are seeing on here recently with calling non-McClintock supporters RINO's and other things!

Ronald Reagan had the ability to reach out to non-Republicans to welcome them aboard not throw them off the train. Around here they want lifelong Republicans tossed off the train that don't support McClintock.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Wow ! Hey, dude, newsflash fer ya, you ain't supporting Reagan's guy, you're supporting George Christopher's.