Posted on 09/02/2003 4:21:28 PM PDT by socal_parrot
A Democratic plot to boost Tom McClintocks candidacy at Arnold Schwarzeneggers 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 states 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 McClintocks 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. McClintocks problem is not so much that hes unknown but that Californians know about him and have rejected his candidacy time and again. Knowing this, a Democrat plot to boost McClintocks candidacy at Schwarzeneggers expense has already surfaced. According to the Sacramento Bees 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 hes 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, hes being used by the Left. If Democrat allies can keep McClintock in the game, they can put a cap on Arnolds 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 doesnt have to be this way. McClintock could see the light and do whats 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 Schwarzeneggers 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 ones 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 Delays efforts at the national level. Additionally, McClintock may be well positioned to challenge Barbara Boxer in next years 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 McClintocks help, Bustamante and the Democrats may well pull off an upset of a lifetime on Election Day.
Oh wait, they can't.
No free-thinking, common sense, non-dogmatic, conservative would vote for a selfish, power-mongerer like McClintock. . .
This is a carbon copy of the plan that gave us Bill Simon, the Candidate From Hell. It is exquisite. Indeed, the hand of Bubba may be lurking here.
It's time for the White House to get involved and make Tom an Offer He Can't Refuse. Run the good race up to the Convention on the Fifteenth, then bow out and support Arnold to the hilt.
If McClintock can't or won't pull out, send Luca Brasi (James Baker) to see him. No campaign money. No presidential visits. No help aganst Boxer if he runs against her someday. Not even help with a House race. The word has to go out to his fellow assemblymen: this guy gets nothing if he costs us the governor's seat. Not one thin f*%king dime if he lets Bustamente in when Arnold could have won.
The rest of the Assembly people want a guy in Sacramento they can use as veto leverage against the Democratic majority in the Assembly and the State Senate. McClintock is really pushing the envelope, and if he starts taking Tribal money, even laundered tribal money, then I want to hear the backpedalling from the McClintock crowd about what a good Republican their man is.
Bush intends to raise upwards to 200 million dollars to use next year. Once the nomination occurs, Bush can't use his slush fund money. He has to use taxpayer money and matching funds. However, Bush will give Rove the money not spent whittling down Howard Dean to Senatorial candidates next year and enough to hold or expand our lead in the House.
It's time to play hardball. McClintock needs someone, the President if necessary, to sit him down and do a Don Corleone with him. "Your signature will be on this contract, or your brains will be on this contract".
I've been very understanding of McClintock, if only because I do see him as a man of principle. I am hoping that McClintock is playing the positioning game so he can negotiate with Arnold for a voice in the budget and help in a Senate campaign against Boxer. But if Tom takes money from the Democrats and the Tribes, then he can go straight to hell.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
Or hold his breath until he turns blue ...
I will not let the house burn down because the water isn't clean enough to use on the fire.
Or words to that effect ;-)
Instead, now they have to deal with Reality and actually trying to win an election against Republicans who actually believe in trying to win votes and elections rather than run just to "make a statement."
I can only imagine this revolting turn of events for them is driving them bananas.
I think Bustamante may be a shill for Davis; remember that the mainstream press can be and is used effectively by the RAT party. When the democrat party electorate really sees Bustamante for what he is, Davis does not look that bad. I think its all part of the plan. Don't think Bustamante would allow himself to be used in that way? Think again.
In a normal election, he would never be chosen by the Cal RAT party as the candidate. Under those circumstances, he carries too much baggage. The better (figuratively speaking; I don't like the bastard at all) choice would be the current AG, Bill Lockyer. He has been strangely silent on the whole affair.
And once again, your elegant and incisive prose reveals the true nature of the Koolaid McKlintonians.
Didn't they used to be the Buchanan Brigade? and before that the Perot-istas?
Californians deserve a break from the socialist liberals who currently run the show out there. I guess any shift to the right is better then Bustamante or Davis, but I have my doubt's that Arnold is strong enough to change the course of California as he navigates his way through all the obstacles the left will put in his way. One thing is for sure, California will not be taken back overnite, it will have to be taken back the same way it was lost.... One step at a time!
Convincing the people of California that Liberalism is no good for the economy should be an easy task considering the massive job losses and the immigration problem they have out there. Lets just hope Davis is gone and that Bustemante is not elected and go from there, the GOP divided is the only hope for the Democrats, Maybe Arnold and McClintock can work something out like maybe offering McClintock the position of Lieutenant Governor if he remains far behind in the polls around 2 weeks from the recall election?
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