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.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Since AS is gonna win the election"

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!

[fieldmarshaldj]

*Sigh*

[Drago]

Here is my take as a lifetime California resident & Republican...I would rather have Davis/Busta as Governor over a "Republican" with the positions of Arnold. Budget cuts are the only way out of this, and Arnold has said
nothing to reassure that he won't just be another "compassionate conservative" and raise taxes "for the children".
The closest he got so far is this: "http://www.joinarnold.com/en/agenda/arnoldsviews.php#B1". And unlike Davis/Busta the small number of Repubs. in the legislature will vote with him, and bust the one thing we have left,
the 2/3rds majority to raise taxes. I would much rather have the state go down totally with a Dem. at the helm, then to have Arnold nickel & dime us to death over a longer period. Either get a true fiscal conservative
with California experience in there (ie. McClintok/Euberroth) or let the state go bankrupt, and start over from scratch
with a conservative Gov. and legislature. If Bustamante is ahead of Arnold in the polls on October 6th, I may be forced to vote no on the recall question and keep Davis!! This is all probably gonna be put off anyway, I think there
is a 50/50 chance that the 9th circuit court of appeals will void the Oct. 7th date anyway, and move the election to March.

[Cultural Jihad]

Great poll! 64% For the Recall, 35% Opposed.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"The key to California is incrementalism as distastful as it may sound to you."

Incrementalism towards moving even FURTHER left, you mean ? Your arguments still don't hold water here.

[Duramaximus]

"I just saw local poll results on one of the area TV channels (ABC-30 Fresno).

Question: Does it hurt Arnold Schwarzeneggar to skip some of the debates?

Yes - 71%

No - 29%"

Arnold won't debate, because Arnold doesn't have a platform!

The time has come for Arnold to bow-out gracefully, and avoid further embarassment to himself, the Republican Party, and this State.

Arnold needs to concede to the fact that Tom McClintock is the only candidate in this election process with a realistic plan to halt the tide of socialism flowing out of Sacramento.

Leave now Arnold!

Tom McClintock for Governor.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Sooooo, you don't live in CA either?"

Dude, I've never hidden that fact. It's called being HONEST, something the Ah-nold sheep brigades should look into. ;-)

[Spiff]

Show me a SINGLE poll where McClintock looks even remotely competitive... Can't, can you?

That's because the polls reflect that the well-known, well-funded liberal spoiler in the race is taking votes from conservative simply because he has an (R) after his name. Remove Arnold from the race and show me the polls.

[Cultural Jihad]

I would rather have Davis/Busta as Governor over a "Republican" with the positions of Arnold. ... I would much rather have the state go down totally with a Dem. at the helm, then to have Arnold nickel & dime us to death over a longer period.

As Jim Robinson said on August 19th:

Hey, I live here. We're not going to allow California to be destroyed to make a point. Vote the RATs out!! Never give up. Never surrender to a RAT!

Let's all do the Dialectical Leap!

"Yes, there are contradictions of the Worker's Paradise exploiting and oppressing workers, but we must embrace and compound these contradictions, for only in the inherent contradictions will the glorious Dialectical Materialist leap take place to a shining future!"

"We must provoke riots in order to force a violent and oppressive response by the police, so that then the oppressed people will rise up and overthrow their oppressors and live in peace!"

[Miss Marple]

What were the poll numbers before Arnold entered the race? Are those available?

[fieldmarshaldj]

More hate speech against real Republicans...

[Reagan Man]

I don't think you realize something, MM. You keep saying Arnold's supporters are being insulted. Yet you mention nothing about McClintock supporters being insulted at the same time. Think about it. I admitted to you and other FReepers, this is a two way deal. I don't like people using vitriolic remarks like nazi, fascist, brownshirt. I've tried to keep my criticism aimed at the target, that wouold be the liberal RINO, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

One more time, for your edification.

I don't remember Reagan supporting any Democrats or liberals in his day. Reagan was a social and fiscal conservative who was opposed to liberalism of any kind. I know the GOP has a few RINO's in the Senate. Collins, Snowe, Spector and Chaffefy come to mind. The fact is, those people are alreday in office and I don't believe we should work to kncok them off, while we hold the majority. But that's no reason to go out of our way and increase the RINO population.

[Tempest]

Incrementalism towards moving further right, braintrust. California has been far to polarized by the media here to elect a Tom McClintock anytime soon. A moderate like Arnold will be able to dispell a lot of the myths and prejudice that is levied against conservatives and the Republican party.

Rudy Guilliani and John McCain are two others which have been very high profile and succesful at dispelling these myths and even though you may or may not consider them to be "RINOs" they have not dilluted the conservative platform in any manner even with their popularity. But they have been succesful at getting lots of moderates and Democrats to reregister as Republicans.

Heck some of you nuts have even been refering to Sean Hannity as a RINO lately which he obviously isn't. He just DOESN'T AGREE WITH YOU and if you were a stable person and were capable of coping and dealing with that fact. You'd realize that winning takes strategy along with will.

[Miss Marple]

Well, let me make myself plain. ALL YOU ARNOLD SUPPORTERS, KNOCK OFF THE MCCLINTOCK BASHING!

Now, I don't think that it does any good to go back and point fingers at who did what. I am certain that people know who is guilty of what, and it does no good to rehash it.

However, to both sides I will say this. All the name calling is no doubt providing a high degree of entertainment over at DU. One would think that people could refrain from infighting, but apparently not.

[Axenolith]

Rather than "death by a thousand cuts" (i.e. electing a RINO) why not support a McClintock run? If the 'Rats win, so what, you know they'll only screw up the state more and eventually a real conservative Republican will get elected.

The downside of an Arnold win is the greater probability that he WON'T fix the state and then Republicans will get to be the undeserved bagholders of "California's downfall" in the following election (and believe me, there's plenty of the brain dead that will buy that too)...</Devils Advocate>

[Cultural Jihad]

Well said. In case I missed it, please point out where Reagan Man might have countered or called to task the endless rot and vitriol coming from one individual in Tennessee on this very thread.

[Cultural Jihad]

If the 'Rats win, so what, you know they'll only screw up the state more and eventually a real conservative Republican will get elected.

Post 609 points out your grave error in thinking.

[Tempest]

I find it funny that the guy from Tennessee who has a Democrat as governor is trying to lecture the guy from Texas that has a Republican as Governor.

What happened Filed Marshall??? Did you guys try to run some true blue conservative in Tennessee that got clobbered?! Now you want to give me a Californian some election advice on which candidate to choose?! LOL!!!

Oh my.

[FairOpinion]

"Seems to me you should be trying to win voters to your side, and you usually can't do this by calling people names. "

==

They know they already lost. They are just throwing temper tantrums : "If my Republican candidate can't be elected, I want to make sure that yours won't get elected either, even if it means Bustamante and Aztlan". They are the real "useful idiots" of the Democrats, who play them for the fools they are, laughing all the way to the governor's mansion.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"That is how the democrats captured a Senate seat and a governorship in Indiana. They nominated a pleasant, non-threatening candidate in each case (Bayh and O'Bannon) and the Republicans nominated conservatives to oppose them. Both conservatives lost in a heavily Republican state, because the center was spooked and driven to the other side."

The comparisons don't wash here. Remembering that Ah-nold is far left for starters and has as much in common with mainstream Republican values as the Clintons, if you wish to analyze why Bayh and O'Bannon won, it ain't because the "right" spooked the "mainstream." In '88, John Mutz lost because they wasted too much time on issues such as challenging Bayh's residency and Bayh campaigned LIKE a Republican (you also forget that the 'Rats hadn't won the Governorship since 1964, another argument for change). Bayh didn't move to far to the left and comfortably won reelection. As with the '96 race, O'Bannon won not because of the ideology of his opponent, but because of last minute problems that were out of Mayor Goldsmith's control (and also, as you mentioned to me awhile ago, the hatred that folks have for Indianapolis-based pols that even the RINOish Bill Hudnut would've been hard-pressed to overcome if he had been the nominee against Bayh instead of Mutz in '88). As I said, the comparisons between here and CA is apples to oranges.

"Answer me this: this is NOT a primary. McClintock doesn't get to defeat Arnold and THEN take on Bustamante. It's a one-shot deal. Why isn't McClintock attacking Bustamante and ignoring Arnold?"

McClintock has to defeat BOTH Ah-nold and Bustamante. Since both are ahead of him in the wildly unreliable polls, he has to go after both.

"And why do McClintock's supporters make such an effort to insult those who disagree with them?"

Ma'am, speaking as one who has endured humiliating attacks from the Ah-nold brigades all for doing nothing more than pointing out the truth, I might ask them that question.

"Seems to me you should be trying to win voters to your side, and you usually can't do this by calling people names."

You're right. But try reasoning with these people, it's impossible. No amount of facts or coherent analysis of the political dynamics is enough. It's a wild stampede to win based on a letter of the alphabet party label and not on principles. You're in IN and haven't elected a GOP Governor since 1984 with Bob Orr, that's a long time (far longer than CA). Saying that, would you sell out your values and nominate someone as radical as Julia Carson as the GOP nominee for Governor this year ? If Ah-nold were a moderate in the least, maybe he'd be a possibility, but everything from his stands to his personal character send up red flags galore. We can't afford to put this man up for anything representing the GOP, period.