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.
You just set yourself up. See, we had a RINO Governor for 8 years who Ah-nold would seek to emulate (especially on expansion of gubmint and his tax happiness), and voila ! the GOP got blamed and painted with the Scumquist broadbrush DESPITE the rank and file being overwhelming opposed to him, exactly what happened with Wilson and what will happen again with your buddy Ah-nold, and we got a nice 'Rat Governor pledging to clean up the "Republican" mess (nope, not Republican, RINO mess). So much for your "winning by incrementalism" theory. All we get with liberal RINOs is more liberal 'Rats to succeed them and move society further left. This is why I care about CA and to warn them not to follow our path (or do an encore performance), or the path followed by RINOs in places like Illinois, New Jersey, or the like... Like I said, you just set yourself up.
Then stop the insanity, back away from the RINO and VOTE for him ! Why do you want a creep Socialist running as the GOP standard-bearer ? Why do you say McClintock can't win when he received more votes than ANY other Republican last year ? This is crazy !
I'll take my chances, just as I did voting for George W. when people were saying the Presidency wasn't worth winning back in 2000 because of all the economic troubles in the world.
But even brothers sometimes give each other bloody noses.
;-)
Thanks. Just here to enlighten "the people" on Ah-nold and his wunnaful leftist agenda for California. :-)
Ouch!
They know that he has ran for statewide office twice before and lost both times.
You're hurting my feelings!
Nope, it's a vote for RINOs and a vote to further liberalism, and a vote to guarantee putting a 'Rat in Sacramento come next election time and to further shrink the numbers of the GOP in the legislative and federal offices from CA. The 'Rats WANT people to vote for him as they get to kill 2 birds with one stone, they get their liberalism enacted and they get to destroy the GOP from within. Brilliant strategy. We're not fooled, at least MOST of us are not. McClintock is the ONLY man with a plan to save California, period.
It was even funnier the second time! ROFLMAO!
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