Posted on 09/02/2003 4:21:28 PM PDT by 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.
ROFLMAO!!!!!! P E R F E C T!!!!!!
I'm glad you can't believe it, since I can't either. I don't understand your astonishment.
I wasn't being disrespectful of Issa by pointing out the news around the time he dropped out of the race. If you believe he had a good chance of winning this special election, then perhaps you have reasons of which I am unaware.
That's pretty "dissy" to me.
You have demonstrated a clear need for it.
You and your ilk are so blinded by your man you can't even see the harm your tactics are doing to him.
Like that is supposed to come as any surprise from an (R)nold excuser?
I'll type real slow. Unless the threatened October surprise comes up, your boy won't even be in the running. I support keeping McClinctock in, in case Arnold implodes. But McClintock's supporters are truly the unwashed masses for the most part. I have heard several well reasoned opinions about him that I agree with but they aren't the ones flame baiting anyone who doesn't see McClintock as the second coming.
And since you can't seem to read, let me say again, I was in your shoes about Simon. Not one person I knew was voting for Gray until the day of the election when I found a whole slew of people voting from him.
When I see liberals like Allan Colmes trying to tell me that if he were a conservative, he'd have to vote for McClinctock along with our local chattering morons saying the same thing that makes me think two things.
1) Liberals think they're so smart that they can spout their BS and we'll swallow it whole or
2) They are scared of Arnold.
Now why would liberals be scared of Arnold if he's a RINO and a liberal like all of you are bleating huh? Could they be afraid that he is a conservative, did that ever cross your minds?
Go ahead with your James Carville and Bob Mullholland tactics, I'm sure Cruz might even invite you to his inauguration, but hey, you'll sleep easy knowing that you voted for the right man and that you're ideologically pure. So when's your Beer Hall Putsch?
Oh yes. With all the stuff they seemed to give away on game shows over the years, their advertising budget must have been in the billions.
truly the unwashed masses for the most part.
Wow, a new low. I love how you guys can claim victimhood and flame at the same time, only because I so enjoy laughing at hypocracy.
When I see liberals like Allan Colmes trying to tell me that if he were a conservative, he'd have to vote for McClinctock
It should tell you only one thing, even to the enemy we appear like hypocrites, liars and fools. They see right through the triangulation (so they aren't going to be voting for (R)nold, FYI)and anytime anyone wants to bring up valid critique of the failure of Bill Clinton, (R)nold will be there to be counter attacked by Alan Colmes and others.
Thanks for pointing that out, yet another reason why (R)nold is a mistake.
Instead of attacking anyone who supports Ahnold as liberals fascists, RINO wife beating socialists Frenchmen or whatever else you guys are brewing up, how about this: Point out the plus side of McClintock point by point, now that's a novel idea. Instead of attacking people who don't share your weltenshaung, why don't you use reasoned discourse to prove why McClintock is the man. What a concept?
I enjoyed how you ignored the substance of why (R)nold will fail and continued right in with your flaming of me and McClintock supporters. Well, at least you guys are consistent.
Oh Puleeeezzze! You guys are the ones attacking everyone who even hints that they might vote for Ahnold, spare us the victim act. You guys are your own worse enemy. As I've said many times before, I felt like you do about Simon and it blinded me to the reality of how Davis hand picked his adversary. Luckily, I still think Riordan would be worse than Gray or Pablo Cruz.
To me, Ahnold is the ultimate immigrant success story and if he wins I think he might have a chance to make a difference. Keep in mind, whether it's him or Tom, they still have to face an incredibly obnoxious dim Assembly and Senate. If Ahnold wins and turns out to be another gray out, I'll be the first to admit I'm wrong. What say you?
I just spent the day driving up highway 1 from Mill Valley to Guallala with the top down after my Doctor's appointment and I'll be damned if I let the demo enviro nazis block the hoi polloi from this incredibly beautiful part of America and if Cruz control gets in, we might not be privileged to relax at the coast but I'm sure you all will be happy to know Spielberg and Streisand and the rest of the Hollywood royalty have access.
Dude, you totally lost me...I know I supposedly cooking up bad words about you, and that I played the victim (huh?) by you ignoring the substance of what I said, but where exactly did this come from and what exactly are we supposed to be argueing about again?
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