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