[BibChr]

How...?

What...?

How...?

("Three excellent questions" — Rupert Giles [Buffy the Vampire Slayer])

[PhiKapMom]

Did you see this? I don't watch H&C or any other news program on cable unless there is someone on I really want to watch.

From this thread, it is hard to see just exactly what he did say!

[Tamzee]

Thanks for the ping!

Watched it... was very disappointed... going to invest in a Mexican Flag company :-(

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

McClintock's fighting hard to win, its early, this is why we have campaigns, so he'll keep on campaigning, BUT if it is clear that Bustamante is going to win unless he endorses Arnold, then he'll endorse Arnold.

NOW the game is truly afoot.

Tom McClintock has performed the one act of "Political Charity" genuinely required of a Registered Party-Man Republican -- he has committed to support the most-electable Republican Candidate on Election Day. He obviously hopes that Man will be himself, and he is going to work hard for it, but at the end of Election Day he does want someone other than Bustamante in the Governor's office.

Not being a Californian (and thus, relatively apathetic towards the CA Recall), I have stated my position before -- if someone is comfortable with losing anyway, he should make the "most principled statement" he can with his single vote. In my case, if I lived in California and believed that McClintock was going to lose anyway, I wouldn't bother voting for McClintock -- I would make the "most principled statement" I could by voting for CONSTITUTION PARTY candidate Diane Templin (American Independent).

After all, in the last statewide California Election, the Constitution Party candidate (Templin) received over 170,000 votes -- in Third Party terms, that's huge. If one is going to lose anyway, why not at least pump up the vote totals of the ultra-ProLife, ultra-GunRights, ultra-FreeMarket Constitution Party??

But if McClintock's statement has been reported accurately, he has just changed that calculus. Aside from the fact that some of the Absentee Ballots for McClintock will be "lost" if he bows out, this is a politically-brilliant move on McClintock's part -- instead of being the "Conservative Loser" (in which case, why not vote Constitution?) he has, in effect, declared his Party Loyalty to the GOP.... and effectively turned this into a GOP Primary for the next three weeks by promising to endorse the most-electable Republican immediately prior to Election Day (which, he hopes, is himself).

Very smart move on Tom's part, IMHO. By deciding that he is not going to "take his ball and run away" if it becomes obvious that he cannot win, he has (in essence) given "victory-minded" Republicans a reason to support his Campaign -- by promising to support Schwarzeneggar against Bustamante, if it comes down to that. But only if it comes down to that. He has thrown down the gauntlet to the Schwarzeneggar campaign -- "You can have my support if you gain it the old-fashioned way... Earn It".

What needs to happen now... Well, let me first state the obvious -- McClintock cannot Win the Election with 12%. Ain't gonna happen; you might as well vote Constitution. McClintock must, he must, gain a minimum of 6% a week in the Polls of "Certain and Likely Voters" for the next three weeks, solid (7% would be better -- at least 1% a day). There is no way this Election is winnable with anything less than a 30% Plurality as a baseline. Bustamante already has 30% on the Left. Arnold already has 30% in the Center. McClintock must have 30% on the Right to have even a chance (and then he must pray for rain to create low turnout among the Center-Left swing vote).

• If McClintock cannot do that, then if he claims to be a "Republican Party Man", he must throw his support to Schwarzeneggar to remain true to his Word and his chosen Party (since I myself am NOT a Registered Party-Man Republican, I don't have to worry about these things -- I'd just vote pro-life Libertarian or Constitution; but I respect McClintock's partisan desire to see a GOP man in the CA governor's mansion).
• But if McClintock can do that -- gain around 1% per day, every day, for the next three weeks -- then Schwarzeneggar, if HE claims to be a "Republican Party Man", MUST throw his support to McClintock.

Sorry to repeat myself, but I gotta say again -- politically brilliant. McClintock has just "mended fences" with the GOP and "thrown down the gauntlet" to Schwarzeneggar at the same time. WOW-ZAH!!

Now that's Politics, baby. All of a sudden, even I am starting to get interested in this little State Election on the other side of the Continent.

The game... is afoot.