Posted on 09/11/2003 1:09:52 AM PDT by kattracks
In a candid talk with NewsMax.com, U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., Arnold Schwarzeneggers longtime friend, emphasizes what he perceives as the real significance of the unique recall race in that embattled, cash-strapped state:
The liberal Democrats here represent a real Tammany Hall, he grieves. Davis and Bustamante are the puppeteers of the liberal left machine.
Rohrabacher goes on to explain to NewsMax that he and his fellow Republican U.S. House members in California are by circumstance immersed in California politics:
We know that we must find a way to grow the party in California. Arnold is opening up the dialogue. He is showing a lot of folks thats its cool to be a Republican in the state. Hes attractive to young Hispanics.
When asked by NewsMax if his touted 20-year friendship wasnt coloring his enthusiasm, he admits: I would call it an acquaintance relationship rather than friendship. I would not really be comfortable in calling him up socially.
Weve talked more on substantive issues rather than personal matters, Rohrabacher adds. He has been to my house in Washington for dinner; weve had breakfast together in California. Hes been out to my district. I was on the movie set with him Terminator II.
Rohrabacher admits that his affinity for Arnold comes not so much from long acquaintance but rather from my calculation of whats good for California.
Arnolds not perfect, but hes our best choice as a governor with a good conservative philosophy. I agree with him 75 to 80 percent of the time, he adds.
So why not support steadfast Republican state senator Tom McClintock, Schwarzeneggers competitor in the race?
Backing the Front-Runner
I agree with Toms viewpoints 100 percent whereas I disagree with Arnold, as I say, about 25 percent of the time on issues. However, a vote for McClintock will only result in the Davis regime in California continuing.
Youve been accused of being an apologist for Mr. Schwarzenegger on your various appearances on Fox and CNN. For instance, you explained Arnolds reticence to debate to Fox recently:
By going on talk radio shows and by going out and meeting the people, he actually gets more of a dialogue, and people get to know what he feels more than he does by lining up with six or seven other people.
When he came to my city in Huntington Beach, for example, he met with about 20 different businessmen just there for an hour, listening to their points of view and having a back-and-forth. Thats much more valuable time than, for example, lining up with these eight other candidates.
How do you feel about this apologist label?
I accept that; theres a good reason for that, the congressman replies. Rohrabacher goes on to talk about Warren Buffetts stupid comments on Californias Proposition 13 (that puts a ceiling on property taxes), from which he quickly advised the star to distance himself.
Arnold has substantial convictions, Rohrabacher continues. Its not gotten a lot of play in the press, but about four years ago he agreed to back my school voucher initiative. Now, granted, his support has now gone to more a choice among public schools
With Arnold its all about his good gut instincts. I know Arnold; hes not about finding new ways to tax citizens.
How about other Republican members of the U.S. House from California?
Dont know of anyone that has endorsed McClintock. Everyone I know is behind Arnold.
Disavowing any polls that indicate that the momentum for the recall itself is waning, Rohrabacher steadfastly maintains its still at about 60 percent in favor. The recall will win handily, he notes with conviction.
As to Arnolds personal momentum: One-third of Californians support him right off. The challenge is to go higher by attracting the McClintock supporters, for instance. They have to come on.
Arnolds appeal is not coming from the details but from his basic approach, Rohrabacher instructs. Hes clearly not a big-government man. Hes unabashedly pro-business, a low-tax guy. As to the details, they will get worked out as things go along after he is in the governors mansion.
Meanwhile, Rohrabacher, the self-admitted apologist, says he hasnt bothered to defend Arnold about the current crop of womanizing charges: No one cares about his formerly wild personal life before getting married.
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Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
California Governor's Race
Good point bump
I have considered your words and reject them. I am very tired of the x-tremist wing of the party losing elections for us. Perhaps you should take your principled 8% and form the principled party. The 92% of us remaining would acquire many more than your 8% by bringing back those that you have alienated.
Keep supporting bustamecha and it will be half a kilo of tortillas.
Go Arnold
I guess this is why you can't find a candidate who can beat a hated 'rat like Davis. You guys in CA have managed to purge yourselves of RINOs so well, that you will always be an out of power minority party. And you're actually proud of the fact that you keep electing more and more liberal 'rats. Pardon me while I laugh at the CA Republicans...They deserve Davis, Bustamante, Fienstein, Boxer, and Pelosi.
Registered's last graphic was great! He's very gifted!
Vote Change - Vote Schwarzenegger
And you are a demogog who wouldn't know "truth" if hit hit you in the butt.
I didn't elect any Democrats to any office, and I'm not "proud" we have the corrupt folks running California government. The divided GOP in California was divided by the RINO's.
Hey.. who gathered the signatures for the recall? For every RINO in that trench, I can assure you there were 200 conservatives. Yeah, I know some Democrats and Independents helped, but it wasn't Arnie's Army that ran the show. If it was up to the RINO's, we'd be stuck with Davis for the rest of his term. The RINO GOP establishment in California went on record early in opposing the recall, including both Wilson and Riordan.
Now that the recall is a done-deal, who were the first one's to get their party splitting money-flush candidate into the willing media's arms. Geez.. it's Wilson-Riordan & Company. Arnold is their boy, brought in to hijack the recall election, and ensure that no one to the political right of Davis gets into the Governor's office to succeed him.
Same ol' crap, different election. RINO's like you blame conservative Republicans, who in fact do all the heavy lifting in CA. No historical record supports your demogogic version of events. But hey, at least all the lefty-Democrats agree with you. Should make ya proud!!
SFS
Perhaps you should take your imaginary friends, all 92% of them, and go join the RATS. You'll fit right in.
Likely you already did long ago, anyway.
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice." -Barry Goldwater
You noticed that too, huh?
Just following their leader.
The Lefties will accept Schwarzenegger as one of them. The Lefties control California politics, and to get anywhere with government the Left will be involved. McClintock cannot do this successfully, since the Lefties dispise him.
It is too late to appoligize.
If it was up to the RINO's, we'd be stuck with Davis for the rest of his term.
If it was up to the RINOs you would have had Riordan in Nov of 2002 but instead you voted for Simon and got Davis again. You deserve Davis, Bustamante, Fienstein, Boxer, and Pelosi.
The RINO GOP establishment in California went on record early in opposing the recall, including both Wilson and Riordan.
Well Duh. They were right. It's gonna cost a lot of money to keep Davis or elect Bustamante. If Davis doesn't get removed you get to re-imburse him for his campaign expenses. At best you will get a pro-abortion, pro-gay, gun-banning, RINO named Arnold as Governor.
Just like 2002 the "conservatives" in CA whine that Davis broke the rules, and Rnold broke the rules, and Rove broke the rules. They never get a clue and they keep thinking if they can just purge enough RINOs from the party then the liberals and centrist will finally be outnumbered.
As I wrote in post #179 - This was a lose lose situation from the start and Republicans should wake up to the fact that Davis and the rat party in CA are smarter politicians than any CA Republicans like Issa and Simon. The Republican party will succeed without CA, because it has too. The Stupid party is dead in CA.
McClintock is a Whig, by his beliefs. Limited, constitutional government, freedom of contract, and individual liberty restrained from license are the Whig basics. Big on industrialization, believed in "progress", moral, political, and religious as well as economic. Not "one man one vote" democrats, instead a property test for the franchise. John Stuart Mill and Adam Smith were Whigs, as were the fellows who suppressed the Highland Risings of 1715 and 1745. So was the Marquis of Lafayette, of Revolutionary War fame, later guillotined in France.
And that is the rub. The Whigs never evolved defences against the Left, and kept prattling on about limited government in the face of the Left's attacks. Lincoln attacked the Whigs, and installed a overpowering central government that ignored the constitution, and jailed thousands without habeas corpus. Wilson ratified the 16th amendment by fiat, as recent research shows that the 16th was never legally ratified, and installed the Federal Reserve Board. New Deal, Great Society, going off the gold standard in '73, then Carter and Clinton, and now big, big government "conservatives" in Washington. This is the world as it is, the Left has been winning steadily since about 1830. Read the Communist Manifesto. See how the program has come true in America. Whiggery has never been able to even slow this conquest down.
Jerry Pournelle says American Conservatives are Christian Whigs. He is right. Either Christ or Whiggery will have to go. I would rather loose Whiggery.
McClintock is a Whig, by his beliefs. Limited, constitutional government, freedom of contract, and individual liberty restrained from license are the Whig basics. Big on industrialization, believed in "progress", moral, political, and religious as well as economic. Not "one man one vote" democrats, instead a property test for the franchise. John Stuart Mill and Adam Smith were Whigs, as were the fellows who suppressed the Highland Risings of 1715 and 1745. So was the Marquis of Lafayette, of Revolutionary War fame, later guillotined in France.
And that is the rub. The Whigs never evolved defences against the Left, and kept prattling on about limited government in the face of the Left's attacks. Lincoln attacked the Whigs, and installed a overpowering central government that ignored the constitution, and jailed thousands without habeas corpus. Wilson ratified the 16th amendment by fiat, as recent research shows that the 16th was never legally ratified, and installed the Federal Reserve Board. New Deal, Great Society, going off the gold standard in '73, then Carter and Clinton, and now big, big government "conservatives" in Washington. This is the world as it is, the Left has been winning steadily since about 1830. Read the Communist Manifesto. See how the program has come true in America. Whiggery has never been able to even slow this conquest down.
Jerry Pournelle says American Conservatives are Christian Whigs. He is right. Either Christ or Whiggery will have to go. I would rather loose Whiggery.
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