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It seems so superficial to pre-judge McClintock as just another Simon. They're two distinct individuals with different personalities and different levels of experience in government and on the campaign trail.

If these guys are not starstruck then they will have taken the opportunity to draw Arnold aside and make sure he is what he says, and get specifics (which do not necessarily have to be transmitted to the masses or media, at least in some kind of explicit manner). It seems as if a large subset of problems could be resolved by doing that. I wonder if anyone at the convention attempted to do that? If not, it seems as if conservatives are justified in regarding Arnold with suspicion. Just imho.

It seems so superficial to pre-judge McClintock as just another Simon. They're two distinct individuals with different personalities and different levels of experience in government and on the campaign trail.

True, but their "5-second version" of positions on issues are nearly the same, and most voters -- most journalists, for that matter -- don't bother looking more closely at politicians whose views are labeled "right wing" (gasp).

It seems so superficial to pre-judge McClintock as just another Simon. They're two distinct individuals with different personalities and different levels of experience in government and on the campaign trail.

It is not just superficial, it is both innane and a failing of leadership to do something like that. Tom's record is there for anyone to see, there's been enough comments made by him and about him over the years that an informed decision could easily be made. Bill Simon is not Tom McClintock, never will be.

If these guys are not starstruck then they will have taken the opportunity to draw Arnold aside and make sure he is what he says, and get specifics (which do not necessarily have to be transmitted to the masses or media, at least in some kind of explicit manner). It seems as if a large subset of problems could be resolved by doing that. I wonder if anyone at the convention attempted to do that? If not, it seems as if conservatives are justified in regarding Arnold with suspicion. Just imho.

So far as I understand, the heads of the various county GOP organizations had a private question and answer session with Arnold Schwarzenegger away from the press, and 53 of the 55 decided to support him. I was away for the weekend and I'm still catching up, I don't know if that was something that KFI 640 made up or not, but it 'feels' true.

Sad to say, but if McClintock had run in the Republican primary in 2002 instead of Simon, McC might have been nominated, and he's enough of a pro politically that he might have beaten Davis. In other words, he might be governor today.