"Recall Politics Dominate the California Republican Party Convention"

ChronWatch ^ | Sept. 17, 2003 | Cinnamon Stillwell

[FairOpinion]

California Republicans converged upon the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel last weekend for the California Republican Party Convention. According to regular attendees, this convention was the biggest one in years, and by far the most exciting. No doubt the upcoming recall election was the main draw, because it dominated conversation. The convention took on historical significance, both for the Republican Party and for California, because of the split in the party between supporters of candidates Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom McClintock. If the vote remains divided, Republicans could lose the election, should Gray Davis be recalled.

While McClintock supporters held firm, the majority of the convention attendees rallied behind Schwarzenegger and what they saw as a winning, moderate platform. A straw poll was taken and although such polls tend to be unreliable, the results were still startling: 82% for Schwarzenegger. On top of that, by Sunday, various groups were publicly endorsing Schwarzenegger, including the Hispanic 100, who actually asked McClintock to step down. And perhaps most telling of all, in a memo distributed the same day, 33 out of 34 county chairs backed Schwarzenegger. There seems to be a real hunger among Republicans not only to win, but also to try and repair the damage done to the state by one-party Democratic rule, and Schwarzenegger’s candidacy provides them with a glimmer of hope.

Nowhere was the excitement surrounding Schwarzenegger more evident than at his rally in the hotel parking lot on Saturday morning. It was attended by a huge crowd of enthusiastic supporters wearing ''Terminator for Governor'' T-shirts and waving ''Join Arnold'' signs. Schwarzenegger gave a crowd-pleasing speech, in which he detailed his fiscal priorities, as well as promising to repeal SB60 (the bill Gray Davis just signed that gives drivers' licenses to illegal aliens), and the car tax.

The crowd really went wild when the rally ended with the 80’s heavy-metal band Twisted Sister’s ''We’re Not Gonna Take It.'' Even several members of the press, who seem to pride themselves on their glumness, looked as if they were having a good time. A few protesters, both from the right and the left, expressed their opposition to Schwarzenegger on the outskirts of the rally, but they were clearly in the minority. Even Democratic Assemblyman Mark Leno made an appearance, handing out flyers that attempted to raise questions about Schwarzenegger’s stand on gay rights.

Last weekend’s convention conveyed a lot of energy and optimism, which would be a real shame to squander by continuing to split the vote. McClintock supporters often argue that Schwarzenegger backers are ''giving up their principles.'' But isn’t it better to institute some of your political principles, rather than none? And what of the fate of California, a state that clearly needs a change of direction. If McClintock could see past his own candidacy for a moment, he would opt out for the sake of the party and the state. Despite the circulating rumors about backroom deals leading to him eventually dropping out of the race, he showed little inclination for doing so at the convention. He certainly will not find himself very popular within the party, should the Republicans blow it in the recall election.

If the Democrats do retain the governership, at least the Republican Party will have added thousands of new members to its rolls and energized its base for the next election, so all will not be lost. Only time will tell, and at this point, the wait could either end in October or be extended until March of next year. To quote Bette Dave in the film ''All About Eve,'' ''fasten your seatbelts, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.''

¨ ¨ ¨ Cinnamon Stillwell, who attended the convention, is a contributing editor to ChronWatch. She lives in San Francisco and receives e-mail at: cstillwell@chronwatch.com.

[poet]

"Well, why don't you read this and tell us, if you really want to still be a McClintock voter."

Ok, I read it and they want an UNSCRIPTED debate not one with prior Written questions. What's wrong with that? That's the entire crux of their demand.
Arnold should be willing to answer inpromptu questions. The others are willing, why shouldn't he? Is it because he can't answer without script writers or answering off the top of his head will reveal his liberalism?

And, please, don't ask me to blindly follow another politician's opinion. I believe Mc is the only conservative in the race and I will vote accordingly.

Arnold CANNOT win w/o our delusional votes (that's what some of your pals have called us) and I raise my glass to political delusion because we can see clearly behind all the smoke & mirrors put out by Arnold's people.

And yes, I am still voting for McClintock.

[Registered]

Um, maybe you don't recall, but I was a McClintock supporter up until it became apparent he couldn't motivate the general voting population enough to vote for him. Just as I supported Keyes until after the Primaries. There isn't a primary in this. Otherwise I would still be a McClintock supporter, although I must admit, being in the same pool as you with all your poop floating around doesn't seem too desirable. But I would hold my nose and still support him because his ideology is nearest mine.

Too bad you don't use logic in this and see that Tom lost the "primary" that never was.

However, logic aside, I believe you are smart enough to see what I've said, so my obvious conclusion is that you and the ones you work with are simply moles working against the GOP party vote.

[Roscoe]

convention straw poll

The convention didn't sponsor a straw poll. A couple of Arnold groupies claimed to have done a poll in the hall.

[Roscoe]

Is it because he can't answer without script writers or answering off the top of his head will reveal his liberalism?

It wouldn't matter. Arnold's apologists will excuse anything he says.

[republicanwizard]

You people treat Reagan as if he were the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Listen, he was a great man, along the lines of Lincoln and the Roosevelts, but your idolization is not warranted.

[poet]

"It wouldn't matter. Arnold's apologists will excuse anything he says."

Yes, we've seen it before, the classic clintonian defense of the indefensible.

[poet]

"so my obvious conclusion is that you and the ones you work with are simply moles working against the GOP party vote."

We are working FOR someone. It is obvious that the Arnold "supporters" are working more AGAINST Busta than working FOR Arnold.

As for Mc not be able to motivate the general voting public, the same can be said of Arnold in view of the fact that his % has remained stagnant in the mid 20s while Mc's has increased from 5% to 18% in a very short time.

The modern small r republican party has been working against us and have become a clone of the democrats.

You say Mc should withdraw, we say Arnold should withdraw and never the twain shall meet. We are accused of being delusional because we are voting on principle rather than expediancy. My objection to Arnold is that he, like all RINOs are pretend conservatives. When they get elected/re-electd, their me-tooism comes to the fore, but, when it comes time for re-election they once again run as conservatives and never as what they really are, which is to say, liberals. Some on this forum have said we have become inconsquential for the GOP. If that is so, why are they trying so hard to get our votes?

We have bought into this time and time again, hoping they will change and show some political guts and they never do, therefore, we are fed up with the lot of them.

The problem with following anyone or group with blind loyalty is that those that do so start defending the indefensible which alienates those of who refuse to defend the indefensible even if it means making the people we support accountable when they put principle aside.

Can anyone defend a 2 Trillion$ federal deficit? Can anyone defend the so-called "patriot act". Can anyone defend giving $87 Billion to repair the infrastructure of Iraq when the infrastructure of America is in need of repair? Can anyone defend the administration's refusal to support a 5 Billion$ congressional package giving past and present soldiers assistance, yet, they give 15 Billion$ Grants to failing companies and other Billions to foreigners?

Here's a news flash, the GOP is working against its own people just as the democrats are.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

You people treat Reagan as if he were the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Some do, but I just spoke of his rise to power and how the RINOs where wrong. Your defensiveness about that speaks VOLUMNS about your character.

Listen, he was a great man, along the lines of Lincoln and the Roosevelts, but your idolization is not warranted.

Its a darn good thing I am smarter than you or I might have bought that strawman arguement. As I just said, I merely spoke of his defeat of the cynics, the nay sayers, and the Moderates by simply staying on message and not being browbeaten. There wasn't any idolization, but YOU WANT THERE TO BE, so that you can marginalize him and me. Just like you want to do with McClintock, and all of his supporters. This kind of Republicanism frightens you, because unlike your small, narrow, binary world of Rs and Ds, it is based on principles, which "republicanwizard" has no say in.

[republicanwizard]

Your spelling of volumes indicates a lot about your intelligence or lack thereof.

"like you want to do with McClintock, and all of his supporters. This kind of Republicanism frightens you, because unlike your small, narrow, binary world of Rs and Ds, it is based on principles, which "republicanwizard" has no say in."

That's fine. We'll drive you out of the party. I'll be the first to say good-bye. If you go nicely, I won't say good-riddance!

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Your spelling of volumes indicates a lot about your intelligence or lack thereof.

Your nit picking of spelling does for you; you are intellectually out of gas.

That's fine. We'll drive you out of the party. I'll be the first to say good-bye. If you go nicely, I won't say good-riddance!

Nope. Try as you liberals and moderates do, you always fail long term, because you have no platform, no values, no CORE convictions, and no Truth.

The irony is that either before the election, or after a (R)nold victory and subsequent complete failure, it will be my Wing that drives you Parasites kicking and screaming back to the Democrat party or the Gerald Ford wing of irrelevance where you belong, and I'll glady say good riddance.

[republicanwizard]

I'll be damned if I see the Party of Abraham Lincoln turn into the Party of Jefferson Davis, the party of the Emancipation Proclamation turned into the party of the theories of Nullification and Interposition and do nothing to stop it.

If it means that the Party is brought down in ruins, that is fine with me. I would rather see it destroyed than polluted. Then it can rise again on the foundations which Lincoln built.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

I was a McClintock supporter up until it became apparent he couldn't motivate the general voting population enough to vote for him.

You did 1 picture and now you are playing that game? Tell me, as someone at least trying to appear to be one of the biggest (R)nold Groupies for unknown reasons, how is it RINO!d went down after the Tonight Show, then has been stuck in the 20s ever since? 25% won't win the election, meanwhile my guy has been steadily moving up from unknown status.

Just as I supported Keyes until after the Primaries

You did all that for Mr 5% who NEVER EVER had a chance at anything other than SPOILER in this lifetime and you are trying to say McClintock's supporters are divisive against (R)nold? RINO!D makes George W Bush look like George Washington? MoveOn.org Minions makes less purposefully contradictory statements.

my obvious conclusion is that you and the ones you work with are simply moles working against the GOP party vote

This tired BS again, I honestly question more and more every day what the conclusion on you is, a vote for Keys was a vote for Gore. Your divisiveness probably led to Bush not having enough of a base to get the popular vote and all this consernation from the Left every since about '00, but then again perhaps you LIKED the Left having that issue against the zealots.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

I'll be damned if I see the Party of Abraham Lincoln turn into the Party of Jefferson Davis

So Ronald Reagan is now a proslave Confederate Democrate? You don't even want me to bust out the Conservative ping list and expose you to the board as the strawman beater you are. You have sunk to a new low, even for you dithering, dishonest moderates.

Then it can rise again on the foundations which Lincoln built.

Spare me your profanements of the Great Emancipator, Gerald.

[Roscoe]

You people treat Reagan as if he were the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Thou shalt have no gods before Arnold.

[republicanwizard]

No, I'm rather sick of you and your fellow neo-confederate extremists turning this party into some dogmatic freak show rather than the inclusive Party of Lincoln which accepts a wide variety of conservatives.

I don't give a damn about your ping list. Call them out. They would take me around five minutes to destroy.

What's up with the hatred of Gerald Ford, nutty?

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

you and your fellow neo-confederate extremists

Neo-confederate? You are trying that idiocy again, like you got traction last time saying Reagan was Confederate? LOL! You liberal/moderates are all the same- you have 0 issues, you can't be honest about your agenda, so you just call people names, eg: racist, sexist, bigoted, homophobic pigs. It matters not that you pulled the confederate thing straight out of your posterior, it only matters that you know how to spell it.

Seriously, I would have pinged before, but this is a new low. I wouldn't waste my conservative friends TIME on your nonsensical name calling boobery. I thought you hateful tangents were a disgrace to Lincoln BEFORE, but now I think you are simply too high to even afront the name "republican"-anything.