Tom McClintock - The conscience of a conservative?

MensNewsDaily.com ^ | September 19, 2003 | Bob Chandra

[Dave S]

Tom McClintock - The conscience of a conservative?

September 19, 2003

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- by Bob Chandra

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In recent days, Tom McClintock, the "other Republican" in California's recall race, has accepted a million dollars spent on his behalf by a left-wing special interest group. He has claimed that a Democrat victory in the recall election would be desirable, as it would better his chances in 2006. And he has joined with Democrat Cruz Bustamante in a boycott against fellow Republican, Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is the man we're supposed to believe represents the conscience of conservatism? At the end of the day, Tom McClintock's Faustian Pact with the Left has made one thing clear - it's all about Tom McClintock.

The $1 million to be spent on McClintock's behalf is by Indian gambling interests, a staunch Democratic special interest. I wrote about the possibility of left-wing special interests backing McClintock in order to divide Republicans several weeks back. Now it is a reality. The Sacramento Bee has announced that the Morongo tribe is spending $1 million to boost McClintock's candidacy and it's not because they want him to win. The money spent on McClintock is meant to split the Republican vote so their loyal servant, Democrat Cruz Bustamante, can emerge the winner. With enough left- wing money, McClintock can steal enough votes from Arnold to make that happen. Tom's win-at-any-cost mindset has him collaborating with leftist groups who want nothing more than a divided Right to throw the election to Bustamante. Does McClintock see that the Left is using him? Maybe there's a reason it's called "blind" ambition.

McClintock's partnership with the liberal special interests raises serious questions about his loyalty to the GOP. McClintock has said he puts his personal "principles" before the party. But there's a deeper reason McClintock doesn't care that his spoiler candidacy will doom Republicans in the recall race.

In a conversation with US Congressman Dan Burton, Tom McClintock said the following: he (McClintock) didn't mind it if Democrats win the gubernatorial race because it could improve his own chances in 2006. According to the Los Angeles Times, "Burton, one of the more conservative members of Congress, also said McClintock had seemed to suggest that it would be acceptable for a Democrat to hold the governor's office, because he might create a clamor for a Republican in 2006.". So that's what this is really about. If McClintock can't win, he can at least prevent the Republicans from winning so he has a better shot in 2006. Aren't we glad he's playing for our team?

McClintock is now collaborating with Cruz Bustamante to boycott the California Broadcasters Association's debate on the 24th as a means of showing up Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bustamante led the boycott charge on October 17th with McClintock soon followed his lead. When you see a Republican siding with a Democrat against a fellow Republican, you know something is wrong with the picture. Don't adjust your set- this is Tom McClintock, the self-styled conscience of conservatism.

As if things couldn't get any worse, McClintock is justifying his candidacy on a poll strategically conducted by the left-wing Los Angeles Times, which wants nothing more than to keep him in the race. That Times' poll has been debunked by Field and even invalidated by the Times' own reporting. It added 6% more self-identified conservatives than other polls and naturally gave McClintock an artificial 5% bump. But McClintock is clinging to this cooked poll, another leftist ploy, because it serves his interests.

What kind of a conservative lets left-wing interests drive his candidacy like this? The answer is a candidate who is so blind with ambition that he does not see how the Left is using him to their own ends. Thus far, McClintock has claimed he stands for principle, but it is obvious that his hopeless candidacy is based on personal ambition. It's no longer appropriate to view McClintock as merely a misguided crusader. He is a bigger threat to Republican victory on Election Day than Cruz Bustamante. Up until now, McClintock has responded to arguments for stepping aside with denial, delusion, and arrogance. Given his collaboration with the Left, Republicans must get serious with him. McClintock's "stalking horse" candidacy must come to an end.

Bob Chandra

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bob Chandra is a Bay Area Republican activist. He was involved as a strategist for Linda Rae Hermann's campaign against Mike Honda for California's 15th congressional district, and he currently serves as a commissioner for the Saratoga library. His email address is bobchandra(at)comcast.net.

[A CA Guy]

Arnold was a successful business man as well as an actor and he not being a professional political hack is a plus.

There was NEVER any chance for a Republican candidate to win BEFORE Armold got in this race.
Becoming the only winnable candidate is not a back stabber.

He most certainly is not in cahoots with Cruz Bustamante the way McClintock is.

Tom was never going to win, where did you get this delusional idea he was competitive as a potential victor in this race. Most in the state don't know him, where were the votes going to develope from?

That is living in the dream world M.

"Arnold stated he'd do whatever he deemed expedient." GOOD, THAT IS CALLED A LEADER.

The only think McClintock is willing to do is what he considers EXPEDIENT only for himself.

[muleskinner]

on the other hand where did Ahnold's money come from The Hollywood Elite...

Argh, you just spewing bitter rum, me boy. The Hollywood Elite - HAR! They all hates darlin' Arnold, they does. - (It's talk like a Pirate day)

[Aquinasfan]

do you think McClintock will still be running on election day?

Yes.

Otherwise, you might as well hold up signs on election day saying, "Kill all the babies. Let God sort 'em out."

[68 grunt]

There was a boolean 'or' in that clause, negating your charge of a personal attack.

[A CA Guy]

Your re-compilation away from the intended meaning is called creating a lie though.

He want's not tax increase unless there is an emergency like 9-11 and it is unavoidable. Where was that in that last recompilation of caca you posted? (As an example)

[68 grunt]

McClinton is gonna lose! Arnie is gonna win - get over it!

[Maelstrom]

"There was NEVER any chance for a Republican candidate to win BEFORE Armold got in this race. "

If this was true, the entire recall would have been moot and wouldn't have happened.

"The only thin(g) McClintock is willing to do is what he considers EXPEDIENT only for himself. "

No, McClintock has a set of specific plans and policies that you can peruse at your leisure. He's released them in press releases and will make them available to you if you ask. Arnold has promised you nothing but himself...and he himself...is a liberal. He'd make a good "moderate" Democrat in parts of California, but that's about it.

So many people have forgotten that he *could* have run as a Democrat had he so chosen when his candidacy was considered.

[DoughtyOne]

Dane, I wasn't very happy about the rankor in 2000 any more than I am right now. This anger isn't necessary.

Some of the Buchanan folks were idiots and some of the Bush folks were idiots.

The two sides should be able to talk things through without this crap. If we don't learn to that, it is going to be pure hell every two or four years around here. It doesn't need to be IMO.

Be honest. Be frank. Agree to disagree. Leave as friends.

You take care. No offense taken. I do appreciate anyone who reaches out the way you did. Class act.


D1

[Luis Gonzalez]

"After the September 24th debate and subsequent polls that will follow this debate I am sure that pro-recall supporters will coalesce around one candidate."

Howard Kaloogian

Chairman, Recall Gray Davis Committee

[Scenic Sounds]

Yes.

Well, you're the second McClintock supporter I've asked that today. You're 2 for 2!!

Otherwise, you might as well hold up signs on election day saying, "Kill all the babies. Let God sort 'em out."

Well, let's not get carried away here. I mean, Tom does seem to be a man of principle, but he's still a politician, you know. He might change his mind. We'll see. ;-)

[68 grunt]

He's another plant, only here to make trouble. You know, I know.

[Maelstrom]

In later qutoes he wasn't *specific* about the conditions under which he'd raise taxes. Right now, if you begin having power outages...it might be reason to raise taxes. If you have higher levels of air pollution...it might be reason to raise taxes. If his wife breaks a nail...it might be reason to raise taxes. He was that unspecific.

I'll tell you another thing. The worst possible thing that could happen, if terrorism reaches CA shores, is a raise in taxes.

Conservatives know this, Arnold doesn't.

[A CA Guy]

not tax = no tax by the way...

[Wolfstar]

What about the people who don't consider themselves Republicans first and conservatives second? Maybe there is a case here for not voting for McClintock, but no case has yet been made for conservatives to vote for Arnold - that is where the problem lies.

A fair question and a fair statement. I'll try to give you a serious answer.

As I said earlier on this thread, I'm a Constitutional conservative. Therefore, my political point of view closely matches — although does not necessarily match 100% with — most people on these threads who characterize themselves as conservative.

I'm not a Republican first and conservative second, either. Rather, I'm a Republican because, of all the political parties out there, the GOP is the one that: (1) comes closest to representing my political point of view most of the time — however, unlike many, I don't expect a 100% match, 100% of the time — and (2) by demonstrating over more than 140 years that it can win many elections, the GOP is capable of representing most of my political point of view at the seat of legislative, executive, and judicial power. That representation is the only way one average person such as myself can hope to influence public policy.

As for the Arnold vs. Tom debate, I initially was open to either candidate (as well as to Simon and Ueberroth). But as I have observed McClintock over the past month, I've become increasingly troubled by aspects of his character that make him seem — to me, anyway — rigid; tightly wound; angry; humorless; so certain of his own point of view that he brushes aside all input from others; so driven by his own personal goals that he seems hell-bent on deeply dividing his own politial party. In other words, I have come to dislike and distrust the man, himself. Remember Bill Clinton's "character doesn't matter" campaign? Haven't we all learned by now that character matters?

Now, I don't know whether my point of view will cause you to take a closer look at McClintock's character. Nor do I necessarily want to convince you to vote for Arnold if you simply cannot bring yourself to do so. But I do hope to convince you that people who oppose McClintock do so for reasons they consider equally as valid as your reasons to support him.

[Aquinasfan]

Now, will any Arnold supporter tell me what is gained by electing Arnold?

Will any McClintock supporter tell me what is gained by electing Bustamante?

Like the other Arnold supporters, you won't answer the question. But I'll answer yours.

You'll either get a real conservative or a real communist. If the commie is elected, he'll rightly take the blame for the continued disintegration of the state, and a real conservative could take over in the next election.

If McClintock gets elected, then the turnaround will begin after the election.

If Arnold gets elected, the state will continue to disintegrate and Republicans will take the blame, insuring the victory of the Democrats in the following election.

[A CA Guy]

He is a fiscal conservaive and has an issue with California being over-taxed.
Democrats has screwed us into a deep hole and though he wants not tax, he doesn't know what what will come up when he gains office.
He already had a committee go through the state budget and said it was unreadable, so making this budget in plain english so we know where all the money is being spent and can be cut is a priority for him when he is in office as well.

[A CA Guy]

I like you consider myself a conservative first but am a Republican because they are the only electable party that most closely represents my views.

I differ with you over your views of the candidates.
I would have voted McClintock though he would lose because the whole Republican field were going to be losers anyway. The Democrats were in when Arnold entered.

Once Arnold entered, I was happy because that was the first and only chance for Democrats to lose this race.

Since then I have been extremely disappointed at McClintock (who knows he can't win) for playing games with the party by staying in this.

He is being a spoiler which says he feels he is more important than the people and that isn't a fit person to even be in our party much less a leader.

His teaming up with and for Bustamante should make the Tombots sick of their previous association, but the McClintock ego and pride seems to trickle down and I am greatly disappointed by them.

[Wolfstar]

There are elements in your Post #158 with which I agree, and elements which which I don't agree. You won't get an argument from me that the CAGOP is filled with incompetents. Since I was opposed to this recall from the beginning, as much as I despise Davis, I can buy the argument that, politically speaking, it would be better to let him finish out his term. However, McClintock is not going to win this race under any but the most extraordinary circumstances. If he doesn't know it, he is self-deluded and stupid. If he does know it, and still chooses to run around sowing deep divisions within the already weak CAGOP, then I despise him for the Dem shill that he must be. Either way, he is hurting me and all grassroots Republicans in this state. Remember, if he stays in (as I believe he will), he splits the Republican vote no matter if he runs as if he were in a primary (against Schwarzenegger), or a general election (against Cruz). The fact that he chooses to do the former and not the latter tells me all I need to know about Tom McClintock.

[muleskinner]

If Arnold gets elected, the state will continue to disintegrate and Republicans will take the blame...

AAARRRGGGHHH!Parson, stick to yu'r good book, as yur' political analysis stinks like an old kettle o' fish. -(It's tough to talk like pirate on "Talk like a Pirate Day")

Argh. Where's me parrot?

[Dan from Michigan]

According to the Los Angeles Times

How ironic. The same jokers that say that a Slimes poll is not credible, are now believing what the Slimes say on this.