As clever as it is persuasive.
Considering McClintock's supporters have nothing to lose, I'd say you need them a hell of a lot more than they need you. Maybe insulting the living daylights out of them, as the Arnoldites have been doing for weeks now, isn't the best way to go about winning them over.
Seeing as their candidate can't win, I guess they have nothing to lose. You're right, Arnold supporting FReepers could risk losing the support of the McClintock voters if and when McClintock drops out. If Busta-MEChA wins by 20 votes over Arnold, I guess the Arnold supporter screwed up.
This is the win. If the Arnold supporters polarize the Tom supporters they will lose. When this all started many Tom supporters I talked with were willing to jump to the front runner (even if that was Arnold), that compromise is fading all because the Arnold supporters could not stick to the facts and avoid bashing Tom.
Arnold knew he needed the base to win - but Arnold supporters did not take his lead. Maybe he is not such a great leader after all.