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“Tom Can’t Win”? Wrong – Do the Math – Silent Switch Makes McClintock Governor
9-22-03

Posted on 09/22/2003 7:28:24 AM PDT by tallhappy

Real Clear Politics elegantly presents all the polls concerning the California Recall election at this link

It seems that just about everyone pushing Schwarzenegger as the best chance for Republicans also feel McClintock would be preferable if he had a chance to win. McClintock is thought to most reflect their values and positions on issues. But “Tom can’t win.”

A simple perusal of the poll numbers, though, belies this conventional wisdom. Do the math. If only 60% of Schwarzenegger supports decided to vote for McClintock, McClintock take the lead.

Some examples:

The vilified LA Times Poll:

Schwarzenegger - 25
Bustamante - 30
McClintock - 18

With a switch of 60% Schwarzenegger to McClintock, McClintock is at 33 and wins by 3.

In polls with Schwarzenegger polling higher the effect is stronger, e.g. SurveyUSA.

Schwarzenegger - 39
Bustamante - 29
McClintock - 16

McClintock at 39.4, wins by more than 10.

Even the ureleased newst Field poll with Bustamante higher than Schwarzenegger plays out the same:

Schwarzenegger - 26
Bustamante - 28
McClintock - 14

McClintock at 29.6 with the silent 60 switch, over the top by 1.6%.

The reason for this effect is that Bustamante support has stayed consistently low, only about 30%. This is lower than the Democrat candidate would generally poll in a general election. The dynamics of this unique recall are different. Many dems won’t vote for a candidate for recall on principle. They feel the recall is wrong hence will only vote no and will not mark a replacement candidate. Others who normally would vote for a Democrat also may be voting for Huffington, Camejo or even Schwarzenegger. This effectively splits the left/liberal vote more than usual causing Bustamantes numbers to be low.

This dynamic allows a conservative a chance to win in this election compared to a regular general election where the numbers don’t quite add up.

Conservatives are playing defense by voting for Schwarzenegger. Defense doesn’t win. The offensive strategy is for conservatives to vote for McClintock in this election where a conservative actually could win. Conservatives shouldn’t be scared off by the media drumbeat and conventional wisdom. It doesn’t apply in this election. In a normal election a Democrat would pull near 50% and always beat the 40% conservative/Republican base. But this isn’t a normal election and Bustamante isn’t pulling the numbers.

Let the race play out as it is. Schwarzenegger doesn’t have to pull out for this to work. In fact, if he did pull out this scenario wouldn’t apply.

On election day there needs to be a silent surprise. If the polls on Bustamante’s support are right, only 60% of Schwarzenegger supporters need to quietly punch the McClintock chad rather than Schwarzenegger’s to shake the world with their silent surprise.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: bustamante; californiarecall; mcclintock; schwarzenegger; switch
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To: 68 grunt
That is a ridiculous premise. Arnold is gonna rip you boy up. He's going to dwarf all the candidates, and he will stand out in excellence. You're boy will be humiliated. Good, bring it on!

Grunt, can you find anyone else in your camp with the same view?

And McClintock supporters are accused of being illogical... ;-)

281 posted on 09/22/2003 2:19:55 PM PDT by SteveH ((Californians for, like, you know, Moon Unit!!!))
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To: Sabertooth
The September 9th California Freeper totals... 

   McClintock 174 = 64% 
   Arnold 89 = 33% 

The September 9th unknown states Freeper totals...

   McClintock 144 = 50%
   Arnold 143 = 50%

Does anybody care to hazard a guess as to why the percentages are different based on Freepers identifying Kalifornia as their home state? This would appear to be a statistically significant difference.

Can it be that Kalifornian Freepers are more fed up with the liberal agenda and are more offended by the idea that one can solve a budget crisis by earmarking $450 billion dollars of tax money for child care or $60 million dollars for hydrogen fueling stations? That's one possibility.

Another is that gun-owners in other states are much less sensitive to the disarmament campaign which has gone so far in Kalifornia and with which Arnold finds no objection. That is what motivates me.

282 posted on 09/22/2003 2:24:24 PM PDT by William Tell
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To: tallhappy; kingu
Tom has demonstrated that he's willing to go against the leadership...

...in contrast to being willing to listen, consult with, and gain the trust of his constituency in working towards reducing taxing and spending in state government?

Which should take precedence?

283 posted on 09/22/2003 2:26:13 PM PDT by SteveH ((Californians for, like, you know, Moon Unit!!!))
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To: 68 grunt
I don't think Schwarzenegger can win either.

So where does that leave us?

284 posted on 09/22/2003 2:26:47 PM PDT by tallhappy
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To: William Tell; FairOpinion; 68 grunt
Can it be that Kalifornian Freepers are more fed up with the liberal agenda and are more offended by the idea that one can solve a budget crisis by earmarking $450 billion dollars of tax money for child care or $60 million dollars for hydrogen fueling stations?

68 grunt and Fair Opinion sing, "If that's liberalism, gimmee another heapin' helpin'!"

285 posted on 09/22/2003 2:27:37 PM PDT by Kevin Curry (The lust for power is not rooted in strength, but in weakness)
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To: William Tell
Another is that gun-owners in other states are much less sensitive to the disarmament campaign which has gone so far in Kalifornia and with which Arnold finds no objection. That is what motivates me.

They came for Californians' guns, but the out-of-staters did not stand up against them.

"We don't live in California," they reasoned...

286 posted on 09/22/2003 2:28:49 PM PDT by SteveH ((Californians for, like, you know, Moon Unit!!!))
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To: William Tell
Does anybody care to hazard a guess as to why the percentages are different based on Freepers identifying Kalifornia as their home state?

I find it very telling myself.

287 posted on 09/22/2003 2:29:26 PM PDT by jmc813 (Check out the FR Big Brother 4 thread! http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/943368/posts)
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To: tallhappy
Do the math. If only 60% of Schwarzenegger supports decided to vote for McClintock...

That thread wins the award (a new award which I think we should start giving out every month), for: MOST UNCONVICING ARGUMENT OF THE MONTH. I want McClintock too, but if that's the best argument he's got, then he's doomed! If only 60% of Gary Coleman supporters switched to me, I'd take over McClintock!

288 posted on 09/22/2003 2:31:41 PM PDT by hawaiian
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To: William Tell
$450 billion dollars of tax money for child care

Wow, what's the total budget?

289 posted on 09/22/2003 2:32:05 PM PDT by RGSpincich
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To: 68 grunt
I'm for Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger winning!

Schwarzenegger's strategic mistakes

290 posted on 09/22/2003 2:32:36 PM PDT by SteveH ((Californians for, like, you know, Moon Unit!!!))
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To: Kevin Curry
Can it be that Kalifornian Freepers are more fed up with the liberal agenda and are more offended by the idea that one can solve a budget crisis by earmarking $450 billion dollars of tax money for child care

Source?

291 posted on 09/22/2003 2:33:51 PM PDT by RGSpincich
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To: William Tell
INTERESTING data.

Kinda validates a feeling I've been having about this whole debate recently.

292 posted on 09/22/2003 2:35:40 PM PDT by skeeter (Fac ut vivas)
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To: Paulus Invictus
Paulus Invictus said: "The Ninth Circus has not yet given the RATS the go-ahead to postpone the whole recall thing until march 04. If that happens, and it surely will, ..."

I think the Ninth Circus is on the run, as fast as they can go, away from the mistaken opinion of the three judge panel. Some believe that the reversing opinion will come within 24 hours. I am expecting that decision before sunset today.

293 posted on 09/22/2003 2:35:41 PM PDT by William Tell
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To: hawaiian
If only 60% of Gary Coleman supporters switched to me, I'd take over McClintock! Not so. Do the math.

This post is for people like you. If you represent 60% of those who now are voting for Schwarzenegger, then the votes are there if you all switch.

The silent switch.

294 posted on 09/22/2003 2:39:23 PM PDT by tallhappy
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To: William Tell
Does anybody care to hazard a guess as to why the percentages are different based on Freepers identifying Kalifornia as their home state?

I saw the same thing when Jesse Ventura was our governor. For the longest time, Freepers seemed to think he was a conservative. Up close and personal, we saw that he governed like a moderate Democrat from day one. In everything from his appointments to his policies to his vetoes.

But outside the state Jesse's celebrity factor proved blinding to otherwise politically astute people. I think you're seeing the same sort of thing with Arnold now.

295 posted on 09/22/2003 2:40:09 PM PDT by Snuffington
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To: tallhappy
This is strange math - asking for 60% to switch over is strictly fantasyland.
296 posted on 09/22/2003 2:42:04 PM PDT by HitmanLV (I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own.)
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To: William Tell
Obviously, non-Californians are better informed than Californians as to who is a better candidate, McC or Arnold.

DUH! ...

;-)

297 posted on 09/22/2003 2:44:48 PM PDT by SteveH ((Californians for, like, you know, Moon Unit!!!))
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To: tallhappy
"Does McClintock more reflect your values and opions or does Schwarzenegger? "

Yes he does, and so does Ronald Reagan but neither one of them will win this election.

That, is exactly my point.

Tom is the best man for the job, but he is not going to get it.

298 posted on 09/22/2003 2:49:15 PM PDT by capt. norm (You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.)
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To: Owen
Owen said: "You can't make liberal voters vote against their philosophy. You can't. "

I disagree.

Constitutional law is an outgrowth of Natural Law. Human rights are unalienable, and the liberal voters will stop voting for unConstitutional measures and officials if the courts routinely strike down unConstitutional laws.

Also part of Natural Law are the laws of economics. "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch."

Liberals will continue to vote for free lunches until the lunches fail to appear. Without the "iron curtain" there is no Soviet Union. If Castro stopped killing or imprisoning, his regime in Cuba would fall.

Even Arnold will not be able deliver the free lunches that the liberals are expecting. He might deliver $450 million dollars in child care or $60 million in hydrogen fueling stations, but it will not be enough.

Kalifornia's troubles won't be solved until long after the unionized prison guards and the unionized school teachers are locked in battles over which will get benefits and pension money that doesn't exist.

299 posted on 09/22/2003 2:50:01 PM PDT by William Tell
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To: JCEccles
"If [McClintock] can't get elected, they won't make any difference. Then support him and help get him elected. "

No amount of support from me will get him elected. I've been down that road before.

All Mc Clintock can do now is help get Bustamonte elected and it seems like that is what's happening.

300 posted on 09/22/2003 2:52:10 PM PDT by capt. norm (You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.)
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