Issa: McClintock Promised, 'I Won't be a Spoiler'

NewsMax.com ^ | 9/24/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

Before the California recall race got under way, gubernatorial candidate Tom McClintock made a private pledge to step aside if his campaign threatened to spoil Republican chances to take power in Sacramento.

That was the bombshell revelation yesterday from the driving force behind the recall movement, Rep. Darryl Issa, who described to nationally syndicated radio host Sean Hannity a conversation he had with the conservative favorite several months ago.

"When I talked to Tom even before he got in, he told me a couple of things that when you have these kind of conversations you never forget," Issa told Hannity.

"He said, 'Look, I'm not going to be in this race if it's not a crowded field. I know the numbers for a conservative. And I'm not going to stay in and be a spoiler.'"

"Those are two quotes that he told me directly over the phone," Issa claimed. He then pointed out, "It was a crowded field, it's no longer a crowded field. And he does have to make ... a tough decision."

The Republican congressman predicted that McClintock would ultimately keep his word.

"Tom McClintock, if the numbers stay where they are, has an opportunity to be the hero," Issa told Hannity. "He has the chance to be a real hero and I believe that he is a good man and he will take that chance at the right time."

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
California Governor's Race

[PhiKapMom]

ROFLOL!!!! I worked in an office at Wright-Patterson where the guys in my office gave me the money to go buy Cosmo that had the first centerfold of a guy -- Burt Reynolds -- they were curious what he looked like in the mag but wouldn't go buy it. It was a sell-out at the bookstore in Bldg 262!

BTW, still have the magazine -- discovered it in one of the boxes that had been in storage I have been going through from the move to Oklahoma! It was left open to the centerfold so I assume the packers had taken a peek!

Comparing Arnold's photo to McC's lies and taking Indian money while signing on with Cruz is a no brainer. Arnold wins!

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Issa, Hannity, and Dan Burton are all RINOs as well conspiring to lie and slander McQuixote.

[Hildy]

McClintock is acting like Davis...HIS needs supercede anything else. That's not egotistic..that's just dangerous.

[jmc813]

He's not worth welcoming back.

Be honest. You'd never vote for him anyway, regardless of the recall debacle.

[Brian Allen]

<< Before the California recall race got under way, gubernatorial candidate Tom McClintock made a private pledge to step aside if his campaign threatened to spoil Republican chances to take power in Sacramento. >>

Mexico City's "man" in Sacreemeento and [Indian "nation"] one-armed-bandit-boosting Bustamental's, fellow Californicating-DemocRepublicrat-machine career politician "McJeffords" -- and "integrity" -- in the same sentence?

HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah HahHahHahHahHahHahHah

[NittanyLion]

This is just one more to add to the list of why McC is not a "principled" conservative. The list keeps growing by the day!

Let me see if I understand you. McClintock needs to do right by the Republican Party and drop out because winning supercedes principles, and, dropping out is unprincipled.

Some "logic".

[CyberCowboy777]

As a Tom McClintock supporter I am calling for him to step aside.

Arnold may well win with Tom in the race, but if the win is narrow there will be a lawsuit by the ACLU.

Lets get Arnold in with large numbers - he will owe us.

[AMNZ]

I trust someone has made both Arnold and McClintock how important it is that from the beginning to the end of tonight's debate all fire must be directed at the enemy not an ally. If anything they should be praising each other for holding what is important to California ahead of what is important to them personally or the party for that matter. California needs leadership that will take them back from the track to bankruptcy. In the next few days, one will have to call on their people to get behind the other to insure that the job gets done. The proper call on that should be evident in the next few days.

[jmc813]

Let me see if I understand you. McClintock needs to do right by the Republican Party and drop out because winning supercedes principles, and, dropping out is unprincipled.

LOL!

[BibChr]

I honestly doubt anyone needs to tell Arnold. He's been extraordinarily gracious to McC.

McC's been a petty little mosquito.

I would guess, if I had to, that S is prepared to swat him if he pops off, or to out-gracious him.

What McC will do — since he is only "principled" in theory — is any psychologist's guess.

Dan

[hobbes1]

I would be looking for Arnold to make a statement to the effect, that 'I hope I win, so I can look forward to workng with Tom as Comptroller....'

[PhiKapMom]

You missed a little detail -- McC said he wouldn't be a spoiler but he is! What part of that do you not understand?

You remind me of the Keyes folks in 2000 that wanted then Gov Bush to drop out so Keyes could beat Gore -- in fact, I even heard Keyes say he was the ONLY Republican in the race that could beat Gore or did he call himself the only "true" conservative or was it is "true" Republican -- guess I have to go dig out the newspaper article once again to make sure!

[NittanyLion]

You missed a little detail -- McC said he wouldn't be a spoiler but he is! What part of that do you not understand?

IOW, at this point - no matter what action he takes - he'll not receive your support.

Seeing as how he never had GOP support to begin with, that's something of a hollow threat.

[Bikers4Bush]

He's only a spoiler if neither he nor aaaanold win.

[zbigreddogz]

Agreed. I saw Issa on msnbc tomorrow, and he just became my new hero.

[Defiant]

Here, here. McClintock for Senate 2004. He can campaign with Arnold as one of the men who saved the California budget from disaster, if he gets out and works with the new governor.

[Defiant]

Did you travel to the future?

[onyx]

I note that NL is from Virginia. Like many of McWampum's most vociferous and nasty supporters, NL is not eligible to vote in my state's recall election, (thank God).

I agree with you, PKM, the our-of-state McWampum supporters are almost identical to the slit-you-wrist-keysters from 2000. Maybe they're one in the same?

[Afronaut]

[NittanyLion]

I note that NL is from Virginia. Like many of McWampum's most vociferous and nasty supporters, NL is not eligible to vote in my state's recall election, (thank God).

The internet and TV are amazing things. They transmit the same info you get in CA straight to my PC (or TV) here in VA.