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Posted on 09/30/2003 8:36:48 AM PDT by Sabertooth
There has been not a little controversy about an unguarded remark by Arnold Schwarzenegger, to the effect that some supporters of California's Proposition #54, the Racial Privacy Initiative, are "right wing crazies."
Schwarzenegger's comment was first reported in The National Review, not generally known as a left wing publication...
Schwarzenegger was questioned about Prop 54, the Ward Connerly-spearheaded measure that would make it illegal for governmental agencies to collect racial statistics on the population, with some prudent exceptions. This is the Racial Privacy Initiative.
Schwarzenegger said, "I'm against it. It looks good on the surface, but when you study it you see its true intentions. It was a no-brainer, once I looked at all the reading and all the materials. I do a lot of work with after-school programs, a lot of these kids are minorities, and we need to know how they're doing and bring them up to the starting line. It was a no-brainer. And if the right-wing crazies have a problem with that, so be it."
National Review Online - September 8th, 2003
Since Proposition 54 has been endorsed by the California Republican Party, and is the heir to 1996's Proposition 209, which banned affirmative action in California, some have regarded the "right wing crazies" comment as somewhat impolitic.
Proposition 209, like Proposition 54, was the brainchild of Ward Connerly, a black conservative activist. Prop 54 is actually intended to plug loopholes found in 209, by leftist bureaucrats with the intent of skirting the anti-affirmative action measure.
So, Schwarzenegger's reported insult of some who are supporting Connerly's latest ballot measure has riled more than a few California conservatives. Coming, as it did, in the midst of California's Gubernatorial Recall election, in a field of candidates that includes Schwarzenegger's fellow Republican, conservative Tom McClintock, the "right wing crazies" report has caused concern among members of the GOP here.
Schwarzenegger's appeal has been more to the moderate spectrum of the electorate, and his campaign has been attempting to make inroads with Republican conservatives, many of whom have been referred to as "right wing crazies" in the past by the Democrats and mainstream press, and whom have also been skeptical about Schwarzenegger's more liberal positions on a range of social issues.
Realizing the danger, Schwarzenegger campaign spokesman Sean Walsh attempted to put the "right wing crazies" matter to rest a few days after the initial report.
Here is a synopsis from the Ventura County Star, including the first hand account of Schwarzenegger's comment by Proposition 54 spokesman Justin Jones, followed by Walsh's statement:
Jones said Schwarzenegger explained that he had studied the measure and determined it was a "no-brainer" to oppose it. Schwarzenegger went on to say he believed it important that public schools be able to identify minority children to help "bring them up to the starting line. And if the right-wing crazies have a problem with that, so be it."
Sean Walsh, a spokesman for Schwarzenegger, said Tuesday that the exchange "never happened."
"Someone did ask him his position on Proposition 54, and he expressed his concerns about the health-care aspects and educational aspects," Walsh said. "With regard to any additional comments, they never happened."
< -snip- >
Walsh called the timing of the allegation suspicious, as it comes a few days before a statewide Republican convention in Los Angeles that opens Friday.
"Let's be candid," Walsh said. "We are going into a Republican convention and there are those who don't necessarily support Mr. Schwarzenegger who are trying to get attention."
Ventura County Star - September 10th, 2003
So, we have a first-hand account by a named source, Justin Jones, and a subsequent denial by Schwarzenegger spokesman Sean Walsh. It's not clear if Walsh was present for the alleged exchange.
So, this would appear to be a clear-cut case of "he said - someone's spokesman said."
While it would be preferable if Schwarzenegger had cleared the matter up himself, Walsh's denial of the "right wing crazies" remark on his behalf does give Schwarzenegger at least a measure of plausible deniability.
Unless, of course, some other account of Schwarzenegger's use of the offending phrase should surface...
Although his positions on such issues have nothing to do with ending the state's financial crisis, which Schwarzenegger has said would be his main concern as governor, they are important because they could help him gain support from the conservative wing of the state Republican Party."Even within the Republican base, if you are talking about a closed Republican primary... they are no more than 20 to 25 percent of the registered Republicans. There is a perception out there that all registered Republicans are right wing crazies -- that, in fact, is not true."
MSNBC - August 27th, 2003
This second and independent account of Schwarzenegger's use of the offending "right wing crazies" phrase comes from earlier in the Recall campaign, though not from the week of the State Republican Convention, to which Sean Walsh's denial-by-proxy appears to apply.
Here again, Schwarzenegger is using the term "right wing crazies" to refer to Republican conservatives, though he concedes that they make up no more than "20 to 25 percent of the registered Republicans."
Still, as we enter the final week of California's Gubernatorial Recall campaign, amid calls from state GOP leaders to unify the party behind Schwarzenegger, multiple questions have now arisen about Schwarzenegger's comments and attitudes toward the conservative wing of the party.
With two separate accounts of his use of "right wing crazies," Schwarzenegger needs to have Sean Walsh step away from the microphone, and address the issue himself, in his own words.
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Tempest Teapot
I truly believe it's a doomed state, the demise being self inflicted and well deserved.
Buh-bye.
Doesn't the use of "right wing crazies" fit right in their with "RINOs", "moron's", etc. that inspire so many constructive FR discussion threads?
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