California: Fast-fading Bustamante has conservatives re-thinking Schwarzenegger support

California Public Policy Foundation Capitol Watch email | October 3, 2003

[John Jorsett]

Some conservative Republicans who say they believe state Sen. Tom McClintock would be a better governor than Arnold Schwarzenegger but who planned to vote for Schwarzenegger as their best hope of electing a Republican are switching to McClintock in light of recent polls indicating both GOP candidates will likely finish ahead of Cruz Bustamante. "If it is down to a two-man race," a GOP activist said, "my vote is for Tom. Schwarzenegger seemed to be the lesser of two evils compared to Bustamante, but that rationale disappears when Bustamante turns out to be the candidate that can't win."

McClintock, who has run ahead of Schwarzenegger among Independent voters, enjoys statewide favorable/unfavorable ratings much better than any other major candidate. GOP political observers say this factor, if it combines with a large-scale movement among Republicans who feel free now to "vote their consciences," could significantly increase McClin- tock's support by Tuesday.

[My2Cents]

"Schwarzenegger seemed to be the lesser of two evils compared to Bustamante, but that rationale disappears when Bustamante turns out to be the candidate that can't win."

Busty is still polling ahead of Tom. Arnold is the clear frontrunner. If Arnold's supporters jumped to Tom, all it would do is pull Arnold down to Cruz's level of support, raise Tom closer to Cruz's level of support, and Cruz might emerge as the winner. This appeal is an appeal to suicide.

[Sabertooth]

This is NOT to John but to whomever -- presumably someone more on the Schwarzenegger side of things -- is adding the ridiculous "gag" Keywords. As of 12:12 pm PDT, I see BUSTMANTEPROPAGANDA; CALGOV2002; MISINFORMATION; SPIN.

Seen this one?

POST7WAAAH

Whoever you are, cut it out. And bear in mind that additions of keywords are logged; the admins can see who you are. If you think the article is bad, post something saying so, but lay off the keyword crud.

I was under the impression that, as with abuse reports, Mods can't see who's posted the keywords.

[Carry_Okie]

Fear monger.

[Bikers4Bush]

Caps lock off, it's the button on the left hand side of your keyboard, third from the bottom. Says "Caps Lock" on it.

Nobody here will pay more attention just because it's in all caps.

[11th Earl of Mar]

Schwarzenegger seemed to be the lesser of two evils compared to Bustamante, but that rationale disappears when Bustamante turns out to be the candidate that can't win

But McClintock still has to prove that HE CAN win. So far, he hasn't.

[Dog Gone]

in light of recent polls indicating both GOP candidates will likely finish ahead of Cruz Bustamante.

I have never seen a poll that puts McClintock ahead of Bustamante, except in some fantasy matchup where Arnold withdraws.

[Sabertooth]

California: Fast-fading Bustamante has conservatives re-thinking Schwarzenegger support

Not me!

[RGSpincich]

If Bustamante drops out, you will still vote for Schwarzenegger?

Twice

[JCEccles]

McClintock didn't even get the endorsement of key conservative legislators who work with him every day.

It could mean many things. Some of them are on record as saying that if this were a primary, they would vote for McClintock over Schwarzenegger.

If Bustamante dropped out and many of these key conservative legislators switched their support to Tom, yould you still vote for Schwarzenegger?

[pogo101]

I was under the impression that, as with abuse reports, Mods can't see who's posted the keywords

I don't know, personally, but I read portions of a thread -- one heavily "grafitti'd" with such keyword additions -- that the mods, or perhaps it was (solely?) JimRob, had access to such things. I HOPE so.

Heck, if someone's going to add keywords, they at least could try to be sufficiently clever as NOT to make it clear that the added keywords are bogus.

[aristeides]

If Schwarzenegger + McClintock now together have enough votes to enable both of them to beat Bustamante if their votes are properly divided between them, that means that together they are going to get more than twice Bustamante's votes. If that's true, then there's no chance Bustamante can be elected no matter how the votes are divided between Schwarzenegger and McClintock. And that means conservatives are perfectly free to vote for McClintock, since there's no chance their not voting for Schwarzenegger will elect Bustamante.

McClintock may not be able to win, but the more votes he gets, the more influence he will have on future policies.

[Bob]

I was under the impression that, as with abuse reports, Mods can't see who's posted the keywords.

Not so, Sabertooth. Keyword additions are definitely logged. AM posted such a list on another thread a couple of weeks ago.

[BigBobber]

Another transparent ploy by libs to split the Republican vote and squeeze in Busta-mecha.

Such as my lib local paper, the Contra Costa Times, advising everyone to vote "No" on recall and then vote for McClintock --in the same editorial!

Come on McClintock people. The libs are playing you like a violin. Don't you get it yet?

[John Jorsett]

Didn't mean that particular one.

I didn't think so, but I thought some folks might wonder what it was doing there, so I decided to note why I do it. To tell the truth, I seldom look at the keywords so hadn't noticed that people were running amok with them.

[Protagoras]

Just think what the situation would be if he HAD dropped out.

Just when ya need a "none of the above" slot on the ballot.

[SF Republican]

THIS IS A WINNER TAKE ALL. FOR THE STATE AS WELL AS THE NATION. Bull; u are nuts

[JCEccles]

And that means conservatives are perfectly free to vote for McClintock, since there's no chance their not voting for Schwarzenegger will elect Bustamante.

Good point. I suspect some posters would support Bustamante over Tom in a one-on-one race, so deep is their loathing of Tom (for no rational reason so far as I can tell).

[Grand Old Partisan]

"These polls are engineered just so as to induce otherwise intelligent Republicans into electing Bustamante, by voting for McClintock rather than Schwarzenegger."

Many McClintock supporters are dumber than donkeys, yet they claim their hero has the smarts to govern California.

[My2Cents]

Yes. As I've said about a hundred times, Arnold is sufficiently conservative on fiscal and economic issues to justify a vote for him, and I have sufficient doubts about Tom's leadership capabilities to withhold support from him.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Some moderator in another thread said that they CAN see who adds keywords.