McClintock Campaigns In San Diego

NBC SAn Diego ^ | Oct. 4, 2003 | NBC San Diego

[Hoverbug]

He's not talking about the people who are trying to negotiate with him, or the ones who are offering him a job in Arnold's administration, or the one's who are saying he should unite behind one candidate. He's not calling those people terrorists.

He's talking about people who are telling him, "Get out, or I won't vote for you ever, you won't get any support from the Party, and we'll see to it that your political life is over."

Hb

[FairOpinion]

Good cartoon. You captured his expression almost too well.

It's really sad, that McClintock is reducing himself to this.

He could have come out a hero, if he withdrew,when he needed to, he could have gotten some good position, the support of the Republican party, and he assured himself a very bright future indeed -- he is only 47.

Instead, he chose to torpedo his own career.

He has nobody to blame, but himself. The Republicans gave him many opportunities to do the right thing, instead he is running around calling them "terrorists".

[EllaMinnow]

I have always thought that Juanita Broaddrick should have called the police and pressed charges as soon as Clinton left the room.
Jennifer Flowers had a years-long affair, with tapes to back up her statement.

Hardly unsourced!

[Sabertooth]

I think that the comment "I don't negotiate with terrorists." is over the top. Not only is it incorrect and inflammatory, it brands Tom as one involved in the politics of personal destruction, and groups him with the LA Times.

Here's the quote in context...

McClintock said he will not drop out of the race despite the fact some believe he is committing political suicide. "I've seen all of the preliminary threats," he said. "'If you don't get out of the race, we'll end your political career.' My response is, I don't negotiate with terrorists."

Over the top? Maybe.

Do I agree with it in sentiment? Absolutely.

The comment wasn't directed at Schwarzenegger, who from all appearances and from McClintock's own comments, has been a gentlman to Tom.

The comment was meant for the backstabbing party hacks who've been trying to bully McClintock out of the race. The hell with them, they're the same "appeasement or nothing" crowd that's been running California Republican Party for years.

These people would rather fight their own than Democrats. Their message to McClintock's constituency has been "shut up and vote" throughout this campaign. That's their idea of "unity."

I might have phrased it differently, but good for Tom for smacking them back.

[duckln]

Do you take every thing verbatim?

Seems we have more than the average number of 'Nags' on this ridicule Tom thread.

How about a few of your nutty 'cartoons' for a change.

[Sabertooth]

McClintock is the one who is willing to self-destruct, commit political suicide, just so he can destroy his own party and California.

That's hysterical.

[Yossarian]

How about a few of your nutty 'cartoons' for a change.

Tom makes nutty statements, we make nutty cartoons.

Tom stops making nutty statements, we stop making nutty cartoons.

See how simple that is?

-Yossarian, a conservative who doesn't want nutty statements coming out of the mouths of conservative politicians.

[FairOpinion]

Calling people "terrorists" is taken very seriously, especially in the post-9-11 word.

McClintock said this not once, but multiple times, very deliberately.

Calling the members and leadership of your own party "terrorists" is way over the top and there is no excuse.

[Sabertooth]

I'm with McClintock. Those that use strongarm tactics and threats should be kicked in the teeth (figure of speech).

Funny too, how those who support those tactics cry foul when the target fights back.

Which side does that in the Middle East?

[Writesider]

Hmm...if they're threatening to end his political career for being political, then they are indeed terrorists...

[FairOpinion]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/991136/posts

"The Fury of McClintock Scorned

Why would McClintock risk handing the governorship to the most liberal Democratic candidate on the ballot? The answer is revenge — an irrational emotion in politics that often trumps all others. McClintock is getting even.

McClintock was the only one of California's 40 state senators who did not receive a safe district in the 2001 reapportionment, which says something about how his colleagues view him. Next year, he has to run for reelection to the Senate, and he will be seeking votes in a new, relatively moderate district that extends up the coast into Santa Barbara County, where he has not run before."

[FairOpinion]

Tom makes nutty statements, we make nutty cartoons.

Tom stops making nutty statements, we stop making nutty cartoons.

See how simple that is?

-Yossarian, a conservative who doesn't want nutty statements coming out of the mouths of conservative politicians. "

====

Excellent! Exactly right.

[Sabertooth]

talk about burning one's bridges; geeesh, good strategical move, Tom

The bridges were burned by those threatening McClintock's career.

You expect him to try to cross anyway?

You expect him to cave to their threats?

Where did you get the idea that he would, or should?

Heavy hands have a way of betraying themselves. We've seen it with the smear attampts against Arnold, we're also seeing it with the threats against McClintock by the GOP leadership on Schwarzenegger's behalf.

[Sabertooth]

irrational emotion in politics that often trumps all others

Yes, you've brought that to the table before.

[fqued]

thank you for your post.

the million-dollar question:
After the election is over, and it appears that Arnold will win, possibly with over 50% of the vote,
HOW do we mend the fences?
HOW do the Freepers who have said harsh and inflammatory things get back on the same track?
HOW does the Cal. GOP re-unite?

the second question:

Since Arnold draws his support from a large segment of the spectrum (conservatives, moderates, and some sort-of liberals [though not the farther left]), does the hard conservative wing of the GOP in Cal have any clout left?
I.e., does Arnold have any need for that 10-15%? and if not, have they [unfortunately] relegated themselves to the outside looking in?

Any thoughts?

This in no way disparages any of those on either side of the Tom-Arnold debate who were within the bounds of propriety. Warm zeal is fine.

[fqued]

you wrote: He's talking about people who are telling him, "Get out, or I won't vote for you ever, you won't get any support from the Party, and we'll see to it that your political life is over."

And those people are terrorists??

[Hoverbug]

Calling the members and leadership of your own party "terrorists" is way over the top and there is no excuse.

So the members and leadership of his own party have been the ones threatening to end his career if he doesn't get out of the race? That's quite an accusation on your part. I certainly hope you have something to back that up.

Hb

[WOSG]

Yes, I think Tom blew his chance last weekend to join the tide and secure a spot on GOP unity ... Now he is reduced to being non-spoiler. It would have been better for his future to team up with Arnold and not compete with him at this point, with him in 3rd place.

Unless polls for Arnold slip hard, the hardcore can still vote for McC without it giving us Cruz, but that only seals the irrelevency of McClintock, unfortunately.

[FairOpinion]

"HOW does the Cal. GOP re-unite? "

===

McClintock moves out of the state.

[Sabertooth]

After the election is over, and it appears that Arnold will win, possibly with over 50% of the vote,
HOW do we mend the fences?

If Schwarzenegger takes a majority, thereby encouraging other GOP apparatchiks to pander to the Left, the fences won't be mended.

It's simple: the hacks will tell us to "shut up and vote," and we won't.

HOW does the Cal. GOP re-unite?

It probably won't.

It will fracture more when the GOP pushes Amnesty for Illegals sometime in the next six months. Arnold has promised to be on the wrong side of that issue.

Since Arnold draws his support from a large segment of the spectrum (conservatives, moderates, and some sort-of liberals [though not the farther left]), does the hard conservative wing of the GOP in Cal have any clout left?

It remains to be seen whether or not Arnold's campaign signals a shift of the GOP to the center, a shift of the center to the GOP, or a transitory surge.

In any case, the GOP hasn't done well statewide ingoring conservatives the past nine to fifteen years. We'll see. It's definitely possible that this is one of those events where people don't leave a party, the party leaves them.

I.e., does Arnold have any need for that 10-15%? and if not, have they [unfortunately] relegated themselves to the outside looking in?

Not every center-Left Republican is going to have Arnold's celebrity or a Recall election where the stars align for him. If they're hellbent on winning without is, I suppose that's their prerogative.