McClintock Does Conservatives No Favor

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Oct. 6, 2003 | Jennifer Nelson

[FairOpinion]

Tom McClintock believes he is helping the conservative cause in California by staying in the governor's race. The state senator from Thousand Oaks couldn't be more wrong.

Attempting to recall Gov. Gray Davis is a risky business. Many people, including U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, who helped finance the effort, have considered voting against the recall just to avoid the chance of electing Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante to the state's top job. Davis has failed as governor, but he has steered a moderately liberal course so he could continue to raise money from big business. Bustamante, however, has made no effort to disguise his disdain for business owners and will move state policy sharply to the left on all fronts.

[deport]

Latest Poll Shows Californians to Vote Yes to Recall Governor Davis; Arnold Schwarzenegger Most Favored Replacement Candidate

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The controversial California recall election for Governor is a day away, and 57% of California voters who use the Internet intend to recall Governor Gray Davis. Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Austrian-born movie star, most likely will become Governor Davis's replacement beating out top Democratic candidate Cruz Bustamante, according to an independent poll conducted by Feedback Research (www.feedbackresearch.com), a division of The Gator Corporation.

• Voters' choice for Governor: Arnold Schwarzenegger was the most favored candidate with 44% while Cruz Bustamante (20%), Tom McClintock (11%) and Peter Camejo (3%) rounded out the leaders.
• Breakdown of recall supporters: 32% of all Democrat respondents support the recall, 88% of all Republican respondents support the recall and 53% of all Independent respondents support the recall.
• 58% of respondents watched the recent recall election debate on Sept. 24 with 28% stating the debate impacted whom they will vote for in the replacement vote.
• Proposition 53 - Funds dedicated for state and local infrastructure: 33% support it, 34% are against it and 29% are undecided.
• Proposition 54 - Classification by race, ethnicity, color or national origin. 36% support it, 46% are against it and 14% are undecided.

[Consort]

If you're ready to jettison...

Weak. Try again.

[Consort]

How about: Arnold and Busty splitting the "social liberal" vote and McClintock winning with the "Conservative vote."

If Arnold and Cruz negate each other, it looks like Davis is the next in line to benefit ahead of McClintock.

[lainde]

bttt

[American in Israel]

Somehow voting with the lemmings is not a valid argument. If California elects Arnold, California deserves Arnold, but it will not happen with my vote.

I actually take voting seriously and if 90% of conservatives voted with their brains instead of their gonads like it was a foot ball game to win, our nation would not be in half the trouble it is in now.

Vote for Arnold cause you can win and you WILL loose, one way or the other. The blood will be on your hands in the end. When Arnold finishes off any chance for last minute solid reform in State Politics by replacing Conservatism with Hollywood I do not think you are going to be admiting who you voted for in the bread lines.

[FairOpinion]

You may want to read Jim Robinson's latest post on the subject, and seriously consider what he says.



http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/996329/posts
Vanity: The Democrats and the L.A. Times must be defeated!!
Vanity | October 6, 2003 | Jim Robinson

[novacation]

BTTT

[novacation]

We'll show those liberals by electing a liberal! What a shake up! Party at Ted's house! Life guard on duty.

Arnold is going to be a disaster for the Republicans. No better place to try him out than in California.

We must vote the polls!

We must flip flop for zie party.

sheesh

[FairOpinion]

I recommend you read Jim Robinson's latest post regarding the recall:

Vanity: The Democrats and the L.A. Times must be defeated!!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/996329/posts

[BlueNgold]

I have been trying to analize my lack of energy regarding McClintock. I am normally full speed behind reasonable conservatives, and Tom appears not to foam at the mouth too often. It just seemed to me that something was missing.

The more I thought about it the more I realized there is merit to the argument that charisma matters. The new governor, and I do believe there will be a new governor, will be under heavy scrutiny by the press and public alike. This in fact provides an OPPORTUNITY to make needed and in some cases drastic changes. The new governor will have a public forum like no politician in recent history, and will have the ability to engender public debate on issues that have been handled behind closed doors for years on end. This is where McClintock comes short.

I have yet to find or be presented with anything of substance that Tom has DONE in all his years in the legislature. Where are the coalitions, where are the bipartisan victories, where are the sweeping endorsements from colleagues who have known him for decades? The fact remains that the victor will have a Dem legislature to deal with. And with the power of a 24/7 bully pulpit, for a few weeks anyway, comes the opportunity for the opposition to respond. It is how this public debate is handled in the first 90 days that will propel or stagnate the new governor's administration. Tom would be faced with trying to leverage colleagues whom he has yet to convince, sway, or endear, and will be left with NOTHING but vetoes, initiatives, and referendums to frame his policy.

Basically, Tom has failed to lead from within, and I am not at all confident that naming him leader will change his ability handle the role. Leadership is about moving the debate, generating support, forging coalitions, and in some cases compromising so that other issues can be addressed. Leaders keep moving forward, chalking up victories, large and small, along the way. Leadership is what I personally feel is needed in Sacramento and Tom McClintock, despite his conservative 'bona fides' has not led, and has not convinced me that he can.

[BlueNgold]

Of course it's biased, it's an opinion piece. All bias is not bad for goodness sake, especially when it is identified and open to public view. Bias disguised as straight reporting is the problem. Learn to pick your battles!

[novacation]

I did. He supported McClintock before. Pro gun control, pro social programs, pro free stuff for illegals, deporting illegals "is not an option", "we must provide everything for the people". Yeah, he is better than Davis and that fat mexican guy, but supporting a social liberal is not the way to defeat liberalism. All I can do is hope he is more right wing than he acts. We're getting governor Arnold.

I don't vote the polls or the party. I vote for the best candidate, and it is not Ahnold.

[FairOpinion]

You are right. Arnold definitely has leadership ability.

I think he will make an excellent governor, and will surprise most at how well he runs the state.

I just wish someone would stop Davis from shredding all the evidence he is trying to hide, before Arnold gets there and does his independent audit.

[FairOpinion]

"supporting a social liberal is not the way to defeat liberalism."

==

And supporting leftists Democrats is? You can continue to be in denial, but a vote for McClintock is STILL a vote for Bustamante.

[churchillbuff]

Why do I think this writer (who apparently worked for Gov. Wilson) is lobbying for a job in Arnold's administration? The last column of hers that somebody posted here was an attack on Prop 54, Ward Connerly's racial-privacy initiative, which Arnold has come out against. She was basically giving cover for Arnold on that one, and now she seems to be currying favor by denouncing McClintock.

For me, McClintock is a welcome presence on the ballot, because if we elect Arnold, we may well find ourselves faced with a multi-year legal melodrama, with possible harassment lawsuits and even possible prosecutions - - if any of the more recent groping (molesting) charges are true. Sure wish this writer would have pondered that possibility instead of wasting so much effort sliming the only committed conservative in the race.

[novacation]

And you think the dims in the state legislature are going to cooperate with Ahnold? That's a laugh. They will throw ever piece of crap legislation they can at him. He'll have no more power than McClintock and less knowledge on how to deal with the problems. The only advantage he will have is lots of press. Oh, and Pete Wilson, who gave us the largest tax increase in the states history, and Warren Buffet, that sob who thinks we don't pay enough property tax, as advisors.

[novacation]

Put a lid on your canned comebacks. thanks

[Nam Vet]

I'm with you Buddy.

Nam Vet

[Victoria Delsoul]

Torres, enjoying the fact that McClintock is taking votes away from the GOP's front-running candidate, is fanning the anger of McClintock supporters who believe Schwarzenegger is robbing the senator's chance to become governor. "They're like squirrels whose nuts have been stolen by the Big Bad Wolf, " Torres told The Sacramento Bee, laughing.

LOL!