Report: Bush may walk away from Simon

United Press International ^ | August 9, 2002

[HAL9000]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- The fate of Republican Bill Simon's troubled campaign for governor in California and President Bush's hopes to capture the state in 2004 could be decided next week when a new private poll is released, according to a published report Friday.

The Washington Times reported that the Simon campaign has authorized the survey, which will be paid for by the Republican National Committee.

"The president will have access to the poll by the first of next week and will know whether Simon's candidacy is still viable," a source close to the White House and the Simon campaign told the Times. "If not, I expect Bush to walk after Labor Day."

Simon's campaign was stunned last week when a Los Angeles jury found his investment firm guilty of defrauding a former business partner. The jury awarded businessman Paul Edward Hindelang $78.3 million in damages from William E. Simon & Sons and $18.9 million in damages from another investment firm.

Hindelang founded payphone company Pacific Coin, in which Simon & Sons invested in 1998. The lawsuit, which didn't name Simon personally, involved Hindelang's claims that the investors destroyed Pacific Coin by overloading it with debt in a risky secret plan tot take it public.

Simon formed the investment firm in 1998 with his brother and his father, former Nixon Treasury Secretary William E. Simon.

The Times reports that if the president does decide to walk away from the Simon campaign, it will be done quietly, with no announcement. He simply would not personally attempt to raise more money for Simon after Aug. 24, the newspaper said.

"Opinion is split among (Republican) strategists in the state," nonpartisan consultant Allan Hoffenblum told the Times. "But most of the ones I talk to think the president should come out here to raise month for Bill this month."

On Wednesday, Vice President Dick Cheney fulfilled an earlier commitment to raise money for Simon as part of a one-day swing through California, but he did not appear with him in public, nor did he volunteer a word of support for the candidate.

However, the Times reported that Bush had decided to keep his commitment to appear at three Simon fund-raising events in California on Aug.23-24. Those events are expected to raise $3 million.

Copyright © 2002 United Press International

[princess leah]

Don't listen to the media listen to what is said - Bush said he doesn't pay attention to polls. He will support Simon based on who Simon is as a person and good candidate! Don't be FOOLED by the media...

[Kobyashi1942]

The Times reports that if the president does decide to walk away from the Simon campaign, it will be done quietly, with no announcement. He simply would not personally attempt to raise more money for Simon after Aug. 24, the newspaper said.

Bush never intended to help Simon. He needs the State to be in the hands of the dems when he run in 2004. The state will be in such bad shape it will be all the easier to capture it if a Dem is running the place. Tough Bush, sacrificing the entire Republican party just to ensure his reelection.

Good night Simon, you've been done in by the country clubbers.

[Mudboy Slim]

"There was a window of time last year right after 9/11 that the President could've turned things in Virginia. True, Earley ran an oatmeal campaign. But the best we could get from the White House was a letter."

I was very disappointed in Dubyuh for all-but-abandoning two GOP candidates who I believe wouldda won with his assistance...hopefully, Bush won't make the same mistake this Fall.

FReegards...MUD

[stalin]

I can see why you don't want me to respond. You belief that Simon stands a snowballs chance in hell of winning is pretty silly. Sure he could win if Davis is found out to be some kind of mass murdering child molester before and election but otherwise Simon was dead in the water even before the financial scandals. Now he is as toasted as toasted could be.

I don't want Davis to win. That's why I think it was very stupid to nominate Someone like Simon. He isn't centrist enouph. Even Ronald Reagan was pro-choice when he was governor of California. It doesn't mater what your position on abortion is. It's simple politics. Now CA is even more pro-choice ; and Simon is anti-abortion ? That's only the tip of the iceburg. With all of the other issues combined Simon represents about 2% of the population of CA. Anything over that will be an anti-Davis vote not a pro-Simon one. That's not enouph for Davis to loose.

[Coop]

Simon was dead in the water even before the financial scandals.

Yes, that explains why Simon led in 9 of 11 polls. That explains why the Political Oddsmaker lists Mr. All Powerful Incumbent Davis as having a 52.7% chance at re-election. Wow! What an insurmountable obstacle.

See why your response just doesn't do it for me? You provide rhetorical garbage, and I (without breaking a sweat) provide facts to amplify your garbage's, uh, aroma.

[stalin]

I don't know what polls you're refering to or how the questions were phrased. You can get a poll to say anything you want it to say depending on how the question is phrased. The election is still a way off and Davis has a huge campain coffer to tell people that Simon is an anti-choice swindler.

Ken Lay would stand a better chance of winning in CA.

I'm suprised that Davis has 52% at this point. He is very unpopular. Almost anyone but Simon and Charles Manson could beat him.

Have you seen the anti-Simon ads yet ? I have and It's hard to imagine that Simon would get 10% after that. Simon isn't even chalenging the accusations. His ads are anti-Davis. It's going to be a very negative campain.

[elcaudillo]

Too bad he doesn't walk away from the fool Mineta.

[stalin]

Campains are retorical garbage. That is where the battle is won or lost. Davis has more ammo than Simon both is money and in negative issues that the public responds to.

[stalin]

oops ; that last post was suposed to be to you coop ; Not myself.

[Coop]

I'm suprised that Davis has 52% at this point.

Well, I'm glad that surprises you, because the highest Davis has achieved in any of the 11 polls I've seen is 45%. Pretty awesome numbers for an incumbent!!

And, no, I haven't seen Davis' attack ads, though I've ready plenty about them. But Davis has no credibility. Yes, he'll undoubtedly swing some people with the ads, but a lot will be unlikely to vote. And he's also driving his own pathetic negatives up with the ads. Maybe next Davis can get Bill Clinton to do a TV ad questioning Simon's ethics!

[linn37]

Did Simon do something wrong in his business dealings or not? If he did Bush would be wrong to support him.

[stalin]

I agree that many of the people that would be swayed by the ads aren't likely to vote anyway. My guess is that the outcome will be somthing like Davis 45 , Simon 40 , others 15%.

I also think that Bush will help Simon but not very convincingly because of the financial scandal issue that Bush needs to be sensative about. He isn't going to want to be seen as too chummy with Simon but he will apear on behalf of the Republican party and raise some money for Simon that way.

[stalin]

It certainly looks like he did some shady things but not anything very illegal that I've heard of. He just lost a law suit that contended that he swindled some investors and business partners. It's condended that he raided his fathers charity for millions although I don't think that he did it in an illegal way. He was also appearantly involved in the savings and loan scandal.

It doesn't look good.

[stalin]

Did he do somthing wrong ? ......Almost certainly.

Is he going to jail ? ...... Very unlikely.

Should Bush distance himself ? ....Absolutely.