Posted on 06/18/2004 3:59:50 PM PDT by RonDog
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www.sfgate.com Return to regular view
GOP has star-power dilemma
How will party use Schwarzenegger?
- Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer
Friday, June 18, 2004With less than three months to go before the Republican National Convention in New York City, a prime-time cliffhanger is in the works over whether the Bush camp will use it or lose it -- the megawatt influence and star power of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Among the most sensitive issues is whether Schwarzenegger, a GOP marquee name, will be given a prized prime-time speaking spot at the party's presidential convention August 30-Sept. 2 at Madison Square Garden.
On the pro side: As the party's star actor, Schwarzenegger would get worldwide attention, and -- to the delight of networks -- draw millions of potential viewers to the now scripted-for-television political convention.
On the con side: The White House worries about lavishing too much attention on one Republican elected official who has shown an uncanny ability to upstage the party's star, Bush himself. A prominent role for Schwarzenegger also could anger the Republican right wing, which opposes his social views on such issues as abortion and same-sex marriage.
Ken Mehlman, campaign manager for Bush-Cheney '04, in an interview with The Chronicle, made no commitment on the specific role the Bush team expects the California governor to play, saying only that Schwarzenegger "is one of the great leaders of our party.''
Asked about talk that the White House is worried Schwarzenegger might outshine Bush at the convention, Mehlman downplayed the matter, suggesting that Schwarzenegger is one of many stars in the GOP...
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Because you feel that it's so, doesn't make it so.
Yes I have.
Arnold is a huge draw.
Bush wants to win reelection.
He can't do that without the squishy middle.
Arnold's approval rating it still at 67% in CA!
That is fabulous.
You don't like him.
Tough for you.
You're not calling the shots.
That's simply the way it is.
Just imagine the hell that is going to be raised on these threads when the GOP Platform is released.
I'm sure he's a real nice guy. Just too liberal to be a prime time speaker at the convention.
HE is a huge asset!
NOT to YOU, but to the GOP,
and more specifically to Bush.
If Arnold campaigns with POTUS,
CA is in play. Imagine that.
You had me going for a minute...good one!
Just imagine the hell that is going to be raised on these threads when the GOP Platform is released.
*SIGH*
And we know it's coming.
If California is in play, this election will be such a landslide Bush won't need CA's electoral votes. We could change the Constitution, Bush could select Arnold as his VP, and CA still wouldn't be in play.
Anything else is wishful thinking in the extreme.
John Warner stabbed a Republican in the back and helped re-elect Charles Robb in 1994.
Why do you want to give that RINO a pass?
CA is in play with Arnold.
And IF Arnold campaigns with POTUS,
CA just might go to POTUS.
Kerry is too liberal for most of CA.
CA is NOT Massachusetts.
Kerry doesn't energize demcorats.
Psssssst: I am looking for a landslide.
What - does "ideological purity matter more than winning elections"? Or does that principle only apply to people other than yourself?
No offense, but you're out of touch.
No, you aren't thinking.
Arnold has a 67% approval rating in CA. He's got a lot of backing, and he is also good at fund-raising. If he is stumping with Bush in California, Kerry has to spend resources there that he will then be unable to spend elsewhere (say in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan). Snubbing him, on the other hand, will only anger a lot of people in California.
Warner is the one who sabotaged a Republican nominee and re-elected Robb in 1994.
I wanted to win the election. Warner placed his ideological purity over winning an election. Why the hell should I support him? I'm not going to let myself be tied down to your straw-man argument over this.
John Warner should have the integrity that Jim Jeffords did, and declare himself an independent. That is really what he is, not a Republican.
In America today, there are two major political ideologies that are fighting for the heart and soul and future of America itself. They'd be liberalism and conservatism. People like "thepunchdrunkone", think that good politics is like a smorgasbord of leftwing and rightwing ideas, values and beliefs. A mixture of everything that makes you feel good. LOL Not true. Politics is the art of gaining power, holding onto power and governing with power. You can only have success in politics, if you bring a principled set of values and beliefs into the arena of ideas.
The Constitution is the law of the land and first among all rights, is the right to keep and bear arms. Without it, all other rights have no meaning. You can't defend your right to freedom of speech, if someone is pointing a gun at you and you have nothing to point back at him. You can only defend your individual rights, like freedom of speech, if you have your own firearm. It makes for a level and fair playing field.
Just so everyone understands that you hold others to principles to which you don't yourself adhere.
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