President Bush's Campaign Chief Explores Run For Governor

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | March 12, 2005 | Associated Press

[VAGirlieGirl]

Los Angeles financier Gerry Parsky, who coordinated President's Bush's 2004 presidential campaign in California and chairs the University of California Board of Regents, said he is exploring a run for governor next year if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger decides not to run. In a statement released Friday, Parsky insisted his focus remains on the UC system, but said, "Should either President Bush or Gov. Schwarzenegger call upon me to consider additional public service in another capacity, I would seriously consider the honor." Parsky's announcement represented an early sign of alternative candidates should the Schwarzenegger decide to return to the private sector or mount a campaign for the U.S. Senate next year. Schwarzenegger, elected in the October 2003 recall contest against former Gov. Gray Davis, has not commented on whether he will run again. Last November, he told CNN talk show host Larry King he would decide this spring. Parsky has close ties to the White House, but he is unpopular in some segments of the state's Republican party after testifying against Schwarzenegger's plan to privatize public employee pension systems. He's also an untested candidate in statewide elections. Parsky adviser and state Republican activist Dora Kingsley said Friday she was certain that if Parsky becomes a candidate, he "would have the resources necessary to be successful." Parsky, a multimillionaire, chairs Aurora Capital, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. Kingsley recently traveled to Washington D.C., where she floated the idea of a Parsky candidacy to congressional and media representatives. But the party activist also noted that the Republican nomination for governor belongs solely to Schwarzenegger, and said she supports him "as long as the governor chooses to lead." Schwarzenegger spokesman Rob Stutzman declined comment Friday on a possible Parsky candidacy.

[calcowgirl]

Perhaps your friends at Command Focus, and those working for the trial lawyer Shawn Steel running the Parsky Watches are concerned that they can't get a single positive article placed.

I have no clue what you are babbling about, but your professional entanglements are becoming MUCH more clear. Who is "Command Focus" (really, I don't know)?

I was curious as well; it was mentioned at least twice. Since you got no response to any of your questions, I searched a little.
Pretty funny if she thinks anyone who opposes Parsley must be part of this bunch!

Dan Schnur - Movers & Shakers
Campaigns & Elections, May, 2002

Career Background
Communications Director - McCain for President, 2000; Instructor - University of California at Berkeley, Institute of Government Studies; Communications Director - CA Governor Pete Wilson, Republican National Committee and California Republican Party Reagan-Bush '84 and Bush-Quayle '88.

Personal
B.A., American University. Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. Single, 38. Currently lives in Sacramento, CA.

Claim to Fame
"'Fame' might be overstating it, but 'highlights' would be: helping to re-elect Pete Wilson in 1994 after being down 23 points and working for John McCain's presidential campaign in 1999 and 2000."

(snip)

Immediate Goals
"Establishing my new communications strategy firm, Command Focus, as the best in California. Carve out some free time for a life (or at least half of one)."

Political Heroes
John McCain, Pete Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt.

(snip)

[VAGirlieGirl]

Well, lets see... If Schnur is a McCain person... GEE - I wonder why he would oppose the BUSH people. Have you guys never read the Washington Post online? Bush folks think McCain folks are irrelevant, since we beat them in 2000. And McCain folks pretty much hate us Bush people for the same reason. McCain only supported Bush in 2004 because he was running for re-election in AZ...

Hasn't anyone here studied federalism?

[Carry_Okie]

She thinks we work with dangerous Dan Schnur?

lmao

Somebody ought to tell Parsky that you get what you pay for.

[Carry_Okie]

Hasn't anyone here studied federalism?

I suggest better meds.

[calcowgirl]

>> Have you guys never read the Washington Post online?
>>Hasn't anyone here studied federalism?

Yes and yes.
And your point is what?

[VAGirlieGirl]

To be perfectly clear, I simply joined this group to get a better idea about what folks thought about Parsky. I have heard some good & some bad on the street... when I Googled the guy - this is one of the places where he's been discussed ad nauseum.

What I have found is that virtually everyone here supports Schwarzenegger, but not some of his policy ideas. The Governor is a pro-abort, pro-environment guy that sits ideologically to Parsky's left. But yet the attacks on Parsky are that he's a RINO. The arguments made against him are schizophrenic. Schwarzenegger is a RINO. I think perhaps what we have here is a YAFfer drill. (hopefully not the kind featured on CSI last season)

The vitriolic hate speech directed at Parsky is something to behold. No one has answered simple questions, no matter how I communicate. Lots of name-calling but very little substance. Parsky hasn't had a position in the party where he held ANY responsibility to direct funds. The Party Chairman, the Party Executive Director, Consultants & Campaign treasurers do that. I'm fascinated that so many folks here get completely emotional about a rather dry topic.

And the total lack of loyalty to President George W. Bush is appalling. Please don't claim to be Republican while questioning his principles, judgement, and leadership of the Republican Party. And I'm sure its isn't a coincidence that Condi Rice (another good Californian) sent up a trial balloon about 2008 on the same day Parsky did.

[calcowgirl]

What I have found is that virtually everyone here supports Schwarzenegger, but not some of his policy ideas.

The actions/policies and his appointments are indeed what is important. You will find many here who are critical of those actions to date; I am one of the most vocal (ask Southack! lol).

I am hopeful that he will make the obvious choice on the spending cap and endorse John Campbell's initiative (although I fear he will go with the bogus one offered by Hauck). Time will tell. So far, his record is nothing to celebrate, IMO.

And the total lack of loyalty to President George W. Bush is appalling. Please don't claim to be Republican...

I am a registered Republican and voted for Bush twice. I do not support him on illegal immigration or what I consider to be excessive spending. I vote for those who I think will best represent me, I do not pledge to be "loyal" to that person regardless of what they do.

I think you are trying to put people in too few boxes and thinking that one must pledge their "loyalty" to an individual politician. You seem to conclude that if one doesn't think favorably of Parsky that they must support Schwarzenegger. Or if they are critical of Parsky, they do not support Bush. That is so far from reality, I can only suggest that you stick around, read, and learn. Your conclusions are totally inconsistent with the postings and articles I read here at FR (and I read most every thread posted to the California topic).

By the way, you still didn't answer my question. If you want honest responses to your questions, perhaps you should go back through this thread, and the other one you started, and answer the many that were posted to you which remain unanswered.

[VAGirlieGirl]

I'm happy to answer whatever questions are out there. What are yours?

[SierraWasp]

She told you to go back through both your threads and you'll find a host of questions going in your direction, so follow directions!!!

[calcowgirl]

Other than agreeing with what SierraWasp just posted, I'll give you some more.

You say that Schwarzenegger is a RINO, and then infer that Parsky is not. Parsky supported Riordan who is at least as far left as Schwarzenegger. Other than riding on Bush's coattails, what does Parsky have to offer? Why do you support him? What are his positions on State spending, private property (i.e. conservancies, eminent domain, etc), social programs, abortion, gay marriage, etc. From what I've seen, the same special interests with which Parsky has previously aligned himself are those supporting Arnold now? You've said that you think Schwarzenegger is incompetent (or a similar term) thereby implying that Parsky would be better. What would make him more competent? Based on results of the great "Parsky Plan" reorganizing the Republican Party in 2001, I don't think he has a great track record.

That should do for starters.

[VAGirlieGirl]

How about NO. If she has a question, she can ask it. And if you have a question, you can ask it.

[VAGirlieGirl]

I'll go through your paragraph and provide you with concise answers. After dinner with my kids, I will post information & facts. And then you can decide.

[SierraWasp]

"this is one of the places where he's been discussed ad nauseum."

That's easy to understand... Because amongst CA Conservatives Parsky in a one man ad nauseum museum of unnatural history... or is it herstory???

So far I think he's just yourstory!!!

[SierraWasp]

"How about NO."

Now here's a golden opportunity to give you a taste of how CA GOP Conservatives feel about Mr. Parsky! (Since you specifically joined FR to find out)

If I were that insolent and arrogant SOB, my reply to your adamantly negative response would be to COMPEL your COMPLIANCE through any means at my disposal without concern for you membership in good standing on this Conservative website!

Think about how that would feel to you and all those who support your positions and then tell me the man should be seriously considered for ANY elective office in CA!!! Phhht!!!

[calcowgirl]

>>If she has a question, she can ask it. And if you have a question, you can ask it.

You were asked earlier about what you meant by "institutional knowledge" and what Parksy's position was relative to the Denice Denton deal and the Kalonji deal.

I also asked you to clarify what you were trying to say in your comments about studying federalism and reading the Washington Post.

I would be interested in responses to all of the above.

[irishlass007]

Do you think you might have named the wrong firm? I don't think Dan Schnur had anything to do with Quackenbush and his involvement with Schwarzenegger is limited. He was Ueberoth's campaign manager. He's primarily a spinner.

[irishlass007]

I guess it's over

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20050315-9999-1n15parsky.html

/snip/UC official decides not to make run for governor

By John Marelius
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 15, 2005

President Bush's point man in California, Rancho Santa Fe investor Gerald Parsky, yesterday shot down his own trial balloon that he might run for governor next year if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn't.

"I have no intention to run for any public office, even if Schwarzenegger doesn't run for re-election," Parsky, chairman of the University of California Board of Regents, said in an interview yesterday.

Last week, California Republican Party activist Dora Kingley made a scouting trip to Washington to talk up a Parsky candidacy as a fallback position. Schwarzenegger, who was elected governor in the 2003 recall election of Democrat Gray Davis, says he has not decided whether to run for a full term in 2006.

/snip/

Schroeder has been a Parsky critic for years. But even the current state party officialdom, normally publicly deferential to prospective Republican candidates, was openly critical of the Parsky overture.

"Governor Schwarzenegger campaigned for President Bush in Ohio, helped him win that state and was an integral part of the Bush re-election and all Gerry Parsky can do is ask himself what's in it for me, rather than helping the governor push through a reform agenda that would benefit California," said Karen Hanretty, communications director for the California Republican Party.

Two weeks ago, Parsky testified against Schwarzenegger's plan to convert California's public pension systems into a 401(k)-style system, saying it would undermine the University of California's ability to attract top-notch professors.

[calcowgirl]

>>I'll go through your paragraph and provide you with concise answers. After dinner with my kids, I will post information & facts. And then you can decide.

They must be hungry critters.

[calcowgirl]

Thanks for the ping. I see it has its own thread now.

CA: UC official decides not to make run for governor (Gerald Parsky)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1363245/posts