Bush Declines to Share Stage with Simon at Hispanic Event

The Washington Times ^ | August 23, 2002 | Ralph Z. Hallow

[rightwing2]

President Bush will appear at two private fund-raising events for California gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon today, but he will not share the stage with the aspiring politician when he addresses Hispanic community leaders in Santa Ana, just south of Los Angeles.

[marajade]

No he won't... He's pro abortion...

[Coop]

There is no way Simon can beat Davis in CA. Even Bush in 2000 lost by 12 pts and by pumping in millions and millions of dollars.

That is absurd. You will never know what the CA vote would have been, thanks to the premature Florida call. Bush/Cheney were, however, consistently within 5-6 points right up until the week or so before the Election.

If there's NO WAY Simon can beat Davis, why did he lead in nine of twelve polls? Please tell me how he could have possibly overcome such insurmountable odds to even lead in one poll, much less nine.

[rightwing2]

Actually, Inside Politics quoted an unnamed Bush Adminstration spokesman today, Bush has no plans to return to California at all "unless Simon makes a miraculous comeback". Accordingly, it looks like Bush has indeed decided to unofficially abandon the Simon campaign...

[marajade]

"You will never know what the CA vote would have been, thanks to the premature Florida call."

That is the Republicans in CA fault. I can remember many a vote while living in CA when I went to the polls anyway knowing that my candidate had already lost. If Republicans in CA don't have any sense of civic duty for their country then that's what they deserve.

[marajade]

That's hogwash... He's given Simon more attention this election cycle then anyother Republican candidate in any other state...

[rightwing2]

It is true that Bush has supported Simon well up to now that is since he beat Bush's personally recruited ultraliberal pro-partial birth extremist candidate Richard Riorden. However, apparently this will be Bush's last visit to CA to support the Simon campaign unless he bounces back in the polls.

[marajade]

Bush has been to five fundraisers for Simon, isn't that enough? Bush doesn't have plans to go stump for any other candidates that many times up to and including election day...

[CyberCowboy777]

This is the truth.

You will win on the ground.

You must fight to win. Good Luck California - glad I left! ;~)

[Publius]

I would add another one.

5. Get some money to the Green Party. Davis is not popular in his own party, and many Democrats would be willing to vote Green to send Davis a message. California politics is driven by media buys. The Greens have never had the cash to run a media campaign, which is why most people know little about them. A Green Party with media money would be in the luxurious position of attacking Davis from the left and pushing him in that direction -- which is exactly the wrong direction for Davis to go against Simon. If the Green candidate could amass 15% of the votes that would normally go to Davis, Simon could win with quite a bit less than 50%.

[section9]

Simon doesn't have enough money to help out the Greens, and the RNC can't afford to give it to them either.

What they could do is set up several front groups for interested Republicans (Pioneer types) to send money for the Greens to skim. I like your idea, but Simon himself can't spare the cash.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Scholastic]

Regardless of what he does with Simon, he abandoned conservatives in general long time ago.

[CHUCKfromCAL]

No - never was a Riordan supporter. As a matter of fact I tried to volunteer for Simon's campaign three times - Even cornered his brother-in-law at a rally once. Never heard a word from Simon's campaign.

But on the Riorden note; I am sure that if he had run he would have easily defeated Davis. Simon should have eaily defeated Davis but then he is an incompetent bozo.

[CHUCKfromCAL]

Exactly on target. I am very active in Bay Area Republican politics and also right of center. Before living in California I was active in Republican politics in Austin, Texas and Suburban Chicago, Illinois – so I am no beginner.

Unfortunately, I am about to give up on the California Republican Party. It seams to be dominated by single-issue activists who won’t compromise for the good of the State and Party. They can't seam to stop fighting long enough to develop and field attractive candidates.

As a result, the majority of our state wide and national candidates have zero political experience and zero campaign skills. These people just get up one morning and decide that they should be a Governor or member of the US Congress and then the California Republicans immediately sign off on them. It is absolutely amazing. We are getting what we deserve.

[Red Jones]

thanks for the info on this issue today; I'm glad you verified too that it is not just 1 or 2 media sources that are reporting that Bush is withholding full support for Simon. That means the story is real, not just somebody's opinion.

[NormsRevenge]

BULL PUCKY ! Bush has the luxury of doing anything he wants to at this point. He won't hang Simon. He'll Be Back! I don't see hundreds of polls proclaiming Davi$ as the leader... In fact I don;t see many at all ... Hmmm? Bring on the debates.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Good answer!

[Commie Basher]

Ummm, and who generally controls access to these channels? That could be one point.

Liberals usually control them, but that's beside the ponint. They're public access -- everyone can use them for the asking. The time, and use of studio equipment, is first come, first served. Even Klan groups have managed to get shows on. The trouble is conservatives don't ask, or have the time to produce a show (activists also tend to be from the Left). Maybe they're not aware that it's first come, first serve, open to all?

[Coop]

Like I said earlier, the Fairfax (VA) County GOP makes nice use of the public channels.

[Coop]

That is the Republicans in CA fault. I can remember many a vote while living in CA when I went to the polls anyway knowing that my candidate had already lost. If Republicans in CA don't have any sense of civic duty for their country then that's what they deserve.

Of course it is. It still doesn't at all change what I said. We'll never know what would have really happened in the CA vote. (No, I don't think Bush would have won, but it certainly would have been significantly closer.)

[Coop]

As a matter of fact I tried to volunteer for Simon's campaign three times - Even cornered his brother-in-law at a rally once. Never heard a word from Simon's campaign.

Doesn't sound like you tried too hard. I bet if you put as much effort into contacting his campaign as you did criticizing it...