Schwarzenegger Mobbed In First Campaign Foray 3 Republicans Are Urged to Quit To Benefit Actor

Washingtonpost ^ | 08/23/03 | Rene Sanchez

[Pikamax]

By Rene Sanchez Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, August 23, 2003; Page A03

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Aug. 22 -- Arnold Schwarzenegger stopped at a sidewalk cafe here in Surf City to chat today with a few local business owners, then strolled along Main Street. More than 1,000 people rushed to the scene to watch.

They climbed trees. They stood atop cars, lined balconies, stopped downtown traffic and nearly overwhelmed his security detail.

It was the first time Schwarzenegger took his celebrity gubernatorial campaign to the streets, and bedlam erupted.

Even before his appearance today, Republican leaders had begun pressuring other GOP candidates running in the state's Oct. 7 recall election to drop out and clear the field for the actor. That campaign intensified after the response Schwarzenegger received here.

[RonDog]

That is straight up, RonDog!
The Teachers' union may support Bustamove, but the teachers DON'T.
Davis has made a HASH of the school systems.

You got THAT right!

Here is the critical analysis, re-posted from Dan Weintraub's blog:

"...But I talked to eight or ten local [Huntington Beach] residents who had wandered onto the event and was struck by how little they cared about his specific policies.

And it wasn’t just that they were star-struck.

They were attracted to Arnold’s passion, his optimism, his heart, his take-charge attitude.

They have a sense that things are going downhill in California, and they don’t want to hear excuses. They don’t want to hear that it was the private energy generators or the economy or the Bush Administration. They want to hear someone tell them that he can make it right again.

That’s what they seem to be hearing from Arnold..."

[Hue68]

Just wait. Tom the 18% is coming in the next poll. Money on it.

Tom cannot win. He needs to get out of the way. How can he ever think he can get elected??!! Most people don't even know who he is. And don't care. All my republican friends are voting for Arnold.

[Paulus Invictus]

Good stuff! Why would a stealth RAT like Ahnold be better than a real RAT like Bustamante? Answer: Ahnold is not an illegal immigrant, does not speak Spanish and does not adhere to the Mecha ideology. They are about the only differences I see...

[Kevin Curry]

They were attracted to Arnold’s passion, his optimism, his heart, his take-charge attitude.

I don't know whether to puke or laugh.

Arnold Schwarzengristlehead inspires such conflicting reactions in me.

[TheAngryClam]

Which is why Arnold is stuck at 22% and hasn't moved in weeks, while Tom is gaining momentum, right?

Will you still be saying Tom cannot win when he surpasses Arnold in the polls next week?

[TheAngryClam]

Now, regardless of Bustamante's love for illegal immigration, it's not really fair to call him one himself. He was born here, so we're stuck with him, like it or not.

[Paulus Invictus]

Well, you must not like it, beause Bustamante has not yet renounced his membership in MECHA which advocates the violent overthrow of the US and the re-possession by Mexico of most the Western States including California.

[let freedom sing]