California GOP Insiders: McClintock Will Drop Out

newsmax.com ^ | 09.09.03 | Eric Leonard, NewsMax.com

[VU4G10]

California GOP Insiders: McClintock Will Drop Out Eric Leonard, NewsMax.com Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003 LOS ANGELES – Leading elected Republicans have made it clear for the first time the party will stand behind only one candidate in the recall election to ensure a victory over Democrat Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante. Neither state Sen. Tom McClintock's nor Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaigns say they are considering dropping out of the race, but results from the most recent Field Poll, coupled with GOP pressure, point towards McClintock being asked to "take one for the team," insiders say.

"I believe we're going to have one candidate," said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., during an appearance today on CNN.

He said the party's decision would likely be made during the state's Republican Party convention this weekend in Southern California.

"I'm going to the convention to bring the party together. I'm confident we're going to get to one candidate," Issa said.

Hours earlier, California Republican Party chairman Duf Sundheim made similar comments during an interview on Fox News Channel.

While McClintock has been more closely aligned with the Republican Party's traditional philosophies, Schwarzenegger continues to lead with voters, according to the most recent Field Poll.

The poll revealed little change in voter support now that Peter Ueberroth, a Republican who said he was running as an independent, quit the race.

With Ueberroth out, Schwarzenegger went from 25 to 27 percent, McClintock from 13 to 14 percent, and Bustamante from 30 to 32 percent.

However, with McClintock out, Schwarzenegger vaults into the lead over Bustamante.

[A Broken Glass Republican]

Well, I hope you have a tastey hat...

It's political reality that says McClintock MUST bow-out. As I've said all along, and anyone who's honest has also said, Tom CAN'T win this race.

If he doesn't drop-out, his political career is DEAD. If he does, he writes his own ticket.

McClintock's supporters may be a LOT of things but Tom is no fool.

[The KG9 Kid]

Boxer dropped the 'Bruce Herschensohn goes to strip clubs' bomb at the last minute in her Senate win.

[GraniteStateConservative]

DO,
You are correct. In fact, people can still vote for Simon or even Ueberroth. Hell, ask John Thune about this-- his Libertarian opponent hopped out and endorsed him; his dumb voters gave him 3,071 votes-- more than 5 times Johnson's margin of victory.

[kidd]

If McClintock drops out, WITHOUT major concessions from RiNOld, then McClintock voters will have no reason to go to the polls - and Davis will win.

RiNOld needs to pledge no new taxes (without an escape clause) to even get the attention of McClintock voters.

[Yardstick]

...in KaallyFornia.

An immigrant woman called in to O'Reilly's radio show yesterday evening (Judge Napolitano was sitting in -- the only time O'Reilly's show is worth listening to is when Napolitano or John Gibson are sitting it...but I digress) and she made a very interesting point. She pointed out that Arnold's mispronunciation of California is nearly the same as the hispanic mispronunciation -- they both use the "ee" sound for the "i" -- and so Gray Davis's criticism of Arnold's pronunciation was felt by the hispanic immigrant community as well. Any time the Dems do something to alienate their consitituencies, it's a good thing.

[thinktwice]

Electing Schwarzenegger will be another win for "Gippers" within the Republican party.

[TheBigB]

No butter? ;)

[skeeter]

Mike Huffington had been campaigning for senator for over a year, yet the illegal alien maid story didn't come out till a week before election day. Etceteras.

Then there was Bruce Herschenson, who's alleged fondness for lap dancers wasn't known to the Boxer campaign until *gasp* 72 hours before election day.

[CrystalClear]

May be a "man-made" finish line...provided by the RNC.....

[george wythe]

If McClintock drops out, he should be given a role in Schwarzenegger's campaign.

I would love to see a tag team McClintock-Schwarzenegger going after the other team Davis-Bustamante

[ysoitanly]

I got grief earlier for stating the exact thing. The 'rumor' according to our local lefty rags and TV stations, also on CNN and Fox, is lots of Republican support for a run against Boxer is the trade-off for dropping out. Tom is a good man, the best man, but the Pubs 'know' he can't win governor in California and are offering to back him in another race. He got huge mileage, publicity, name recognition, and respect out of this gubernatorial campaign that he would not have had, nor been able to afford.

[DiamondDon1]

Tom has been on his own a long time now...And now, somehow "Insiders" are supposed to actually mean anything? Me thinks NOT...

Hmmmm...(what is the meaning of this...)...

DD

[The KG9 Kid]

... But he went with his wife!

[A2J]

The CA GOP will abandon him,

They'll drop him just like the so-called "conservatives" on FR who fawn over a LIBERAL who calls himself a "Republican."

Hypocrites.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Oh man, is this thread gonna get dirty! You're going to see people called names you've never even heard of yet.

[Constitution Day]

No butter? ;)

Don't want you getting your mouse all dirty. heh

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Ah, so Newsmax is now the official propaganda piece of the powers that be. All clear now, thanks ;-)

Technically they've long been an official piece of unsubstantiated rumor and gossip from the right. There is a reason why I canceled a FREE subscription I from them after ordering a book about Reagan. They are conservative internet news' equivalent of the supermarket tabloid.

[1smallVoice]

I have not see the Clintons doing much for Davis, I assume they will show up and help him.

I hope Arnold wins but actually I think Californication is so screwed up nobody can save them. I would start by laying off the entire state government for 4 weeks.

[kidd]

The title of this article is misleading. There is no "insider" information that McClintock will drop out. This article simply spews out the opinion of two republicans and rehashes old poll information.

A rather poor article.

[Tempest]

"I hate the way the media is trying to cram Arnie down our throats at all costs."

??? Odd ??? It's seems to me that Katie Couric, Matt Lauer, and Alan Colmes are trying to cram McClintock down our throats while sabotaging Arnold.

I bet you're a Dixie Chicks fan.