[StoneColdGOP]

Gil's right on!

McClintock for Governor!

[EggsAckley]

ping

[kellynla]

Marine Bump!

[Rabid Dog]

This is what I am talking about. Tom supporters know what is going on. If the G.O.P. wants to stop supporting its planks - it should have the courtesy and honesty of letting its constituencey know. Just don't be surprised if alot of us leave the party.

Bump for the truth.

[kellynla]

Expediency vs. principle
If Supreme Court puts recall back on track, a crucial choice looms Oct. 7
By DOUG GAMBLE
The former writer for President Reagan lives in Carmel.

Assuming the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and puts the California recall election back on track, and state Sen. Tom McClintock stays in the race, Republicans will have to choose between expediency and principle Oct. 7. At the moment, expediency is leading in the polls.

If this were a primary, the conservative bent of state Republicans would probably mean a McClintock victory over Arnold Schwarzenegger. But since the candidate receiving the most votes becomes governor if Gray Davis is recalled, conservatives are tempted to give Schwarzenegger a free pass on ideology just to have a Republican as chief executive.

Even if it means postponing a GOP governorship until January 2007 - and I believe a conservative running a smart campaign can win statewide office in this state - I hope California Republicans will match McClintock's principled stand on the issues with principles of their own and vote for him over a watered-down Republican whose unofficial campaign slogan seems to be, "Details, schmetails." If he were Arnold Schwarzenegger, insurance agent, instead of Arnold Schwarzenegger, actor, his campaign would be a joke and unworthy of coverage.

The fact is his support is built entirely on a foundation of celebrity. How else to explain the all- news channels breaking away from regular programming to cover live the actor's every utterance before a microphone? It is only a movie star's fame that makes him more media-worthy than McClintock.

When Schwarzenegger is greeted at campaign events by throngs of squealing teen-age girls and crowds pressing forward for handshakes and autographs, it has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with fame. The actor's calculation, probably correct, is that in our celebrity-obsessed culture, star appeal trumps substance.

Those who vote for Schwarzenegger will do so without really knowing what they'll be getting. He still speaks in vague generalities and has not spelled out the particulars of achieving stated goals. According to TV ads that contain more fluff than the lint filter of an overused clothes dryer, his entire solution to the budget deficit is to "open the books."

He has said nothing about what programs he'll cut, and, although he insists he won't raise taxes, I don't believe him.

Particularly irksome is his decision to duck all but one of the scheduled debates. What other than political cowardice and contempt for the voters would cause a candidate to pass up opportunities to make his case before a statewide TV audience, a viewership made all the larger by interest in the recall? And what credible candidate would refuse to hold a news conference at a party's state convention as Schwarzenegger did last weekend?

Yet even such solid Republicans as Orange County Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and conservative spitfire Ann Coulter seem to have fallen under the Schwarzenegger celebrity spell, backing a candidate who is pro-abortion, favors gun control and gay adoptions and is to the left of Sen. Dianne Feinstein on school vouchers.

Schwarzenegger is compared to Ronald Reagan, but the real Reagan Republican in this race is McClintock, a courageous fighter against big government and higher taxes for over two decades. Also, it is McClintock who has seen a recent surge in poll numbers while Schwarzenegger's have remained relatively stagnant. But apparently no good work goes unpunished as the California GOP sees it, so it's the genuine Republican the party wants to boot to the sidelines.

If enough Republicans vote for Schwarzenegger, he may become governor, but at what cost to the party's soul? Their votes will decide if conservative principles are worth fighting for or whether most California Republicans are just star-struck groupies.

Orange County Register 9/16/2003

[habs4ever]

Self indulgent crap, but thanks for posting it!

[sd-joe]

A vote that results in the Demoncrat opposition winning is NOT a win. It is a flat out LOSS.

[Amerigomag]

Two things are certain.

Until the next election cycle only one of the four major contenders for governor can put a cork in the legislature. Davis and Bustamante obviously won't and Schwarzenegger's record indicates he will probably capitulate on social spending especially if it's "for the children".

The second thing that is certain is that Mcclintock can't become governor if I don't vote for him. He's staying the course and so am I.

[milan]

I have said this once and I will say it again: I wish McClintock could win. But he can't. If everyone sticks by their principles, fine. Enjoy Bustamante.

[Rabid Dog]

Jeez, so far not too many responses to the article - just mostly RNC spam.

[skeeter]

Watchout now, your gonna upset our "moderate" friends...

[SunStar]

[SunStar]

"I am the only candidate at this table who has signed a no-tax pledge. I am the only candidate at this table who supports Proposition 54 to stop the government from racially classifying every one of us. I'm the only candidate at this table that opposes the bill that gives driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. I'm the only candidate at this table who's pro-life. I'm the only candidate who supports the entire Bill of Rights, including our Second Amendment. And I'm the only candidate who for 20 years in the public arena has proposed and fought for precisely those fiscal forms that are desperately needed to straighten out this state's finances."

"People tell me all the time that 'you care more about your principles than you care about winning'. First of all, I believe that if you stick to your principles, you will win. And secondly, if you don't stick to your principles, what is the point of winning?"

"When I entered this race, I made a promise to stay in right to the finish line. I keep my promises."

Tom McClintock
September 24, 2003

[TJC]

can you say governor 'socialist, marxist, anti-business, racist, anti-white, pro illegal invasion, greasy, fat, corrupt pig'bustamante

[TJC]

McClintock for Senator! Knock off boxer in '04. With AS's help as gov. we could get a good conservative in the senate from CA.

[VRWC_minion]

The fringe are just nuts. They have no mature idea about politics. No matter what the circumstance, the most conservative candidate will never ever win ANY election.

It will always be a candidate that isn't too far away from the general voting population.

If you want more conservative candidates you must get the population to move to the right first. You will never get the population to knowingly vote for a candidate too left or too right as measured by where the population is.

For California, McClintock is apparently too far right for the average citizen.

Sorry, folks that is how majority rule works. Get over it. Hanging on to principals is great. Convince as many people as you can that liberalism is wrong and move the population as far right as possible and then when it comes time to vote do whatever you can to make sure the most conservative guy wins.

You gain ground by inches.

[Political Junkie Too]

One thing that concerns me is that having McClintock as governor will lose his voice as a state senator. Having Schwarzenegger as governor and McClintock as his right-hand man in the state senate would make a very powerful duo. I think they would be able to accomplish more in that configuration than if McClintock were governor and Schwarzenegger went home.

Also, the tag team of Schwarzenegger/McClintock will help propel McClintock in a run against Boxer for Congress in 2004. That, in my opinion, would do more for California and the GOP than a McClintock win for governor in 2003.

-PJ

[k2blader]

Great article.

I'm watching the recall brouhaha from afar with no little revulsion at the current state of the CA GOP, particularly those so enamored of (R)nold that they are compelled to viciously attack the only conservative in the race.

Those who support McClintock are those who make the Republican Party worthy of respect.

[FairOpinion]

"his(McClintock's character as a conservative Republican, are impeccable. "

Conservative Republicans don't collude with the enemy and don't consciously and deliberately want to Democrat to be elected.

---

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/985534/posts

Tom McClintock - The conscience of a conservative?

September 19, 2003
by Bob Chandra


In recent days, Tom McClintock, the "other Republican" in California's recall race, has accepted a million dollars spent on his behalf by a left-wing special interest group. He has claimed that a Democrat victory in the recall election would be desirable, as it would better his chances in 2006. And he has joined with Democrat Cruz Bustamante in a boycott against fellow Republican, Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is the man we're supposed to believe represents the conscience of conservatism? At the end of the day, Tom McClintock's Faustian Pact with the Left has made one thing clear - it's all about Tom McClintock.

The $1 million to be spent on McClintock's behalf is by Indian gambling interests, a staunch Democratic special interest. I wrote about the possibility of left-wing special interests backing McClintock in order to divide Republicans several weeks back. Now it is a reality. The Sacramento Bee has announced that the Morongo tribe is spending $1 million to boost McClintock's candidacy and it's not because they want him to win. The money spent on McClintock is meant to split the Republican vote so their loyal servant, Democrat Cruz Bustamante, can emerge the winner. With enough left- wing money, McClintock can steal enough votes from Arnold to make that happen. Tom's win-at-any-cost mindset has him collaborating with leftist groups who want nothing more than a divided Right to throw the election to Bustamante. Does McClintock see that the Left is using him? Maybe there's a reason it's called "blind" ambition.

McClintock's partnership with the liberal special interests raises serious questions about his loyalty to the GOP. McClintock has said he puts his personal "principles" before the party. But there's a deeper reason McClintock doesn't care that his spoiler candidacy will doom Republicans in the recall race.

In a conversation with US Congressman Dan Burton, Tom McClintock said the following: he (McClintock) didn't mind it if Democrats win the gubernatorial race because it could improve his own chances in 2006. According to the Los Angeles Times, "Burton, one of the more conservative members of Congress, also said McClintock had seemed to suggest that it would be acceptable for a Democrat to hold the governor's office, because he might create a clamor for a Republican in 2006.". So that's what this is really about. If McClintock can't win, he can at least prevent the Republicans from winning so he has a better shot in 2006. Aren't we glad he's playing for our team?

McClintock is now collaborating with Cruz Bustamante to boycott the California Broadcasters Association's debate on the 24th as a means of showing up Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bustamante led the boycott charge on October 17th with McClintock soon followed his lead. When you see a Republican siding with a Democrat against a fellow Republican, you know something is wrong with the picture. Don't adjust your set- this is Tom McClintock, the self-styled conscience of conservatism.

As if things couldn't get any worse, McClintock is justifying his candidacy on a poll strategically conducted by the left-wing Los Angeles Times, which wants nothing more than to keep him in the race. That Times' poll has been debunked by Field and even invalidated by the Times' own reporting. It added 6% more self-identified conservatives than other polls and naturally gave McClintock an artificial 5% bump. But McClintock is clinging to this cooked poll, another leftist ploy, because it serves his interests.

What kind of a conservative lets left-wing interests drive his candidacy like this? The answer is a candidate who is so blind with ambition that he does not see how the Left is using him to their own ends. Thus far, McClintock has claimed he stands for principle, but it is obvious that his hopeless candidacy is based on personal ambition. It's no longer appropriate to view McClintock as merely a misguided crusader. He is a bigger threat to Republican victory on Election Day than Cruz Bustamante. Up until now, McClintock has responded to arguments for stepping aside with denial, delusion, and arrogance. Given his collaboration with the Left, Republicans must get serious with him. McClintock's "stalking horse" candidacy must come to an end.

[GSWarrior]

I think the author is wrong. This is about replacing Grey Davis. Plain and simple.

I'm supporting McClintock because he represents what I believe in more closely than Arnold. If he urges me to vote for Arnold, I likely will.

If I believe that my single vote will sway the election to Cruz I will vote for Arnold. If I think Arnold is going to win, I will vote for Tom.

I will have it both ways, dammit!

[KellyAdmirer]

If McClintock is the California GOP's "leader," why did he begin the race as an "asterisk" in the first place?