IS IT TIME FOR AN "ARNOLD-TOM WIN/WIN DEAL" (?) OK. THEN HERE'S HOW....

Free Republic site ^ | 27 September 2003 | AmericanInTokyo

[AmericanInTokyo]

[Opinion. Open for Discussion.]

The vitriol and passion are reaching unparalleled heights.

Arnold Schwarzenegger feels he is close to an October 7th victory and that a knockout punch of both Gray Davis and Cruz Bustamante is within tantalizing reach.

Were it all not for one jagged pebble in his hiking boot. State Senator Tom McClintock.

Both sides are polarized, even here and especially here, on Free Republic. And for damned good reason.

One side, comprised of so-called "RINOs", (moderate-centrists), later joined by pragmatic conservatives who see the paramount need to dethrone the irresponsible and dangerous Socialist Democrat regime in Sacramento, have dug in their heels in for a pitched battle against their new nemesis: the ranks of conservatives of principle who strongly support the continuation of their choice, Senator Tom McClintock, in order to prevent a sellout of the state of California to centrist or moderate political policies down the road.

OK. "Let's Make a Deal".

[EGPWS]

By October 9th or 10th, we're all gonna be suffereng from an extreme case of post election let down.

Ahh, at last some "good news"! Thanks cake_crumb for now I know that I will NOT be focused on the election for at that time I will be focused on $23,000 payment on home improvements!

The election NOW looks good to me, one way or the other!

I wish you all well in CA, however from an outsiders POV from a state that was governed by a former actor for four years, issues state wide may take more time to resovle themselves.

Perhaps another election will ease your pain! It sure did in MN!

T. Pawlenty is "the man"!

[arthurus]

I prefer both to stay. I don't really think that Schw dropping out will bring a Republican win. The same with Mclintock. If Schw does win I would like to see a strong conservative vote also registered. And if the Republicans lose I would hate for it to be due to a conservative
no-show. Then again, I find it hard to give a happy damn about whither California.

[pollywog]

Finally, if Arnold really cared about the Republican party he would step aside and let the guy who supports the party and has for 20 years win. He'd let the guys who supports the paltform win.

This SAYS IT ALL!!!! Best statement in the Arnold/Tom debate so far. THANKS ElkGroveDan!!!! ARNOLD is A RINO and that is what angers me so when so called conservative Freepers slobber all over his photo!!!!!!!!

[arthurus]

Arnold...I would think alot of his votes will go to the rats.

That has been my thinking. Arnold is denying Busty a lot of the votes he would get if Arnie were not in it. The crusade to push the conservatives into the Arnie column is misguided.I see Arnie as holding off the liberalvote and if the conservative spokesmen would quit jamming themselves into the conservative wheels we just might get California.

[cake_crumb]

Well, we'll still have 2004 if we're desperate for a fix.

[itsahoot]

Thank you for saying it again. You couldn't be more right.

[EGPWS]

Well, we'll still have 2004 if we're desperate for a fix.

Your desperation is some one else's pocket money.(earned by your fix) in the while.

[cake_crumb]

"Your desperation is some one else's pocket money.(earned by your fix) in the while"

You're absolutely right, on several levels. Is this a good time to say "well, then we should legalize and tax it and then there would be no deficit" or should I run for the hills now?

[John Valentine]

This is faulty reasoning. Arnoild is taking votes from Bustamante.

If Arnold dropped out, McClintock would be swamped in a Democrat landslide.

Once again the end result is a Democrat in office and conservative whine whine whine carp carp carp.

[EGPWS]

or should I run for the hills now?

I thought about doing that myself however there aren't any hills high enough in MN.

You guys and gals in CA have to decide and then shoot craps! Do I vote conviction? Do I vote winning? Do I vote losing? Do I vote heart? Do I vote intuition? Just don't vote "liberalism" and you all will be fine!

After all wasn't it liberal issuses that promted the "recall" in the first place?

[Once-Ler]

What I will not do is vote for a pro-abortion pro gun control candidate. If there is no anti abortion candidate and no pro gun candidate, I do not vote.

I have no doubt that you are correct and much of the Right will sit out the recall if McClintock bows out. This would likely cause Davis to escape the recall. I can even see that it might be preferable to have Bustamente replace Davis if you thought those were the only 2 outcomes, but I'm confused about something.

In PA there is a contentious Republican primary race for the US Senate. If Specter defeats Toomey in the primary would you advocate that the Right stay home during the general election? I ask this because you have in the past extolled the importance of RINOs in keeping the Republican majorities.

[Catspaw]

Because I'm pragmatic, Arnold and his supporters are giving McClintock a graceful way out and he's refusing to take it. If McClintock drops out now and supports Arnold, he can except support from Arnold and his supporters if he wants to run for a higher office (like Senate). If he doesn't drop out now, he can expect doors to be slammed in his face if Arnold loses the governorship if he tries to seek higher office. But who knows? Maybe McClintock likes being in the state senate.

That's reality.

[68 grunt]

I accuse you a being a disruptor, you may ignore me whenever you like and you may begin whenever you're ready.

[AmericanInTokyo]

That is an interesting option, indeed.

[AmericanInTokyo]

You have damned good reasons (and scars) to mistrust RINOs and middle-path toadies.

[moodyskeptic]

Good discussion. The way things are moving, McClintock had better HURRY up in striking a power-sharing deal, because in a few days it won't matter if he stays or goes because the math puts Ahnold in regardless. Then Tom has no chips, no leverage. No future.

Tom, make it snappy, because we'd like you for Senator!

[AmericanInTokyo]

Oh, well. (Getting fatigued). 2003 is almost over. Soon we will be in 2004. We will be a united force, in total agreement that Hillary Clinton doesn't even amount to a bucket of lukewarm penguin crap, and that we need to defeat her in the Nov. 2004 showdown with Bush. If the prospect of a Hitlary winning The White House does not unite Conservatives, I don't know WHAT will....

[swany]

Tom does not have a graceful way out. He has forcefully said he is a man who keeps his promises and has promised to stay in to the end. Nothing the S camp can offer would be graceful enough.

Another poster mentioned he also said he didn't want to be a spoiler either, but I don't know if he promised this. (Parsing words maybe?) At this point he is between a rock and a hard place.

Regardless, he shouldn't drop out. I think to many conservatives would just sit at home if he did, making the recall moot. Davis wins.

[AmericanInTokyo]

It is actually McClintock who holds the cards, moodyskeptic, and the timing is just right IMHO in the next three-to-four days.

We have heard for weeks on-end from the other candidate's people that "VOTING FOR MCCLINTOCK MEANS A BUSTAMANTE WIN!!" In other words, many Arnold supporters clearly are saying over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over that they cannot win without McClintock's support. Because they believe it so severely and almost radically, I say " OK, let's take them at their words. Now here's the deal. Come, let us reason together." For that reason again, I believe McClintock holds some key cards for conservatives, and it may well be time now to call in those chits.

Tonight I thought I'd have to don the asbestos underwear, but it was not that bad. A lot of good ideas here, my thoughts were challenged with some good facts and new ideas, and nobody from either polar camp in the GOP on this matter issued a death threat or threw flaming Halloween fecal baggies across the skirmish lines into enemy camp. :-)

[SierraWasp]

"McC was and is completely dependent on the very government he criticizes. That's the exact definition of a hypocrite."

That is preposterous!!! He's been in there fighting for all of us while the rest of us are out here are so busy being in business that we don't even take time to walk precincts or are afraid to talk politics for fear it'll kill off 50% of our customers.

Those supporters of Tom's HAVE been walking and talking and cajoling and working and paying their dues to the party only to be crapped on at a time like this, having come up with the idea of a Recall in the first place.

Now all of a sudden, here comes ALL the Johnny come latelies with Pete Wilson and his movie star and force out Issa who put almost 2 million of his own money in, then Simon who was not supported by over 2.5 million so-called Repellicans last November that stayed home because they wouldn't "hold their noses!"

What a proverbial sniveling snerfling PANT-LOAD!!! Now let's talk somemore about hypocrites... shall we?