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".

[Carry_Okie]

It is clear that Arnold is going to win whether McClintock stays in or not.

Take my advice: Don't bet the farm on that. Davis has yet to drag out his slime-cannon. I promise you, it will work as intended.

IMO, Arnold knows it too. His only job is to kill the recall.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Is this personal scandal? Ethics? Integrity issues? If so, I kind of felt it coming. This will indeed enliven the situation. Remember, Tom McClintock would still be on the ballot, though.

[michigander]

Another thought. Keep this phrase in mind:

Know new taxes.

Either California is going to be responsible for their own mess or the rest of the country (the federal gov.) is going to have attempt to bail their butts out.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Would not such concessions be acceptable to you? More concessions? No concessions? Let's talk. Remember, what I have thrown out there is highly conditional.

[My2Cents]

I ditto that.

[Fred]

"Schwarzenegger has said he would only seek to raise taxes in a disaster. But in his 15-minute interview Thursday with the Times, he offered two specific ways he plans to raise revenue:"

Arnold Laying the Groundwork for Tax Increases

[RGSpincich]

without whom you cannot win fair and square

Well then you are going to have to feel the Democrats pain. Arnold will win and I suppose it will be considered one of those "stolen" elections.

[HAL9000]

But McClintock said he would not drop out. How could you expect him to break his word?

He can remain on the ballot - but announce that he is suspending his campaign and asking his supporters to vote for Arnold.

This would allow him to keep his word while ensuring that Bustamante does not get elected.

[dpwiener]

I would like to know the legal definition of "withdraw", even if the candidates name is still on the ballot.

All I can tell you is that if Ed Davis had chosen to "withdraw" from the U.S. Senate race back in 1986, his name would have remained on the primary ballot. So the indictment was over a "withdrawal" exactly analogous to a McClintock withdrawal, since Tom's name would remain on the ballot.

[Owen]

I have some fundamentally bad news for the staunch, extreme right wing folks here pushing McClintock. And no one is going to like it.

Ronald Reagan could not be elected in California in 2003.

It isn't the same state it was 30 years ago. It is much much much more liberal. There is nothing we can do about that. It, the liberalism, is a force of nature (demographics and immigration). You can't change in wone election what took 30 years to evolve. You have to court Hispanic communities and sell them on the idea of individualism. That's a process; not an event.

[Carry_Okie]

Is this personal scandal? Ethics? Integrity issues? If so, I kind of felt it coming. This will indeed enliven the situation. Remember, Tom McClintock would still be on the ballot, though.

I can't tell you the content because I don't know. I do know that it is planned.

It remains why all of us need Tom still in the race and stating his case to all who will hear. It's not as if he is throwing the lever for people. They make their own choices. The only reason the Arnold supporters are ranting so hard is fear that people will listen.

Perhaps that fear has something to do with their candidate and the nature of his positions and the people he has chosen?

[My2Cents]

I ONLY vote for strong 2nd Amendment supporters....I vote my principles..."

Don't you mean your "principle," singular?

[born yesterday]

I'm a doctrinaire Conservative also. Unlesss I hear Arnold leaning toward some Conservative issue, a clear change, I will vote for Tom McClintock.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Thank you.

Remember, I am not saying on this thread "vote for Schwarzenegger". I am floating an idea which is a long shot. If the results were unacceptable were there to be such actual discussions and horse trading, the vote(s) should still, for sure, without fail, go to the Principled Conservative, Mr. McClintock.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Got it.

[Grand Old Partisan]

The ballots are already printed. The rest of the maneuver would be a Clintonesque dodging of the truth.

[cake_crumb]

Sorry for the formatting...missed a <p> tag

[princess leah]

Tom supporters must not be able to do simple math: Even if Arnold were to "drop out" today, Arnold draws 19% of democratic voters because he is NOT a conservative!(don't try to say some might vote for Tom because you can't even bring yourself to vote for Arnold) So YOU do the math - Tom CANNOT win, so your vote either counts for NOTHING (except whereby Republicans show once again why they are unelectable in California) or you start to take small steps and vote for Arnold who CAN WIN and will help President Bush in the bigger picture next year as well as the ALL IMPORTANT SENATE RACE!

[EGPWS]

Tom McClintock does not have to grovel at the feet of a johnny-come-lately who has never even won a Republican primary, never even ran for office at all. McClintock has 20 years of running, sacrificing, and serving. Arnold should drop out and instruct ALL of his supporters to vote for McClintock! Go, Tom! www.helptom.com

I conur with your statement however for different reasons.

Tom McClintock may have 20 years of service to the public but IMHO he should NEVER grovel in the "political" mush because he knows what is best for California and has the integrity and drive to accomplish this, all to familiar, feat.

[AmericanInTokyo]

At any rate, maybe this is not the forum, because (so far) i saw few Schwarzenegger or McClintock supporters on here reply with a 'hmmm, sounds interesting.' But of course we have the hard core on both sides here primarily, so I can see the reluctance for anyone to entertain such a strategy. Lot of distrust on both sides, that's for sure.