Huge Blow to McClintock. California GOP to Formally Endorse Arnold Schwarzenegger 2pm PST Today

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

FOX NEWS:

The California GOP will announce today that it will endorse Arnold Schwarzenegger for their candidate for the governor of California.

The official announcement will come at 2pm Pacific time today.

This announcement comes as a big blow to Tom McClintock.

[JustAnAmerican]

"One wonders what he is doing running for governor if he so disdains all but a small group of people.

What you said pretty sums up the "Country Club Wing" of the Republican party at this point. Greed before country and Republican at all costs. It's one of the reasons the Republican party is on the verge of a big split. Reminds me of what the Episcopal church is going through, only in this case the lefties have invaded/corrupted what used to be a very Conservative party. Pretty sad really, but no doubt it's what the country needs to get us away from the "Votes at all costs" crowd.

[Wheee The People]

This man will NEVER get a primary vote from me.

It will hard to support him next time around...I've got to question his judgement and his leadership.

[EternalVigilance]

Advocating support for Tom at this point is nonsense.

Advocating support for leaders who are faithful to conservatives, the conservative movement, and our principles is never nonsense.

[RGSpincich]

I notice a different tone coming from McClintock's website. Normally it's all Tom all the time. Wonder if something is up.
______________________________________________


Reagan Strategist Ken Khachigian: Instead of Trying to Oust McClintock, State GOP Should Target Bustamante

In the last few weeks, discerning Republicans have come to realize that a formula for ensuring victory in the recall election is at hand. With Tom McClintock and Arnold Schwarzenegger, they have two men — with albeit different qualities — who clearly can lead California. So instead of wasting precious energy on the nonsensical death dance of trying to force McClintock out of the race, the GOP should be concentrating on a single goal: creating a win-win proposition by targeting enough firepower on Cruz Bustamante to shove him into third place.

Last week's debate exposed the lieutenant governor as the listless officeholder that he is. Like Barbara Boxer, Bustamante slipped into office as a lightweight with lucky timing — someone who could never have won statewide office absent a perfect alignment of the political stars with the political calendar.

>From his initial entry into the race, Bustamante has provided Republicans with an easy target. He has proposed $8 billion in tax increases, refused to repudiate a racist slogan, given us the laughable watchwords of "tough love" and cynically (and illegally) manipulated campaign finance laws. His nondescript demeanor and persona — which helped sell him to his colleagues as a nonthreatening Assembly speaker — hardly meet Central Casting's standards for governor, as was painfully apparent in the debate.

But the internecine bickering in the GOP — underscored by staged endorsements and hand-wringing over possible split votes — leaves many activists worried that the principal message is not being delivered: yes on recall and no on Bustamante.

Putting the recall on the back burner during the debate and in our campaigning gave the governor's operatives all the running room they needed. So it's no surprise that Gray Davis' campaign manager now gloats: "We're going to win we're on the threshold, and we're going to walk through the door."

Well, there's plenty of time to shut that door. We should:

• Remind voters of Davis' failed leadership. Schwarzenegger's campaign has taken a good first step by airing a commercial that does this, but still, that ad is nowhere nearly strong enough — a probable result of Schwarzenegger's imprudent declaration that he would "stay positive."

• Make the case against Bustamante. Belatedly coming off the bench, the Republican Governors Assn. has paid for television ads that do this. Party stalwarts here in California ought to replicate that effort in key cable markets and on radio to generate maximum negatives for Bustamante. A steady drip-drip through Oct. 6 that plays off Bustamante's feeble debate showing can still save the day.

• In this final sprint, Schwarzenegger and McClintock should stay out of San Francisco and get out of Los Angeles. They need to drive the vote in high-margin areas — those places where Davis and Bustamante are the weakest. In 1996, I coined the term California's "political fishhook," taken from the shape of the demographics that run from Chico/Redding and Sacramento south through the Great Valley, out to the Inland Empire, down through San Diego and back up through the conservative ring around Los Angeles in Orange and Ventura counties. In most of these key California counties, Bill Simon defeated Davis last fall by margins ranging from 9% to 31%.

It is in the fishhook where disenchantment with Davis is the highest. Because of intense media coverage, this is one time when old-fashioned stumping can make a difference in triggering motivation and intensity in the heart of moderate-to-conservative California.

Finally, the Republicans need to be prepared for the typical Democratic eleventh-hour spitballs — the kind fired at Bruce Herschensohn in 1992 (for the sin of taking a date to strip club), Mike Huffington in 1994 (for hiring an undocumented nanny) and Darrell Issa in 1998 (for allegedly misrepresenting his military record). Just because Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer this summer railed against the "puke politics" of Gray Davis doesn't mean that Davis and his assorted thugs will abjure their traditional tactics.


Keep the State GOP Focused on Yes on the Recall, No on Bustamante!

We wholeheartedly agree that the Republican Party's focus must be on voter turnout to deliver a YES on the Recall question and to oppose Cruz Bustamante's tax-and-spend ideas. The state executive board should NOT divide our party by opposing one of their own Republican candidates, especially when that candidate is still well positioned to win on Election Day!

An “emergency” meeting of the executive board has been called for later today. Please contact the following members of Republican Party Executive Board, and let them know how important it is to you that they stay neutral and focus their efforts on fighting the liberal Democrats who have given us the failed leadership, record budget deficits and uncontrolled spending.

YES on the recall and NO on Bustamante: That is the party’s job!

[Dan from Michigan]

Tom isn't going to be elected to be governor in California

How do you know. The election hasn't taken place.

Polls are wrong 1/2 of the time anyway.
1. They don't measure turnout.
2. Caller ID, and screened calls
3. John Engler, Steve Stockman, Jesse Ventura, Mike Rogers, Saxby Chambliss, Sonny Perdue, George Pataki, FDR, and Truman all lost big in the polls as well.

We don't know what's going to happen. Tom CAN win. So can Arnold, Cruz, or Davis for that matter.

[EternalVigilance]

You're welcome to that opinion.

How very generous of you.

[bvw]

These are battles in a very old war. The idol worshippers versus the folks who "just don't get it".

[zbigreddogz]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!


Anyhow, good news.

Go Arnold go!

[Robert_Paulson2]

bout time.

but it won't do any good... it will feed his persecution complex...

[StoneColdGOP]

Yeah that can happen when a neophyte moderate infiltrates and hijacks your Party, then snookers good conservatives into thinking he's the last great hope.

AND they go along with it! You're ***damn right I'm cranky!

[jmc813]

One wonders what he is doing running for governor if he so disdains all but a small group of people.

You sound like a Democrat whining about the "MEEEEEAAAAAAANNNN Republican".

[Dan from Michigan]

And the celeberity worshipping ladies here will be thrilled about that too.

The preoccupation with celebrities is pathetic. And some guys worship em as well.

[EternalVigilance]

In the last few weeks, discerning Republicans have come to realize that a formula for ensuring victory in the recall election is at hand. With Tom McClintock and Arnold Schwarzenegger, they have two men — with albeit different qualities — who clearly can lead California. So instead of wasting precious energy on the nonsensical death dance of trying to force McClintock out of the race, the GOP should be concentrating on a single goal: creating a win-win proposition by targeting enough firepower on Cruz Bustamante to shove him into third place.

Gosh. It's nice to see that someone has been listening to reason.

[Lazamataz]

I'm a huge Tom fan, but at this point, really, he should throw his support behind (R)nold.

[Diddle E. Squat]

My, what a crybaby you are. Gonna now run around in circles and hold your breath until you turn blue?

Reminds me of Jonah pouting under the withering vine. Ninevah might actually end up being saved, and we can't have that...

[zbigreddogz]

I notice that by haning out with his exclusive club, he's lost 2 statewide elections, and is about to lose his third...

[Robert_Paulson2]

" he couldn't care less if Bustamante wins"

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... that in a nutshell is all any conservative needs to know, about Tom McClintock.

[Snerfling]

The swearing in of Schwarzenegger as the Governor of California will be at 9 am, October 8th, 2003.

The photographer who gets the picture of Arnie showing up while Gray slinks off will win the Pulitizer prize.

[DiamondDon1]

Deborah:

Arnold socializes with Kurt Waldheim and has been filmed on camera saying he admires Hitler.

How certain are we about the rumors? We really need to find links before speculating about the Hitler admiration further...for if true, this could be the expected disaster we knew was coming...

Thank you for the heads up!

DD

[The Old Hoosier]

These traitors, with the help of many FReepers, have cost conservatives the election.

CNN Poll Shows McClintock Would Easily Beat Bustamante.