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The article point is the GOP would win elections here and in other archtypical "left coast" states if it reached out to disaffected Democratic voters on issues they agree on with Republicans. It can be done. But if Republicans never take advantage of the opportunity they will always face defeat at the polls. Its Republicans' failure to emphasize the universal appeal of conservative values with ALL voters, nit just Republicans that turns Republicans seemingly near permanent minority position into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Having said all this the very worst thing President Bush could do is write Bill Simon off now and in the process alienate millions of conservatives in this state who are counting on the President to help revive the party's fortunes here. The truth is its better to go on the offensive and give the Rats hell and if Simon at the end of the day somehow should still lose we can take comfort in the fact that the President didn't give up when the conventional political wisdom told him to just walk away. (Which I trust he will ignore and throw caution to the winds; no one ever won anything in life by playing it safe.) In the end the President should listen to his gut rather the RNC poll; he should take the results with a grain of salt and consider there are other factors than polls that measure the difference between victory and defeat. In particular, let's hope he remembers his own campaign, where he won despite the polls. When all is said and done California is still very much in play, people loathe GrayDown, and given visibility and help, Simon will win big in November.

The truth is its better to go on the offensive and give the Rats hell and if Simon at the end of the day somehow should still lose we can take comfort in the fact that the President didn't give up when the conventional political wisdom told him to just walk away. (Which I trust he will ignore and throw caution to the winds; no one ever won anything in life by playing it safe.)

Whether or not Bush backs Simon will convince me once & for all whether he really is with us conservatives. Will he support principle and go all out to defeat the abomination in the statehouse, or will he opt out to protect what very little political capital he has at stake in CA.