Gov. Schwarzenegger, the Comeback Kid

FoxNews ^ | May 7, 2006 | Susan Estrich

[FairOpinion]

Arnold Schwarzenegger is one lucky fellow, which is to say he’s smart enough not to make the same mistakes twice.

If I were a betting woman in this bluest of blue states, I’d put my money on the Terminator to win re-election, no small feat when you consider that every single other statewide office here is held by a Democrat.

Let me make my biases clear at the outset. I’m a Democrat, but I don’t have a horse in this race.

I’ve known Phil Angelides, one of his opponents, since 1988, when he was an early supporter of my presidential candidate, Michael Dukakis, and co-hosted a fundraiser for Steve Westley, the other leading Democrat, when he was running for controller four years ago. In this race, I just call them as I see them.

Is Schwarzenegger beatable? Sure. In the latest polls, he’s running even with Angelides, and trailing Westley. But Arnold isn’t up with advertisements and they are. Last October, only 40 percent of the voters had a favorable impression of the governor; in the latest polls, that number is up 11 points, to 51 percent.

The governor is coming back, and unfortunately for my party, I’m not sure the Democrats have anyone who can stop him.

[FairOpinion]

Note -- it's written by Susan Estrich.

I hope she is right about Arnold winning.

[AmeriBrit]

FO, have you checked the emergency rooms? Writing that article must have put Susan Estrich in intensive care or perhaps she just wants to know what it's like to be on the winners side for a change.

[jazusamo]

LOL...Either that or she was hitting the sauce again before she wrote it.

[FairOpinion]

LOL!

If you read the rest of the article, you can see that she is really frustrated, because the Dems can put up any good candidates.

That tidbit about Angelides being one of Mondale's earliest supporters was amuzing too.

[manwiththehands]

Susan Estrich cannot possibly be too traumatized by the idea of Schwarzenegger getting reelected. He's so RINO the 'Rats in CA are having secret fundraisers for him. Sheesh.

[FairOpinion]

Actually there are MAJOR differences between the Dems and Arnold.

WESTLY:

In the “Stand” spot, Westly says, “I’m Steve Westly – before I ask for your vote, I owe it to you to tell you where I stand. I’m strongly pro-choice and I believe protecting our environment is fundamental. As governor, I’ll make education my top priority.” Then the announcer adds, “Steve Westly. Require big corporations to provide adequate health insurance, expand the Healthy Families Program, incentives for hybrid vehicles and solar energy, stop any new offshore drilling.”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1627880/posts


=====

ANGELIDES:
Angelides calls himself a champion of "progressive values." As state treasurer, he has pushed public pension funds to dump tobacco stocks, invest in urban renewal projects and pressure corporations into cleaning up the environment. A close ally of labor, he also supports abortion rights, gay marriage, gun control and driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.

If he makes it into a general-election race, his call for increasing taxes could pose problems; Schwarzenegger has been steadfast in opposing higher taxes.

http://www.calcoast.org/news/cpr0060122.html

=====

In the meantime, Arnold:

"They're focused on the Capitol's perpetual war between business and the big four Democratic Party subfactions: labor unions, personal injury lawyers, environmentalists and consumer protection advocates.

The past two years have been bleak ones for the Big 4 because Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has aligned himself with the California Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, rejecting nearly all of the measures they had dubbed "job killers." Schwarzenegger and business, moreover, bulldozed the Legislature into approving an overhaul of worker's compensation that authorities say is reducing employers' costs by $15 billion a year. It was the most significant advance either side had made in the war in many years and one that Democrats and their allies now want to undo. "

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1627876/posts

[AmeriBrit]

"the 'Rats in CA are having secret fundraisers for him. Sheesh."

---

What's your source for that statement?

Anglelides and Westly are both being funded by George Soros and the democRATs that I've talked too are not very happy about that at all.

[b9]

It's always heartening to see the Dems in a dither over Arnold.

[kellynla]

[FairOpinion]

Vastly preferable to:

Also -- according to you, EVERY Republican is a "RINO".

[kellynla]

"according to you, EVERY Republican is a "RINO?"

well you and RINOld sure qualify. LMAO

[mugs99]

He's so RINO the 'Rats in CA are having secret fundraisers for him. Sheesh.

[Jim_Curtis]

Didn't Estrich work on the Mapplethorpe model's transition team?

[do the dhue]

Top 10 RINOs (Republicans in Name Only)

Ranked by the editors of Human Events.

1. Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R.I.)
Once approached by Democratic Leader Harry Reid to switch parties, Chafee has long supported liberal policies. He backs legal abortion, gay rights, federal-funded health care, strict environmental protections and a higher minimum wage. Opposes ANWR drilling. Also was the only Republican in Congress not to endorse the President’s reelection and one of three who tried to gut Bush’s tax cuts.

2. Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine)
A self-described “centrist,” Snowe scored a 100% pro-choice voting record as scored by NARAL and consistently votes with Democrats on social issues.

3. Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.)
“Snarlin’ Arlen” warned Bush not to nominate judges who might overturn Roe v. Wade, joined Chaffee reducing tax cuts and supported Democrats on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, HMO and overtime regulation. Also opposed school choice in Washington, D.C.

4. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine)
Voted with liberals on the 1999 tax cut, campaign finance reform and the partial-birth abortion ban. Also advocated “pay-as-you-go” tax cuts with spending increases in 2004, leading to a budget never agreed upon between the House and Senate.

5. Rep. Christopher Shays (Conn.)
He led the House fight for McCain-Feingold campaign finance “reform.” He’s also prone to back environmental causes, gun control and abortion rights. He had no GOP challenger in 2004, but narrowly escaped defeat, 52% to 48%, by a Democratic opponent in the general election.

6. Gov. George Pataki (N.Y.)
Helped unions raise pay and unionize Indian casinos. Has said, “I believe in a limited government, low taxes, a tough approach to crime. ... But I also believe in an activist government. I’m not one of those laissez-faire types.”

7. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (N.Y.)
Over the course of his 23-year career, he’s gained considerable power (chairman of the Science Committee), despite amassing one of the most liberal voting records of any House Republican. Fought back conservative challengers in 2000 and 2002 and could face a GOP challenge in ’06.

8. Gov. Mitt Romney (Mass.)
Has said, “I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country.” Supports civil unions and stringent gun laws. After visiting Houston, he criticized the city’s aesthetics, saying, “This is what happens when you don’t have zoning.”

9. Rep. Michael Castle (Del.)
As president of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership and key player in the so-called Tuesday Group lunches, he is a ring-leader of RINOs. He’s teamed with Democrats to make federal funding of embryonic stem cell research one of his top priorities.

10. Rep. Jim Leach (Iowa)
One of only six House Republicans to vote against the Iraq War resolution in 2002, he was also the only Republican to vote against President Bush’s 2003 tax cuts. His support for environmental causes and abortion rights has won him liberal fans.

Yes, I am against RINOs. But I only like to ethnically cleanse them from Elephant territory during the primaries. Like it or not, RINOs do keep the Demorats from having a majority.

[FairOpinion]

If all those would get defeated, the Dems would take over Congress.

Is THAT what you want?

In many states conservatives can't get elected -- you either take the RINOs, who help the Republicans keep control of Congress, or get Dems, and let the Dems take over control of Congress.

As a conservative, do you prefer a Dem controlled Congress or a Republican one?

[Carry_Okie]

LMAO.

[FairOpinion]

There was nothing sexual about the picture Mapplethorpe took of Arnold. Arnold was a bodybuilder. Here is the picture.

Mapplethorpe also took pictures of flowers.

[dc-zoo]

Arnie the brokeback RINO.

[do the dhue]

You didn't read my entire post. See the bottom where it says: But I only like to ethnically cleanse them from Elephant territory during the primaries. Like it or not, RINOs do keep the Demorats from having a majority.

I want to take out RINOs in the Primary elections. You have to accept the RINOs otherwise or you give the majority to the rats. I think I am clear that that is not what I want.

[Jim_Curtis]

Mapplethorpe also took pictures of flowers.

LOL Arnold ain't a flower.

[FairOpinion]

"I want to take out RINOs in the Primary elections."

===

Well, I am all for that, BUT you need to make sure the winner of the primary can beat the Dem. If nominating a conservative means losing, you are trading off a RINO for a Dem. In CA we have a lot of experience with Republicans nominating conservatives, who get beaten by Dems,that's why virtually everyone elected to statewide office is a Dem.

RE-electing Arnold is crucial to our future.

[FairOpinion]

"I want to take out RINOs in the Primary elections."

===

Well, I am all for that, BUT you need to make sure the winner of the primary can beat the Dem. If nominating a conservative means losing, you are trading off a RINO for a Dem. In CA we have a lot of experience with Republicans nominating conservatives, who get beaten by Dems,that's why virtually everyone elected to statewide office is a Dem.

RE-electing Arnold is crucial to our future.

[do the dhue]

I understand. I am not willing to give the Demorats the majority. Good luck in California.

[BigBobber]

I saw some of the Rat Goober debate tonight. Angeledies and Westly are both GIRLIE MEN. They are lightweights. Arnold should have little trouble with them.

[FairOpinion]

"Arnold should have little trouble with them"

===

I sure hope you are right, but don't underestimate the power of the unions, remember how they energized their people and were able to get the special election propositions defeated.


And they are upset, because Arnold has been curtailing their power:

"They're focused on the Capitol's perpetual war between business and the big four Democratic Party subfactions: labor unions, personal injury lawyers, environmentalists and consumer protection advocates.

The past two years have been bleak ones for the Big 4 because Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has aligned himself with the California Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, rejecting nearly all of the measures they had dubbed "job killers." Schwarzenegger and business, moreover, bulldozed the Legislature into approving an overhaul of worker's compensation that authorities say is reducing employers' costs by $15 billion a year. It was the most significant advance either side had made in the war in many years and one that Democrats and their allies now want to undo. "

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1627876/posts

[FairOpinion]

"I am not willing to give the Demorats the majority. Good luck in California."


===

Thanks. We need it. :)

[A CA Guy]

There is a darn good chance the Unions will spend a few more hundreds of millions if they think it is to their best interest.

[AmeriBrit]

With as many failures as she's backed I would think 'sauce' would be part of her daily consumption.

[zbigreddogz]

He'll win.

I have a good friend who's a promiment Democrat activist and who does fundraising stuff for D's who'll say every time that in the end Arnold will win. It's really not that hard: You can't beat someone as dynamic as Arnold with an empty suit, and that's all the have. Even as a D he's not blind to that fact.

I'd be a lot more afraid if Vilaragosa, Harman, or Sanchez (i.e. someone with a personality) were running against him. But they aren't, so I'm not really that worried.

[afnamvet]

BTTT