Schwarzenegger ducks (more like he "clucks" like a chicken)

Orange County Register ^ | 9/3/2003 | editorial

[kellynla]

Arnold Schwarzenegger is displaying a distinctly non-tough guy approach to confronting his fellow candidates in the recall election.

Mr. Schwarzenegger is planning to avoid this afternoon's televised recall debate (4-6 p.m.) and says he will participate in only one of the several other debates that are being scheduled for the weeks to come.

The actor's campaign announced that he will be part of the Sept. 17 debate sponsored by the California Broadcasters Association, for which the candidates will get the questions in advance.

That will allow candidates to prepare responses, making it easier to avoid gaffes from unexpected questions. That debate also will occur a week after absentee ballots begin to be sent out, meaning some voters will vote before the debate.

Mr. Schwarzenegger's overall gun-shy approach to the debates might "weaken his tough-guy image," Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, told us. "But it [also] raises questions about his smart-guy image. He really needs to show he can hold his own in a free-for-all."

Mr. Schwarzenegger also should understand that not just one debate, but series of debates have been a tradition in American politics at crucial times, from the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 to the debates of Nixon-Kennedy in 1960 and Reagan-Mondale in 1984.

Recent California history shows the importance of statewide debates. Just last fall, Gov. Davis - adding to the reputation for aloofness that helped bring about the recall election - agreed to a single debate with his challenger, Republican businessman Bill Simon. Voters were better served in 1998, when then-Lt. Gov. Davis and Republican Attorney General Dan Lungren debated four times.

This time, the other major gubernatorial candidates are eager to put themselves before the public and will participate in today's debate. They are Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, a Democrat; state Sen. Tom McClintock and businessman Peter Ueberroth, both Republicans; Peter Camejo of the Green Party; and Arianna Huffington, a columnist and independent.

We hope Mr. Schwarzenegger reconsiders and participates today and at future debates.

Because of the shortness of the recall campaign and its importance to our state, voters need as much information they can get from the major candidates - all of them - as often as possible.

[kellynla]

Duck? More like a chicken...cluck...cluck, cluck...cluck, cluck, cluck...cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck...Now who let the chicken in this race?? VOTE4MCCLINTOCK and not a chicken! click here to learn who the real man with an "R" behind his name is! http://www.tommcclintock.com

[ellery]

That's so lame.

[LisaAnne]

Perhaps the media has their panties in a bunch because Arnold is not relying on them. He is out meeting people and talking to the public. I understand the he has very large crowds when he makes an appearance. The media; newspapers, TV stations are becoming more and more irrelevant, and they don't like it.

[kellynla]

Yep pretty lame of the big bag terminator boy who has all those muscles and no guts ROFLMAO

[ellery]

I don't like it, either. Every campaigning politician needs to be asked tough questions from non-adoring crowed. Otherwise there's no way of telling how he'll do his job when he's asked tough questions as governor.

[kellynla]

Maybe you should read the editorial. Debates have been a part of American politics for generations. And if a candidate doesn't have the courage to debate his/her convictions why should anyone vote for them...hmmmmmmmmmm

[steve50]

Face it. The guy doesn't have the ability to present a position and back it up. Arnold seems to be all show and no tell.

[A Broken Glass Republican]

Cute title.

You people are so desperate.

And you do know that if McClintock doesn't drop out of his race, we'll get Bust-a-move because of it, and Tom's political career will be DEAD.

I can understand your support of McClintock but I can't understand your ignoring of this fact. I guess you all don't really care for him that much afterall...

[BushCountry]

I don't like him because of his liberal stands on several issues, but I can't wait until he wins and shuts everyone up!!

[kellynla]

PING

[Mr. K]

why should Ahnold do ANYTHING the press wants him to do?- in fact he should do the exact opposite...

[A Broken Glass Republican]

LOL!

Arnold is leading in the polls. He doesn't NEED to "Debate" on someone elses rules.

Bush will do the same thing in 2004. All front runners do.

The hypocrisy in this thread is astounding.

[LisaAnne]

I believe that he is going to debate in Sept. He thinks his time is better spent meeting people. Right or wrong, it seems to be their strategy.

[FairOpinion]

"That's so lame. "

===

That's all McClintock supporters have left.
The sensible, realistic conservatives, who used to support McClintock, are now supporting Arnold, the only Republican with a chance of beating the Davis-Bustamante-Dem machinery.

McClintock's only role at this point is as the spoiler and his remaining supporters are cheering him on, attacking Arnold, but giving a pass to Bustamante and Davis. They are all ganging up on Arnold, very obviously. That is why Arnold is only participating in a structured debate, not a free for all, where a bunch of midgets will try to bring him down.

I guess McClintock and the supporters he has left really do want Bustamante as governor.

[finnman69]

Bone up on that Spanish so you can pronounce Gov. Bustamente properly.

[My2Cents]

Well, let's see..."Arnold is a RINO"...who's supported by Congressmen Chris Cox, Dana Rohrabacher, and David Dreier, former Congressman Bob Dornan, conservative talkshow hosts Hugh Hewitt and Michael Medved, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, Thomas Sowell (along with other key Hoover Institution thinkers), and Milton Friedman.

[mbynack]

As the front runner in the polls, Arnold has nothing to gain and everything to loose in a debate.

[gubamyster]

Will the debate chicken who followed Davis around, and was supported by many on FR now start appearing w/ Arnold? Or since Arnold has an (R) next to his name, is now acceptable to avoid debates? I'm confused here.

[EggsAckley]

Go back to your teenybopper chat room. They need your wit.