Debate Terminates Arnold

SEPT 24 2003 | tomasUSMC

[TomasUSMC]

Tom wins Recall Debate. Camejo a close number 2. Bustamonte way back in third. Arnold and Ariana locked in death wrestling match dead last.

Tom crushed the competition today, well everyone except for the green party guy who kept repeating something that for some reason no one could counter - that the rich in California pay a lower tax rate than the rest. Humm. Some of the knockout hammer slaps issued by Tom where, for example, the ONLY statement opposing Illegal immigration- " .. we have millions willing to abide by our immigration laws but, Illegal Immigration is tantamount to cutting in line. Another crushing blow by Tom was:" People are taking their families and companies from beautiful California to the middle of the desert because of the Davis administration. Wow. He was the only one who even pronouned the words Pro Life, all the others where silent, except for Bustamonte who stated he was pro-choice. And then putting the last nail in Arnolds coffin, Tom stated in his closing remarks: He was the only one to pledge - No tax increase and also to cut spending.

Arnold showed complete disrespect to the debate process. Constantly interrupting Bustamonte and Arianna and engaging in Personal attacks on both of them. (Clearly Arianna attacked him personally also.) Arianna stated it well, "Ok Arnold, lets see which person with a foreign accent can speak loudest." If he thinks he'll be able to shout down all of them in Sacramento, he's nuts. During one of the Arnold/huffington skirmishes, Adriana told Arnold that is much ballyhood Help the Children Program that Arnold helped pass was nothing but a publicity stunt because it was not funded. Arnold then cut his own throat by replying that the bill had a spending trigger that would only activate once the budget woes were taken care of. Well, that means that his precious little bill will never get a cent! If he felt so strongly about the chlildren he would not have supported that spending trigger.

Its clear all the media is for Arnold. He was the only one given time after the debate on all the channels to explain how he felt after the debate. And Arnold may have realized he had not done well when he said that he hoped to work with Tom in Sacramento. That's if Tom will have him.

[Major_Risktaker]

Cruz Bustamante 26%
Arianna Huffington 4%
Tom McClintock 20%
Arnold Schwarzenegger 31%
Peter UN Camejo 19%

Poll

[hedgetrimmer]

If you want to corrupt the republican party from the inside out, you just put up a candidate like Arnold. He is " the only republican who can win". Once he gets in, the republican platform will be tilted leftward so that the more centrist can relate.

I have news for you. The centrists are the leftists from the old days and the leftists are unabashed communists(like camejo). Do you really want the republican party to become a tool of the leftists as the democratic party has? We need to vote on principle and not fall for the leftist scare rhetoric that a vote for McClintock is a vote for Bustamonte. That is pure and simple leftist propaganda meant to scare people into voting a certain way instead of encouraging them to vote on principle.

[pogo101]

why for Gods sake didn't someone call [Camejo] on it?

Because Camejo is irrelevant. The only thing that Tom and Arnold might have done is to point out that "Camejo, Cruz and Arianna all agree, Californians: Your taxes are too LOW. Funny. I think they're too HIGH."

[pogo101]

(re lazy eye) OK, no offense taken in any event. I have seen a lot of references to Tom's slight cross-eyed-ness ... and it's just silly. If one wished to say "It's irrelevant to me, but some superficial voters might actually care," I guess that's a little bit of an issue.

[knews_hound]

My glib observations...

Arnold was amazing; I didn’t think he had it in him to hit back at that shrill witch as well as he did. He had the best one liners, a smooth (for Arnold) delivery and a commanding presence compared to the rest. His answers were gauged to please as many people as possible, not specify in detail what goes where, not the right forum for that. Hit this Debate out of the park

knews hounds prediction; Arnold rises to near plurality in the votes and the Election is almost over.

Tom was good, but tended to do the AlGore thing with "I proposed this legislation" or "as you know I led the opposition to that proposal" and tended to get bogged down in details. He is doing a white paper, not a dissertation. That being said, his common sense answers on immigration sounded more grounded in common sense than the others.

knews hounds prediction; Tom drops 3 points in polls, stays in race. Commits political suicide in the process.

Bustamonte was long winded, a smooth, practiced, politician that reassured only the illegal immigrants in the crowd. His syrup smooth delivery and nonthreatening manner spell doom for him in the election.

knews hounds prediction; stays in office until dumped in last election by Dem Machinery. Pensioned off to obscure Dem dominated panel or commission.

Huffington was amazing, not quite aware that she was not drinking coffee with her fellow members of the local "cell" she went off on the Bush administration and not Davis. The one and only time I saw the Moderator specifically give time to respond to a personal attack was from that harpy and Arnold ate her alive. She played the class warfare angle well for her side, and almost seemed to make some sort of sense until you thought about it. In the end, she seemed to be just a minor distraction, every circus needs a clown.

knews hounds prediction; she takes her 1% showing in the general election as a mandate to switch sides completely to the Dems, goes on talking head shows to deride huge Bush conspiracy in Calif election.

Camejo was the comic relief. His message of Corporate criminality must have been a real eye opener to every Contractor, Supplier or Vendor to the state who would have to think long and hard before doing business with an administration that was literally gunning for them. His semi-Alliance with the Shrew was revealing in itself and he was unyielding in his application of more nanny state socialism doomed him.

knews hounds prediction; has the Howard Dean vote sewn up. Polls his usual 3% and is from here on referred to as "former Gubernatorial Candidate, Peter Camejo" which gives him additional dignity in the eyes of the public to spew more Final Solutions to the States problems.

I call em as I see em.

Cheers,


knews hound

[Dave S]

McClintock will not withdraw; he could have burried Arnold tonight but he held back.

I agree. McClintock has seen the writing on the wall. He knows that Issa is coming out for Arnold tomorrow. I think he believes that his voters are smart enough to switch to Arnold if its a choice between Arnold and Bustamante. He's just not going to pull his name from the race. Its too late anyway. The ballot is printed. But if he was serious about fighting Arnold tooth and nail all the way to the election, he would have hit Arnold much tougher than he did. He went after Davis and the Dems much more tonight. I underestimated the guy.

[TomasUSMC]

Tom didn't hold back. He crushed Arnold on the loaded Illegal Immigration question. But hey you support Illegal Immigration. Tom smelted the terminator on Pro Life, Arnold was silent on that, but maybe your for killing unborn babies. Tom came out in favor of the 2nd Amendment, Arnold was to busy playing games with his girl friend, but then you are probably against the 2nd amendment. Which must be why you are for Arnold. I am ProLife, ProGun, Anti- Illegal Immigrant and the only person at the debate like that was Tom.

[TomasUSMC]

Yep, I think so also. Tom should have defended Bush right away, but I do think Arnold did get after that woman at least once when she mentioned Bush, although he might have been a little too out of breath to reply forcefully.

[Porterville]

maybe your for killing unborn babies

Dead babies!!! Dead babies!!! Dead babies!! Damn your shrill, you sure you are a marine and not a Navy man???

[TomasUSMC]

Now that would be a real victory. Republicans winning placing 2nd, and the dem third.

[Dusty Rose]

I thought Arnold appeared a little ill-at-ease, and somewhat pressured, especially for an actor. But I am comparing him to McClintock who really seemed cool and together and looked like he should be Governor. Based on how he handled himself and clearly distinguished his positions from the others, McClintock was the winner.

[ArneFufkin]

Your punditry is on life support.

[Pompah]

Goes like this; dimocrats,and other non-thinkers just LOVE
the "Pop Culture".
This whole thing is about Pop Culture.

Bottomline; Tom ain't got it. Arnold is nothing but.

[roadcat]

"If Gary Coleman were to look as though he might win the election, Arianna would find a way to hump the little bastard before the election, and try to become California's first lady."

Well I was leaning towards Arnie or Tom but might switch to Gary Coleman just to see this combination!

If Arnie and Tom both stay in the race maybe we should vote No on the recall and Yes on Arnie, like Issa suggests?

[Torie]

Good post and take I suspect.

[TomasUSMC]

Yes I am sure. What are you sure of?

[Petronski]

Oh good, a really well-written, worthwhile, well-reasoned vanity............oh, nevermind.

Keep the day job...................NEXT!

[Robert_Paulson2]

so you actually believe mcclintock will stay in after tonight's debate?

I think he is out of there... he's gone. In fact, I would like him to stay in till some time next week..
and if not, Arnie will still win.

Tom is not electable. That has been the common wisdom for weeks.

[Roscoe]

so you actually believe mcclintock will stay

You want to play "chicken" with Tom McClintock?

[pogo101]

so you actually believe mcclintock will stay in after tonight's debate?

Yes -- but remember that McClintock has stated in numerous interviews that (I'm paraphrasing), "There's no need for me to drop out because, if my supporters believe that it's more important to stop Cruz than to elect me, then they'll do THAT on their own, without my needing to drop out."