[ambrose]

ping

[Tempest]

A recent LA Times poll has revealed that Tom McClintock's chances of winning the election are about on par with this chap.

On Saturday, Bustamante publicly applauded McClintock's tenacity and said the state senator was the only one with momentum in the race.

``He's left him alone, as well he should,'' Democratic consultant Gale Kaufman said of Bustamante's treatment of McClintock. ``As long as he stays in the race, it helps Cruz Bustamante.''

California Democratic Party chairman Art Torres, who in recent public appearances has also praised McClintock, agrees with the strategy: ``When you have a potential to be elected governor with a small percentage of the vote, it makes sense.''

Source: http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/6881429.htm

Go Tom... Go . . .

[BonnieJ]

His comment about being recognized by people from other states is very telling. He is star-struck...with himself. All these years of obscurity and suddenly he's famous. It won't last but he's thrilled now and refuses to let it go. Or to see its real origins.

[CheneyChick]

Dunno, ambrose, the more I read about this guy, the more questions I have.... He seems to like the role of the lone maverick. Like it or not, this doesn't work in politics if you want to get things done. You need to be able to work well with others. This troubles me - especially for future campaigns and political aspirations he might have (as you know, I've already made my choice on this election). While I like his ideas, his methodology leaves serious doubts.

(Plus, I'm still waiting for him to answer what he meant by "spoiler" in his conversation with Issa.)

[Capitalist Eric]

McClintock shrugs off these kinds of predictions as "terrorist threats" from people who've never liked him anyway, and repeats his vow to race to the finish.

This is the key sentence. Of course he never heard the expression,

"Politicians never see the light until they feel the heat..."

By the time he feels the real heat from jeopardizing this election- regardless of whether Schwarzenegger wins- it will be too late... His political career is finished. I hope he's updated his resume', because he will be terminated...

[Ronin]

Barring a smoking gun with Arnold's prints on it, there is no way that McClintok is going to pull enough votes to win. You can sit down and do the math anyway you want to, but unless you are using "Million Man Math" it just doesn't compute.

Unless, of course, there is a campaign-busting scandal out there with Arnold's name on it, and Tom is just waiting for Davis to spring it.

If there is, and he knows what it is, he also knows that Davis will use it. That's a pretty safe bet. Davis wins elections by going negative and showing no mercy. It's the way he has always (as near as I can tell) won.

Bustamante is already fading. He was never much of an attraction anyhow. So, forget him. Now, what's left?

Here's my theory in a nutshell.

McClintok is staying in because he expects Arnold to be terminated politically by Davis, but at the same time he expects Davis to suffer politically for the use of his negative ads.

This will leave him as the only undamaged candidate on the field to whom all the Republicans will flock to on election day.

Too wild? Hmmmm... maybe I need another layer of tinfoil...

[Monty22]

How does this guy think he has a chance in hell, if so many freepers can't stand him even.

I have to words for McClintock's adventures: Career suicide.

[GeronL]

what is he spoiling? He's just trying to give Californians someone they can vote for if they are conservative. Since he is the only conservative in the race he can't spoil anything. Maybe the Green party is spoiling it for Cruz or something?

[L.N. Smithee]

"It's called candidate-itis, and it's a severe disease," Hoffenblum said. "What he badly misreads is how much Republicans want this win, and how Tom appears at times to be in the way."

Who are the "Republicans" he is referring to? No candidate has more grass roots support than McClintock. He has just passed Huffington among all contenders in total number of individual donors, and Tom has a lower percentage of out-of-state donors than any candidate.

Seems like the "Republicans" Hoffenblum is talking about are the same ones that wanted to make Dick RINOrdan Governor. As I have said before, Karl Rove and the CA GOP money men tried to shove Riordan down conservatives' throats, and he was spit back in their faces.

[ConservativeStandUP]

Questions/Observations for McClintock and Co.

1. He hates the 'country club republicans.' Tom, what's with the class envy? Don't give me the core principles crap, he keeps specifically attacking country club republicans, how's he gonna get elected without them?

2. Cruz Bustamante hasn't attacked him. That tells me that Cruz' internal polls show this guy is a joke candidate, ie. not a threat. Reminiscent of when Bush DIDNT attack NADER in 2000, Bush's people knew he was hurting Gore more than Bush.

3. Arianna hasn't attacked him. Arianna is a paid shill for Gray Davis, in exchange for the California Franchise Tax Board NOT investigating her tax evasion. Conclusion, he's not a threat to even Arianna.

4. Tom is popular in other states! HELLO!How many votes does that mean for him?

5. Tom has become a 'conservative icon.' COME ON Already, he's been a factor for a month. This is the kind of thinking that says The White Stripes or the Strokes (two ridiculously trendy rock bands) are the new Rolling Stones.

6.It's gonna be funny watching the implosion, if I lived in Arizona or Nevada, I'd get ready for a surge in home prices, sell and immediately depart from the new state of EAST California!

[tkathy]

It's quite obvious that McC sees a future as a talking head on TV and probably a book in the offing while portraying victimhood of the vast moderate conspiracy.

[Amelia]

I hope this doesn't end up being the debacle for the CA GOP that it looks like it could be.

I surely will be glad when it's over, though. Those of us on the East Coast are getting real tired of the news being California recall, 24/7.

[RGSpincich]

McClintock shrugs off these kinds of predictions as "terrorist threats" from people who've never liked him anyway, and repeats his vow to race to the finish. "I've always found wisdom in the motto on Davy Crocket's pocketwatch that was found in the debris of the Alamo," McClintock said, "'Be sure you're right, and go ahead."'

Come on. I would like to leave him alone and let him run but... don't you think his self-portrait of fighting terrorists at the Alamo is just a bit over the top?

[DoctorZIn]

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[Question_Assumptions]

If Arnold gets slammed by Democrats in the final few days (I'm sure they are sitting on some juicy allegations) and loses his support or has to drop out, this will look brilliant. If both stay in and the Dems win, it may not look so brilliant.