Some see actor as star for GOP if elected governor - But they worry how successful he'll be in post

SFGate.com ^ | 10/3/03 | Carolyn Lochhead - SF Chronicle

[NormsRevenge]

Washington -- A growing giddiness is enveloping Washington Republicans about the prospect that the mother lode of national politics may lie within their grasp, just in time for the 2004 presidential election.

But this joy is tempered by considerable doubt about just what they might be getting in Arnold Schwarzenegger, who remains an unknown commodity -- and whose admission Thursday that he "behaved badly" toward women in the past strikes the wrong note for a party that trumpets family values and historically has not done well with female voters.

[NormsRevenge]

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[Eala]

the Times contends they did not come from any political camp.

Yeah, sure. See my tagline.

[Dog Gone]

There shouldn't be very high expectations for Arnold as Gubernator. No governor can fix California's budget problems in the near future. Davis has wrecked them for the forseeable future.

[billhilly]

The same thing was said of Ronald Reagan when he ran for governor. He did a pretty good job. I remember saying when he ran for president that he may get the nomination, but he could not win a general election. Boy, am I glad I was wrong, and to have lived in the Nation's Capitol metro area for those eight glorious years.

[John Jorsett]

Here we go. I see the theme for the next 3 years get its first voicing right here: "Yeah, he won, but he's a lousy governor." The Chronically Wrongical has its lips surgically grafted to the posterior of the Left Wing Crazies®.

[billhilly]

"The Chronically Wrongical has its lips surgically grafted to the posterior of the Left Wing Crazies®."

Let's concede that 90 percent of the media support democrats and crazy left wing thinking and "lifestyles." Who is the majority party, and why?

[FairOpinion]

"If Republicans fail to defeat Gov. Gray Davis, "They will be done in California for a decade," said former GOP national pollster Frank Luntz, cementing for Democrats the nation's biggest cache of electoral college votes for future presidential elections. "You would not just lose activists, you would lose donors, you would lose any interest in politics, if the recall fails," Luntz said.

But if Schwarzenegger wins, he said, "California is back in play for 2004."

Schwarzenegger's star power would be a huge asset for the GOP, party activists say, pointing to Rep. Sonny Bono, who when he was alive, proved one of the GOP's biggest fund-raisers, because people loved seeing a celebrity.

===

There is a great deal at stake. That is why the Dems are fighting tooth and nails and the Republicans need to decide whether they want a Republican or Democrat to win, with all the implications. (Hint for the McClintock Republicans)

[DoughtyOne]

The McClintock party is "hint" deaf. As I understand it they may not be "crowbar" deaf yet. ;-)

[My2Cents]

Oh, but didn't you hear? Arnold isn't a Republican. Sandra Duffy told me.

[jmstein7]

Big PING! This quote is right on! These McClintock voters need to look beyond their own noses at the bigger picture (and no, that was not a crack about McClintock's eyes).

[b9]

There is a great deal at stake

I hope every Republican voting on Tuesday realizes this, and how debilitating a landslide victory would be to the Dems, not to mention how it would avert claims of voter fraud.

To a tune from the immortal Joni Mitchell:

And the smearings, they go round and round,
and the tainted pollings go up and down...
we're captives in the lurid recall slime...

We have a chance to put Davis back
behind from where he came
and to lose this final round
in the Recall game.

[jmaroneps37]

Arnold can't really fail. How can I say that? Success and failure will be subtle enough to be in the eyes of the beholders. The people will have elected Arnold. ANYTHING AT ALL THAT HE DOES WELL will be greatly cheered because people will be cheering themselves for electing him.
Any failures will be forgiven for longer than the rat media will like.

[Oatka]

"Here we go. I see the theme for the next 3 years get its first voicing right here: "Yeah, he won, but he's a lousy governor."

I agree. What I get a kick out of it that they are already conceding defeat and retreating to their next line of defense.

[onyx]

Oh, but didn't you hear? Arnold isn't a Republican. Sandra Duffy told me.

Saundra "claimed" she supported Simon is his run against Davis --- Simon had endorsed Arnold --- methinks Saundra is not a Republican.

[nickcarraway]

Do you really believe that the Republican party is in that much trouble if they don't win this recall? This recall wasn't even supposed to be happen No matter what happens, Davis is extremely unpopular, Bustamente is unpopular, and the majority of Californians are voting for nonDemocrats. Even if the recall failed, or Bustamente wins, it's hardly an endorsment of Democrats.

[nickcarraway]

And don't forget, the recall never would have happened if it wasn't for the people being bashed here!

[Sabertooth]

(Hint for the McClintock Republicans)

Hint for you:

"What?"