Will Schwarzenegger now be another Reagan or Ventura?

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ^ | October 11, 2003 | Jon Sawyer

[John Jorsett]

WASHINGTON - Arnold Schwarzenegger's election as California governor is the most spectacular success of an outsider non-politician in decades, probably since the election to the same office by fellow actor Ronald Reagan in 1966.

But while Schwarzenegger's triumph marks another big leap in the "celebrification" of American politics, less clear is how contagious California's voter anger is likely to be - and whether the moment is similarly ripe for a celebrity outsider on the national stage. Schwarzenegger could, like Reagan, confound his critics and prove a successful consensus governor. Or he might instead follow the meteoric trajectory of his friend and fellow celebrity Jesse Ventura, who startled the nation by winning the governorship of Minnesota in 1998 and then fizzled out, once in power.

[John Jorsett]

Maybe he'll be Schwarzenegger. Or is that too radical a thought? These comparisons are too "The Player" for me: "It's Godzilla meets The Candidate" "It's Pumping Iron meets Bob Roberts." Give me a break.

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[Bob Eimiller]

He will be a VENTURA...Ronald Reagan was PRO LIFE! REAGAN was a social conservative as well as a physcal conservative... and...Arnold has "lady killer" Ted whispering in his ear.

[concerned about politics]

those who see California's recall as part of a much larger trend................... It's the latent desire among the public throughout the country for a change from politics as usual.

Let us pray. I'd love to see a few more generations voting the Republicans into the majority.

[South40]

Arnold discovers FReeRepublic.

[Cacophonous]

California gets what it deserves.

[concerned about politics]

"And just like Gray Davis was in trouble I think George Bush is, too," Gephardt adds. "So I think the California election is a precursor of what will happen to George Bush in 2004."

He wishes.

THE PRESS needs to run Bush's campain speech, where he warned the voters a recession was on the way - DURING the Clinton presidency - BEFORE Bush was elected. The Democrats lied about it, just like Davis lied about it.

Both Bush and Arnold are in the same boat. Both inherited a financial mess. Both will work hard to fix it.
Cleaning up the sludge after a Democrat isn't easy. They really screw things up - "Big time."

[Cicero]

He certainly isn't Ronald Reagan. I hope he isn't Jessie Ventura. We'll see.

[Jumpmaster]

To Darrell West, a political scientist at Brown University and co-author of a new book called "Celebrity Politics," Schwarzenegger's election is the latest instance of a phenomenon that stretches back to the early 1960s and the emergence of political leaders like John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

"What changed in 1960 was that it was really the start of the television era," West said, "which opened up opportunities for celebrities. The political system moved closer to the world of entertainment and having good media skills became a real asset."

Anybody recall Warren Beaty's celeb success as a candidate?

[A CA Guy]

I think he will be himself, but very bold.

[Tamzee]

Cute post.... but I think it would all depend on which thread Arnold happened to read first ;-)

[GraniteStateConservative]

He will shine a bright light on Sacramento and Dem obstruction and excess. No other candidate could have done that.

[Sursum Corda]

He will certainly not be a Reagan.

As to whether he 'rises' to Ventura heights, only time will tell.

Regardless, getting into bed with RINo's is rarely a positive experience.

Sursum Corda

[Malcolm]

Gawd, not another Ventura I hope. That's been done before, with negative results, (except for views of 3rd party cheerleaders). 3rd party ofc holders, in the isolated instances when they CAN gain ofc, have no support in the legislature, or are nutjobs, and thusly their time is ofc is a waste for all concerned. AS will NOT be another Reagan, as he is not conservative enough, but he is much better than Gray Davis, but it was either him or Bustamante, a fact that neither the 3rd party movement, nor their cousins, the intolerant ideologues, cannot concede.

AS will be great if he is able to blame any lack of progress on the Dem legislature, or is able to force through the needed reforms on the first try. LOL, I don't believe that last senario will happen; the Dems are much too arrogant to except what the people have just said to them via this election. But anything is possible, even productive actions from Dems. However, I would have to see that one to believe it.....

[dano1]

I'd love to see a few more generations voting the Republicans into the majority.

Maybe this election is a bellweather that the two-party system is really beginning to crumble.