George F. Will: Political earthquake in California? GOP underdog could win governorship

The Union Leader (N. H.) ^ | Thursday, Oct. 17, 2002 | George F. Will

[heleny]

LAST SATURDAY morning, after another pratfall in a star-crossed, accident-prone and banana-peel-strewn campaign, a nevertheless ebullient Bill Simon, Republican candidate for governor in a state (California) that has not voted for a Republican Presidential or senatorial candidate since 1988 or for a Republican gubernatorial candidate since 1994, said: “We’re close.” Noting the incredulity of his interlocutor, he added: “I swear.”

[heleny]

If, say, 10 days before Nov. 5 headlines proclaim the race tied, Davis probably will become California’s first governor in 60 years to be denied a second term. This is a tribute to Davis’ remarkable ability to arouse in the electorate a longing to vote for almost anyone else.

19 days left, and Mr. Simon is closing the gap!

In 1966 another rookie running for governor, Ronald Reagan, revived the Republicans’ successful 1946 slogan “Had enough?” Simon’s billboards say: “Had enough? Fire Davis.”

I've had enough! Fire Davis!

[EternalVigilance]

Electing Bill Simon would be the first step back from the socialist hell the Democrats have been dragging the great State of California down into.

Much is going to be required to undo so much mayhem, but leadership is the first requirement...on the part of Bill Simon and his people, yes...but more importantly by conservatives.

With a bit less than 3 weeks to go, it is crucial that every one of us get on the phones, plant signs, pass out literature, volunteer to watch polls, give money...whatever you can do, do it now...there is no tomorrow, if you really want to take this great country back from the corrupt and destructive Democrats.

EV

[bonesmccoy]

What have you done to help get Simon elected governor?

Bones: Are you voting for Simon?

Guy: I dunno... what's going on with that $65 million dollar penalty against Simon?

Bones: That was overturned by a judge because the plantiff was a convicted drug felon and escaped notice by the accounting firm HIRED BY Simon's firm. It sucked for Simon. I heard him explain it all on the radio this afternoon. He got sued by a drug king pin that he fired. Then, the jury actually found for the druggy.

Guy: That sucks. That guy Davis is evil.

Bones: Yep. That bad campaign ad is evil.

Guy: He's going to need prayer. We should pray for him.

Bones: Ya dude... vote on Nov. 5!

Guy: Cool. I'll tell other guys too.

On November 5, REAL AMERICANS take back California!
HIRE SIMON NOW!

[EternalVigilance]

Electing Bill Simon would be the first step back from the socialist hell the Democrats have been dragging the great State of California down into.

Much is going to be required to undo so much mayhem, but leadership is the first requirement...on the part of Bill Simon and his people, yes...but more importantly by conservatives.

With a bit less than 3 weeks to go, it is crucial that every one of us get on the phones, plant signs, pass out literature, volunteer to watch polls, give money...whatever you can do, do it now...there is no tomorrow, if you really want to take this great country back from the corrupt and destructive Democrats.

EV

[heleny]

plant signs

I never posted signs before, and when they offered signs at the Simon rally last weekend, I only took two without frames to hang on my apartment -- one in front and one on the opposite side. (so far, they're still hanging nicely despite the liberal environment. And, it's a good thing they're plastic: it rained a little tonight.) On my return after the rally, I saw so many potential sign places near the freeway exits, major intersections, etc. I immediately regretted not taking more signs. Lost opportunities!

I talked to a few college students, and most didn't plan to vote. Many had bought into all the negative news and ads they had seen. Some said they hadn't decided. None were enthusiastic about Davis, but I'm not sure I persuaded them to vote for Simon (or to vote at all).

volunteer to watch polls

How do you do that or what do you do there? What do you look out for? I've never even been to the polls. Can one watch without officially volunteering, or can one watch a polling place that's not his own registered polling place?

[mississippi red-neck]

Simon says, he has been battered by more than four months of negative ads — $22 million worth —

I'm surprized that they can list all of his bad points for such a meager sum.

[heleny]

I'm surprized that they can list all of his bad points for such a meager sum.

You're writing about gray Davis, right? Bill Simon hasn't spent that much money against Davis, whose record is so awful that the negative facts are unenumerable. Davis has had to invent negative accusations against Simon to keep news away from Davis' awful record.

Go here for more information:
eGray
Fire Davis
Simon for Governor

Or search FR for more news.

You might not have gotten a chance to meet Mr. Simon, since Mississippi is awfully far from here, but you can view the debate on his webpage. The LA Times also recently had a comparison of the two main candidates. Mr. Simon is the real thing -- friendly, smart, reliable, hard-working, and a real leader. Mr. Davis, in contrast, is cold, calculating, and not dependable unless you pay enormous amounts of money.

Here in CA, we've had enough: enough of a liberal spending explosion, enough of liberal social engineering, enough of the failing schools, enough of the tax hikes, enough of the traffic jams, and enough of the electricity blackouts. In short, we've had enough of almost every aspect of davis' failed regime. Fire Davis!

[RonDog]

EXCELLENT find, heleny!

George Will agrees: We WILL "Dump DAVIS!"

See also:

"Dump DAVIS!" rally (with DUMP TRUCK) at the Capitol in Sacramento on SATURDAY (10/19) 1 pm – 3 pm
VIDEO): Dump Davis Freep featuring the eGray Hooker and a cast of dozens - October 5, 2002 ^ | October 15, 2002 | RonDog, Saundra Duffy, daviddennis - and YOU!
Posted on 10/15/2002 10:46 PM Pacific by RonDog

(for immediate release)

Help us "FIRE Gray Davis!"

Members of the conservative news forum www.FreeRepublic.com
request the honor of your presence
at a
"Dump DAVIS!" rally (with DUMP TRUCK)
on the South Steps of the Capitol
in Sacramento
THIS SATURDAY (10/19/02) from 1 pm to 3 pm

(Get YOUR picture taken with the "Dump DAVIS!" DUMP TRUCK!!!)


(Note: This DUMP TRUCK image - courtesy of FReeper Carry_Okie
is NOT the actual truck that we will have in Sacramento, but it DOES look MARVELOUS!)
OUR "Dump DAVIS!" DUMP TRUCK will be NEWER, and even BIGGER than this one!!

Scheduled to attend this historic event:

The "eGray Hooker" - a Gray Davis look-alike dressed as a male prostitute
"Superman SIMON" - a Bill Simon look-alike dressed like Clark Kent becoming Superman

Jim Robinson - the founder of Free Republic
Eric Hogue - with KTKZ 1380-AM in Sacramento (subject to last-minute family concerns)
FR's own daviddennis - videographer extraordinaire, who will be filming a documentary of the event

Come and see the "Dump DAVIS!" DUMP TRUCK!!!
Please bring LOTS of pro-Simon, anti-Davis signs, posters and banners!
Hear many EXTRAORDINARY speakers!

What a WONDERFUL way to get FIRED UP
for our "Get Out The Vote" efforts
over the last few CRITICAL weeks until Election Day!

If YOU cannot be there in person at our rally
please TELL YOUR FRIENDS
and watch for the DOCUMENTARY VIDEO - which will be posted HERE!

Please ALSO join us
for FOOD, FELLOWSHIP and FReep VIDEOS at a

Post-FReep PARTY
(free - buy your own food/drinks)
at the
Hyatt Regency Sacramento!

more

[Roscoe]

Can you imagine the hysteria at the LAT if that happened?

[RonDog]

In 1966 another rookie running for governor, Ronald Reagan, revived the Republicans’ successful 1946 slogan "Had enough?"
Simon’s billboards say: "Had enough? Fire Davis."

Please help us SPREAD THE WORD about our "Dump DAVIS!" FReep - in SACRAMENTO (10/19)!

...to see what bad, bad things Davis has done... CLICK HERE!

LOL!

Click on that link for a VIDEO version of www.eGray.org - set to music!

We now have some GREAT sign ideas for the FReep:

FIRE GRAY DAVIS!
and
He did a bad, bad, thing.

See also:

"Dump DAVIS!"
Get the FACTS
about our "Pay for Play" governor at:
www.eGray.org

"We, the people of the State of California,
refuse to take it any longer;
we will fire Gray Davis on November 5th."
from
www.FIREdavis.com

The "DumpDAVIS"/"FIRE Gray DAVIS" FReep in SACRAMENTO will be:

Saturday (10/19) - 1 pm to 3 pm
- on the South Steps of the Capitol building in Sacramento

FReepers from all across California will gather on the Capitol Steps to "Dump DAVIS!"

Jim Robinson will be there.

Eric Hogue with Sacramento radio station KTKZ 1380-AM will be there - subject to family concerns.

theme: "Dump DAVIS"/"FIRE Gray Davis"
(Get your picture taken in front of a GIANT "dump truck!")

And, join us for a post-FReep PARTY at the Hyatt Regency:

Good food, GREAT fellowship, and daviddennis FReep videos on their BIG SCREEN TV!

See also this MONSTER billboard on the south side of the westbound 10 freeway in downtown Los Angeles:

I will have the "little brother" of that MONSTER sign in Sacramento for the FReep.

(MINE is ten feet by three feet.)

[mississippi red-neck]

Exactly my point. Gay Davis is a louse. He has so many bad points I don't think you could list them all for $22 million. Go Simon! Good luck, heleny! MSN

[mississippi red-neck]

Sorry heleny. Just checked my earlier posts and seen my error. My remarks are directed at Davis. I have followed his career as do a lot of the people in this area because California is such an important state when it comes to national politics.

Sorry for the error, thanks for the correction, I guess I stayed up too late, it's almost 4 a.m. Don't tell my wife. ; ) MSN

[Caipirabob]

Much is going to be required to undo so much mayhem...

This is the trick, isn't it? My fear, like what I felt in 1999 and early 2000, is that so much damage has been done we'll be seeing the impact of it for years. Plenty of time to blame it on Simon. California is so beautiful and that may offset the years of pain it is about to endure.

[RonDog]

I guess that George Will's work is copyrighted by the L.A. Times/Washington Post, so we are NOT allowed to post the full text of it here. :(

To read the ENTIRE article, please go to the ORIGINAL at:

http://www.unionleader.com/articles_show.html?article=14972

[GOPJ]

bump

[Miss Marple]

Good news, RonDog! I'm rooting for you guys!

[gridlock]

I would happily eat my hat!

[EternalVigilance]

1. Pick out the method by which you can win the maximum number of votes in the next couple of weeks, and do it with all your might.

2. Find out who is running your local get-out-the-vote effort, and help them. If it isn't getting done in your locale, get in there and make it happen yourself.

3. Make sure that your county GOP stands completely ready to watch every move the Dems make. If they're not, make lots of noise til they are.

Here are a few things we are doing and recommending:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/754596/posts

If you or anyone needs any advice as you do the above, FReepmail me, and I'll try and help.

EV

[Republic]

I pray that Simon wins this govenor's race.

[Libloather]

Bump...