Bush Declines to Share Stage with Simon at Hispanic Event

The Washington Times ^ | August 23, 2002 | Ralph Z. Hallow

[rightwing2]

President Bush will appear at two private fund-raising events for California gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon today, but he will not share the stage with the aspiring politician when he addresses Hispanic community leaders in Santa Ana, just south of Los Angeles.

[rightwing2]

The inside story which I heard on talk radio coming into work this morning is that Simon has been told by Bush's handlers that he will not be allowed to be seen with Bush at open-door events where the press will be present even at this own fundraisers. This is a critical strategic error by the Bushies in my judgment. The best thing to do to shore up the Simon campaign would be for Bush to appear publicly with Simon and express confidence in this excellent moderate conservative candidate for California.

The RNC was reportedly commissioned by the Bush Administration to do a secret poll to determine whether Simon is still competitive with the very corrupt Gov. "Red" Davis. The results of this poll are already known to the White House, but will not likely be made public. The fact that Bush is snubbing Simon at his own open-door fundraisers seems indicative of the possibility that Bush has already made the decision to abandon the Simon campaign as political roadkill even though Simon has run the most competitive gubernatorial campaign of any Republican nominee since Pete Wilson in 1994. I must say, as a near lifelong resident of California, I am suppressing a lot of anger here against Bush and his mushy moderate advisors like Card and Rove for even considering abandoning the Simon campaign over one bad poll after he has been leading Davis in a liberal Democrap state for almost the entire campaign!

[rightwing2]

I guess this Bush's apparent plan to abandon the Simon campaign is being made with the same rationale as his abandonment of the Earley campaign for Governor of Virginia last year. Earley was trailing his Democrap opponent by five points therefore the Bushies decided that he could not win even though subsequent polling data proves that had Bush campaigned with him and/or done a TV commercial with him, he would have and my new home state of Virginia would not be suffering under a Democrat Governor and Lt Governor today. The truth is that Simon can still win this race, but he will not be able to do so without Bush's continued visible support.

[Coop]

Ummm, did you really expect not to see stories like this? Whether they're true or not is completely irrelevant, frankly. Folks are gonna believe what they want to believe. The Prez committed to these fundraisers, and not to the other appearance. He may want to limit exposure with Simon, I dunno. Or there may well be another reason.

The fact is if Bush were abandoning Simon he would not be wasting his time out in CA. There are other very competitive races around the country. And there was an article from last week stating Dubya and Karl Rove both think Simon can still win - which makes sense, given Davis' pathetic poll numbers.

"Inside story" from talk radio, huh? LOL And regarding that poll, the one initially reported on via the Wash Times was supposedly cancelled due to the publicity. (Although I'm quite certain someone, somewhere within the GOP has commissioned another one.) But assuming all decisions are only based on that one bad poll, let's take a look at it. It's from a Dem firm, so you can swing the results a couple of points in Simon's favor (just like you could do for Davis if it were a GOP firm). And given all Davis' money he spent on attack ads and all Simon's negative press, Davis still can't break 48%.

48%.

48%!

This race ain't over.

[section9]

I don't blame the Bushies one damn bit.

Simon has run one of the most incompetent campaigns in the History of Man.

Torie told us that the wheels were going to come off this guy's campaign but no one would listen. Simon didn't prepare the campaign and the public for the fraud verdict and it hit him like a bolt out of the blue. He should have seen this coming. Now a President who is campaigning against corporate fraud is supposed to get onstage with a guy whose company just got hit with a fraud verdict? You Simon supporters out in CA need to live in the real world.

This guy has convinced me throughout this summer that he can't even run his own campaign. Gray Davis gave him the gift of being a Ronald Reagan for the 21st century, and instead, we get amateur night. I know that Simon is an honest guy. I know that he is not a crook. That does not matter! Perception is what matters in California broadcast politics, and a jury hit Simon's company with a $78 million dollar fraud judgement.

That is all that matters to Joe Sixpack, Itinerant Voter.

At one time, when Simon had promise, his campaign deserved support. But it has been so amateurish, so inept, so bungling, and so clown car, that Bush is wise to keep as much distance from this bozo as possible.

I am pissed off at Simon beyond measure! I know just how bad Gray Davis has been for California and California's future. This guy ran an insurgent conservative campaign with a fraud case hanging over his head and didn't let anyone know about it! Simon played right into Gray Davis' hands, allowing Grayout to talk fraud and make it an issue instead of his own sorry record as Governor.

The object of the exercise was to take the Governor's mansion to make California competitive in 2004. Simon has pissed that away with his incompetence and this damned fraud decision. He knew it was out there, and he chose to run anyway. He shouldn't have. Now a reasonable chance for Bush in California has been turned into an uphill battle once again. Only Bush's popularity as a person, his persona as a Commander, and his ability to connect with ordinary people will give him a chance in California.

At one time, I would have saved my rage for the likes of Pete Wilson, who singlehandedly drove the Republican Party out of power in California. Now, I'm not so sure.

Kudos to Bush for sending a message to Simon: no Bozos need apply.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[rightwing2]

According to multiple articles in the Washington Times over the past couple of weeks the same poll cancelled a couple of weeks ago due to uwanted publicity was recommissioned with the results to be known to the White House before the President comes to California. When asked whether Bush was on the verge of abandoning the Simon campaign, Bush's Chief of Staff said he was attending the fundraisers because he committed to doing them. In other words, Bush at that time was reserving judgment on whether to abandon it pending results of the poll which he has presumably already seen. The fact that after receiving the poll, he still does not want to be Simon is rather telling, I should think. I never said Simon couldn't win this race. I said I think he could and probably would, but he can't win without Bush's active involvement.

[eureka!]

"This race ain't over."

Not by a long shot. I am a little surprised if this story is correct. Were it not the Washington Times, I would say, we'll see. Because the election is still so far away (and the pubbies' push for Hispanic voters which share the same values in large part) this seems to be more than a bit silly. W will not suffer because of photo ops with Simon and Simon will obviously benefit. Just plain weird....

[Coop]

Torie told us that the wheels were going to come off this guy's campaign but no one would listen.

Torie?!? Try half of Free Republic. But don't give them too much credit. Folks have been whining about this campaign from the beginning, completely ignoring the fact that Simon led in NINE DIFFERENT POLLS. But folks like you simply will not let up. Why look at the positive aspects of the campaign (and yes, there have been many), when you can constantly harp on the negatives? (And then in November say how disappointed you are.)

If some of you would wake up and look around, the incumbent is still VERY vulnerable.

[section9]

Unh unh.

I live in Florida. Jeb knows how to run a decent campaign. He's been out there working the hustings since the Spring, leaving nothing to chance! Simon has been the Invisible Candidate, allowing Davis to saturate the airways with lies and innuendo.

Simon had his chance against a candidate with some the highest negatives since they polled the Anti-Defamation League about Hitler. He found a way to piss it all away.

As they say, It Takes a Villiage Idiot...

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Dog Gone]

I know from personal knowledge that Bush does NOT like surprises, and when someone screws up, he's not going to cover for them.

Remember Linda Chavez?

[lavaroise]

I think Republicans are going to have to accept that mediatic imperfection is normal. They are all acting so neurotic and bipolar with those polls and this media, they look insecure and voters can smell that from far away. Bob Dole was a similar disaster.

[rightwing2]

Simon has run one of the most incompetent campaigns in the History of Man. This guy has convinced me throughout this summer that he can't even run his own campaign. Gray Davis gave him the gift of being a Ronald Reagan for the 21st century, and instead, we get amateur night…At one time, when Simon had promise, his campaign deserved support. But it has been so amateurish, so inept, so bungling, and so clown car, that Bush is wise to keep as much distance from this bozo as possible...I am pissed off at Simon beyond measure! I know just how bad Gray Davis has been for California At one time, I would have saved my rage for the likes of Pete Wilson, who singlehandedly drove the Republican Party out of power in California. Now, I'm not so sure.

Settle down, friend. Simon is the good guy here and he has run an excellent and very nearly flawless campaign until now. I don’t know where you get off calling him an incompetent bozo. His only mistake thus far has been this fraud case judgment against his company, not against him that was instigated by Governor Davis as a dirty trick. Davis was scared that Simon would beat him and they found a Democrap partisan drug dealing felon who manufactured a bogus case against Simon’s firm and in today’s increasingly suit happy world actually won! Bush would be betraying all conservative Republicans in California were he to abandon Simon prematurely while he still has a good chance to beat Davis for the Governorship of California.

By the way, Wilson for all of his faults was the best thing that happened to California during his eight years as Governor. He won two convincing and overwhelming victories over his Democrat opponents and had he been permitted to run for a third term, he would have completely squished “Red” Davis like the bug that he is. Wilson’s tough and courageous anti-affirmative action, anti-illegal immigration stands proved winning issues for Republicans in 1994 and 1996. The California Republican Party has been lost without him since the Democrat takeover of the state in 1998.

[Theodore R.]

Sometimes it does seem that the only people the Bushes support are the Bushes themselves. I would imagine that G.W. thinks Simon is a loser, and the Bushes, who have had their share of defeats, don't like to appear with "losers." They want what GHWB called the "big momentum." Probably G.W. thinks he can easily be reelected without liberal CA.

[rightwing2]

Simon has been the Invisible Candidate, allowing Davis to saturate the airways with lies and innuendo.

Considering that he is badly overmatched with Davis's sleazy $50 million campaign warchest thanks in large part to Bush's early endorsement and recruitment of Richard Riorden and his subsequent defeat, it would be idiotic for him to waste his money on TV commericials before Election Day and then run out of money a few weeks before the election. Accordingly, I think your criticism of Simon is way out of line.

[Coop]

Simon had his chance against a candidate with some the highest negatives since they polled the Anti-Defamation League about Hitler. He found a way to piss it all away.

Oh, I'm sorry. Is it November already??

You sure love to type. It's just a darn shame you couldn't have used all your time and energy to support this campaign, especially when times were good. But you have no problems at all piling on when times are tough. The real problem isn't Bill Simon (though he certainly has made some mistakes) - it's the incredible pessimism and laziness and oh so many Republicans and conservatives.

[Coop]

I know from personal knowledge that Bush does NOT like surprises, and when someone screws up, he's not going to cover for them.

Then why not simply come up with a scheduling conflict and cancel the fundraisers?

[Scholastic]

Bret S. in NJ was the real horror of that election. George the Lesser was AWOL for both Early and Bret long before 9-11, not that I am defending Early. George the Lesser has no desire to elect conservatives and Im wating for him to stup for Ted Kennedy and Geroge Miller the way he did for Pete L. in Texas.

[Coop]

George the Lesser has no desire to elect conservatives and Im wating for him to stup for Ted Kennedy and Geroge Miller the way he did for Pete L. in Texas.

You know, if you and others repeat this garbage 500 more times, maybe then it will actually become true! In the meantime Bush has stumped for Simon, Thune, and many other conservatives.

[gaspar]

Rudy Giuliani (his friend) will do more for Simon than Bush will. No surprise there. Bush doesn't waste time on underdogs, the West, or party building, and in that sense he emulates both Eisenhower and his father.

[Common Tator]

This is a critical strategic error by the Bushies in my judgment. The best thing to do to shore up the Simon campaign would be for Bush to appear publicly with Simon and express confidence in this excellent moderate conservative candidate for California.

Does anyone really think the last scandal concerning Bill Simon has been revealed? People who do shady crooked deals don't do just one and quit. They do lots of them. Anyone who has been half way around the block knows that Davis is likely saving the best scandals until just weeks before the election. Bet the farm that both Bush and Davis know what other skeletons are in Bill Simon's business closet. Bush does not want any media pictures of he and Simon to be in the presses hands when the other scandals break. There would be the stories that Bush knew what Simon had done, and still appeared with him.

It is very likely that in the weeks just before the election there will be more scandals revealed about Bill Simon.

Simon knows what he has done. He knew what has and what will be comming down. But like many such artists, he believes he could con his way out of trouble. There are always a number of poor souls who stick with men like Simon until the bitter end. The voters will not.

Just remember on election day, that Gray Davis could not have been re-elected without Bill Simon's help.

[Dog Gone]

Then why not simply come up with a scheduling conflict and cancel the fundraisers?

Good question. He probably felt that he had made a promise which he would keep. I'm sure Bush still wants Simon elected, and there's certainly some truth to the assertion that he needed to make a non-campaign appearance to justify the expenses of this trip.

Both he and Simon will be at the event today, and that will attract an enthusiastic crowd. But Bush isn't going to give the press and the Democrats a photo-op to hammer Bush with. That wasn't part of the bargain.