Schwarzenegger's advantages make Angelides almost sympathetic

Scripps News ^ | July 9, 2006 | DAN WALTERS

[FairOpinion]

As politicians go, Phil Angelides isn't a particularly sympathetic figure. He's aggressive to the point of arrogance and often condescending and evasive about what he'd do if elected governor of California.

That said, one could almost feel sorry for Angelides, the Democratic challenger to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, because whatever momentum he gained from June's primary election has evaporated, and he's being ground up by Schwarzenegger's ruthlessly efficient campaign apparatus.

Schwarzenegger's sharp and effective post-primary television ads, aimed at defining Angelides in negative terms, the governor's much-ballyhooed deals with a Democrat-controlled Legislature on infrastructure bonds and a generous, on-time state budget, and Angelides' own dilly-dallying are having a telling effect. And Angelides is making it very easy for Schwarzenegger to get back on track, especially with all-important independent and moderate voters, by continuing to expound the left-of-center themes he pursued during the primary.

Schwarzenegger has consolidated his Republican base, leads handily among moderates and independents and has even improved his position among Democrats.

[FairOpinion]

Poooooooor Angelides. Watch my crocodile tears, LOL

But there are still several months to do election. We can't afford to be complacent -- the public employees unions will turn out their masses for Angelides. Arnold nees all the votes he can get.

But it's highly encouraging that he is ahead.

Angelides is expounding his "left of center themes" because he IS a far out leftist, who must not be allowed to become governor of CA.

[FairOpinion]

Eead the next to the last paragraph of the article -- the deals Arnold is making with the Dem Legislature undermine Angelides, and help Arnold get elected.

And now the most important thing is for Arnold to get elected -- he cannot do any good, if he gets defeated.

After he gets elected, he is not running again, then he can go back to try to get his reform agenda enacted, which the unions and misinformed and apathetic voters defeated in 2005.

[CaliGirlGodHelpMe]

Agreed. It would be a disaster of Gray Davis-like proportions if Angelides was to defeat Arnold. Let us pray that it doesn't happen.

Fortunately, Angelides looks like what he is: a bad-tempered weasel.

[goldstategop]

California voters are liberal on social matters but conservative when it comes to their pocketbooks. They may take Phil Angelides' comments about gay marriage in stride but they look on in askance at his proposals to increase taxes. Its true right now voters support raising taxes on oil companies but they have yet to make the connection between that and what they spend at the gas pump. The raising taxes on the rich leitmotif is a well beginning to run dry. And if you favor raising taxes on them, its not hard for people to realize that nothing will stop you from raising their taxes later. Just look at Jon Corzine in New Jersey. It should be a great year for Democrats and in a state like California, a Democrat should be able to win the governorship outright but Angelides is blowing it because he's far to the left of most Californians on pocketbook issues.

(The Palestinian terrorist regime is the crisis and Israel's fist is the answer.)

[A message]

I'm that close to the weasel on the evolutionary tree.

[calcowgirl]

Fabian Nunez, the Democratic speaker of the Assembly and co-chair of the Angelides campaign, is constantly singing Schwarzenegger's praises, fueling insider speculation that he really wants the governor to win re-election this year so that his close friend, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, will have a vacant governorship to fill in 2010. Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, is courting Villaraigosa by publicly backing his effort to gain control of the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the mayor has conspicuously not endorsed Angelides.

[Bob]

I think that first sentence could use a little work:

As politicians go, Phil Angelides isn't a particularly sympathetic figure.

There, that's better.

[BunnySlippers]

BUMP

[scratcher]

That's funny. He really does look like a weasel

[BenLurkin]

The policies proposed by Angelides would be a disaster for California.

The left leaning media wants to blame him as an individual -- and not the policies -- for Arnold's potential reelection.

It is, of course the hard left policies which are going to be rejected. The media just won't admit it.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

He looks like that "free government grants!" guy.

[mikeybaby]

"and he's being ground up by Schwarzenegger's ruthlessly efficient campaign apparatus"

Um, you mean, like telling the truth?
What a novel concept.

[goldstategop]

Yeah when someone offers you free, free stuff - there's usually a catch somewhere. Politicians think they're so noble at spending other people's money all to gain power. And that makes them appear altruistic. If we weren't running a structural budget deficit here in California, that would be downright funny. And in reality, Angelides' candidacy is a joke.

(The Palestinian terrorist regime is the crisis and Israel's fist is the answer.)

[goldstategop]

Angelides couldn't go to the center if his life depended on it. He's not good at doing a head fake like John Kerry even though he's every bit as much of a dork. Not knowing how to lie well to the voters has been to date his biggest problem.

(The Palestinian terrorist regime is the crisis and Israel's fist is the answer.)

[scratcher]

Yeah, that too!

[Hugin]

We can't afford to be complacent -- the public employees unions will turn out their masses for Angelides. Arnold nees all the votes he can get.

Not to mention money. IIRC the CA public employee unions collect about $60 million per year they can run on ads. They pulled out all the stops fighting the reform intitives that directly threatened their power. You couldn't turn on any chanel on TV or radio without being bombarded with anti-Arnold ads. I expect they will do the same this year. He went after them, and they want payback.

[Goldie Lurks]

"The policies proposed by Angelides would be a disaster for California."
---
No doubt, and Angelides television campaign pledge to fully fund schools/education would result in additional taxes for California residents.

[BenLurkin]

The guy is tax happy.

He is from that wacko wing of democrat hacks who actually think that more taxes and government is a good thing.

[Amerigomag]

Like Humpty Dumpty, all the union money and all the union faithful can't put Angelides back together again.The longer the campaign runs, the lower the support for the weasel will be. Agelides should have called for the vote on the second Tuesday in June.

Think of organized labor. Their treasuries, bloated from the endless supply at the public trough, are being poured into a waste pit at an accelerating rate. If this gubernatorial election cycle continued until June 2007, dues would rival tax withholding rates.

Think of Angelides candidacy as a Republican transfer of wealth scheme. Funds are being transfered from blue collar, union labor to white collar, advertising companies. In turn, the state will recover a substantial portion of those transfered funds, through aggressive collections from the amassed, white collar wealth. The cycle will be complete. Angelides will have served his purpose and the interests of the state.

[mhx]

Poor Phil. Time for a little lowering of expectations by his friends in the press.