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San Francisco Chronicle: Governor to star as gladiator ‘god’

Schwarzenegger to appear at blood-and-guts kickoff to fitness expo in Ohio

It’s touted in ads as “pure might battling pure fear,” a marriage of “raw power and brute force” complete with girls, guts, blood and plenty of grit.

And while so-called gladiator or ultimate fighting has gained legions of new fans and celebrity supporters nationwide, the planned appearance of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at a major pay-per-view fight in Columbus, Ohio, this weekend could fire up not only sports aficionados but the governor’s critics as well.

That’s especially true because Schwarzenegger signed legislation in September paving the way for such fights to be legal in California — where the first such state-sanctioned card is planned at the HP Pavilion next week in San Jose.

The sport, also known as cage fighting or mixed martial arts, has been blasted by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., as “barbaric” cockfighting with humans. New York state banned the practice several years ago after Gov. George Pataki called it a “Neanderthal sport.’‘

Well, you can take the politician out of Conan the Barbarian but you cannot take the Barbarian out of the politico……….

Schwarzenegger is scheduled to make a star turn Friday at a “gladiator” match called the Gracie Fighting Championships, touted as the spectacular kickoff to the Arnold Fitness Expo and Arnold Classic, which features amateur and pro fitness competitions, challenges and expos in 30 sports this weekend in Columbus.

Fight night at Columbus’ Nationwide Arena will draw an estimated 8,000 fans and a live pay-per-view audience of at least 300,000 more. Organizers say “some of the toughest fighters on the planet” will engage in five-minute freestyle “mixed martial arts” matchups using a potent blend of karate, boxing, wrestling, Thai kickboxing, judo and ju jitsu.

While the political pundits and pollsters debate whether this hurts or helps Schwarzenegger’s reelection chances, Flap says enjoy the show…………well at least this portion of the Arnold’s Classic:

Previous:

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: The California Field Poll Part 1

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: California Teachers Association President Barbara Kerr Ridicules Schwarzenegger on “Core Values”

California Republican Party Convention Watch: McClintock ASKS for Unity to Help Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: A History of BOLDNESS

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Keynote Address Tonight to California Republican Party

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: New PPIC Poll Shows Schwarzenegger’s Republican Support Falling

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: “What Does Arnold Schwarzenegger Believe in?”

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Latest Survey USA Poll NOT Favorable for California Governor

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: California Governor to Push Global Warming Fight

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: California Republican Assembly Drops Bid to Pull Republican Pre-primary Endorsement

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Chief of Staff Susan Kennedy Paid by Cadiz Real Estate

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: New Politically Diverse Campaign Team Set for Governor’s Reelection

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Fundraiser with the Governor Nets Orange County Sheriff Carona $700,000

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Technorati Tags: ArnoldSchwarzenegger, California, CaliforniaElection2006, CRP, CaliforniaRepublicanParty, ArnoldClassic

Well, is he?

Previous:

Los Angeles Times Watch: Hugh Hewitt – Michael Hiltzik in ANGER Stage

Los Angeles Times Watch: Pulitzer Prize Winning Reporter – An UNHINGED Blogger

Michelle Malkin Watch: 2005 IN REVIEW: THE WAR ON BLOGS

Bear Flag League Watch: Patterico’s Los Angeles Dog Trainer Year in Review 2005

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Technorati Tags: HughHewitt, MichaelHiltzik, Patterico, PatrickFrey, MSM, LosAngelesTimes

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Technorati Tags: MichaelRamirez, MichaelAngeloMorales, California, Californiadeathpenalty

Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., speaks as Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., left, and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., right, stand by following the passage of the revised Patriot Act, on Capitol Hill, Thursday, March 2, 2006, in Washington. By a vote of 89-to-ten, the Senate is sending a revised USA Patriot Act to the president for his signature.

ASSociated Press: Senate Approves Patriot Act Renewal

The Senate on Thursday gave its blessing to the renewal of the USA Patriot Act after adding new privacy protections designed to strike a better balance between civil liberties and the government’s power to root out terrorists.

The 89-10 vote marked a bright spot in President Bush’s troubled second term as his approval ratings dipped over the war in Iraq and his administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina. Renewing the act, Bush and congressional Republicans said, was key to preventing more terror attacks in the United States.

Bush applauded the Senate for overcoming “partisan attempts to block its passage.” The House was expected to approve the two-bill package next week and send it to the president, who would sign it before 16 provisions expire March 10.

And now what changes were made that were SO DAMN IMPORTANT?

• Give recipients of court-approved subpoenas for information in terrorist investigations the right to challenge a requirement that they refrain from telling anyone.

• Eliminate a requirement that an individual provide the FBI with the name of a lawyer consulted about a National Security Letter, which is a demand for records issued by investigators.

• Clarify that most libraries are not subject to demands in those letters for information about suspected terrorists.

And the bill was extended twice for these MAJOR privacy concerns?

It was partisan politics by the Senate Democrats that held up final passage. The lefties wanted to use the NSA Surveillance Program and the renewal of the Patriot Act for their own partisan advantage – to paint President Bush and the Republican Congress as violators of American privacy rights.

Of course, this is BULL.

When these NUTTERS from the LEFT could not find partisan advantage – spelled that there are actual terrorists that wish to attack America and we don’t want to take the blame – the majoriy acquiesced.

What a surprise!

So, now in today’s action fourteen of the Patriot Act’s sixteen temporary provisions were made permanent and the remaining two were extended for four years.

Also, the Combat Methamphetamine Act provisions incorporated in the Patriot Act were passed.

The bill will be signed by President Bush next week.

About damn time!

Previous:

Patriot Act Watch: Extended Until February 3

Patriot Act Watch: Playing Politics But Extended for Six Months

Combat Methamphetamine Act of 2005 Watch: Bill Dies with Patriot Act Extension

ASSociated Press: High Court Tackles Political Boundry Case

The Supreme Court had put the Texas cases on the fast track, scheduling an unusually long two-hour afternoon session.

The subject matter was extremely technical, and near the end of the argument Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dozed in her chair. Justices David Souter and Samuel Alito, who flank the 72-year-old, looked at her but did not give her a nudge.

Past her naptime?

Good Grief……..

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Technorati Tags: RuthBaderGinsburg, SCOTUS, SupremeCourt

Matt Drudge: GREGORY’S GIGGLES: NBCNEWS WHITE HOUSE REPORTER CALLS SHOW WHILE ‘DRUNK’?

NBC White House correspondent David Gregory, who apologized last week for calling White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan a “jerk,” called into MSNBC’s IMUS Thursday morning — apparently drunk!

[CLICK FOR AUDIO SNIP]

Gregory is traveling with the president in India.

IMUS: Let’s go to the White House correspondent David Gregory.

DAVID GREGORY: I’m OK.

IMUS: You can calls us later if you want.

GREGORY: [Laughter] [Laughter] [Laughter] [Laughter]

IMUS: Are you drunk?

GREGORY: [Laughter] [Laughter]

IMUS: Are you all right David?

GREGORY: India is a wonderful language and i’ve been learning, where’s my little sheet here. I’ve been learning some new phrases to come home. But any way, that being one of them and i just think it’s nice.

IMUS: It is.

GREGORY: Thank you.

IMUS: Having a lot of fun there. What’s wrong with you?

GREGORY: I just think it’s funny. [Laughter] [Laughter] [Laughter]

CHARLES: He’s drunk.

IMUS: He is drunk!

CHARLES: Oh god.

IMUS: Why don’t you compose yourself and get back to us. You want to?

GREGORY: [Laughter] [Laughter] [Laughter]

IMUS: What are you in some harrem?

IMUS: What? David?

GREGORY: No, i’m fine.

IMUS: We need a camera.

Oh my lord.

IMUS: Somebody’s got –

GREGORY: i was — remember that movie “Arthur” with Dudley Moore where he just thinks funny things and that’s what was going on. If i could find this sheet, actually i just found it. Anyway.

IMUS: You have any news? [Laughter]

IMUS: we got to go, we’ll get back to you.

GREGORY: I’m sorry.

IMUS: That’s all right.

IMUS: Well, call us back will you?

GREGORY: Anyway. There are serious things going on here which i know you’re very interested in.

IMUS: We don’t have any time for them now. Quickly.

GREGORY: Big deal between India and the United States. The upshot is we’re going to provide nuclear know-how and fuel to india which they need for their economy to grow. But since they never signed the nonproliferation treaty it’s a real turn around and critics worry that it sends the wrong message to other parts of the world.

IMUS: Ok.

GREGORY: I would add, i would add that this is how you say thank you.

IMUS: What is it again?

[Speaking foreign language]

IMUS: Well that’s great. But we have to go. It’s always nice to hear from you.

GREGORY: I’ll call you after dinner.

IMUS: NBC Chief White House Correspondant from New Delhi, India. Clearly drunk.

END

And just two weeks ago Gregory was yelling at Scott McClellan, White House Press Secretary. The video from Expose The Left is here.

NBC denies Gregory was drunk.

If he wasn’t does NBC think this is FUNNY?

The video is here from Expose the Left.

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Technorati Tags: DavidGregory, ScottMcClellan, NBC, DonImus, MSNBC

The California Field Poll March 1, 2006:

The latest Field Poll finds 40% of voters approving of Schwarzenegger’s performance in office, while 49% disapprove. While still more negative than positive, this represents a slight improvement in voter assessments of the Governor since October, when 37% approved and 56% disapproved of his performance.

A seven point improvement in the Governor Schwarzenegger’s disapproval ratings. Is the Governor’s swing to the LEFT responsible or was the depressed poll rating this past October the result of the millions spent by California unions in negative television ads leading up to the disaster of the November 2005 California Special Election? Hard to say and certainly not a polling result that would make an incumbent governor pleased – no matter what the spin.

But, there is better news for Arnold on his infrastructure bond proposal.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, second from left, gestures toward the Sacramento River, while walking along the river levee near Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2006. Schwarzenegger, accompanied by Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo, left, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., third from left, Congressman Dan Lungren, R-Calif., third from right, Congressman Richard Pombo, second from right and Congresswoman Doris Matsui, right, called on the federal goverment to help provide additional funding to help repair and maintain the San Joaquin Delta-Sacramento River levee system.

Voters favor by a two to one margin the Governor’s proposal to place a series of state bonds for infrastructure projects before voters over the next ten years. However, there is significant variation in the degree of voter support for specific bonds depending on the purposes they would be used for. Large majorities are inclined to support bonds that would underwrite road construction and repair, educational facilities, water systems and flood control, the seismic retrofitting of hospitals, public transportation, affordable housing, and parks. By contrast, voters oppose issuing state bonds for prison construction and renovating the courts, and are divided with regard to issuing bonds to expand the state’s port facilities.

Californians understand the immediate need for infrastructure improvements. California needs them and Schwarzenegger is opportune in his proposal. The Governor will run on his proposal in the Fall and MAY win reelection as a result.

The photo opportunity and tour of California levees with Senator Dianne Feinstein last week was a good move and will demonstrate the bipartisan support for California infrastructure improvements. And if the Governor does NOT obtain federal money, then he will obtain the necessary funding himself.

The Governor has a new election team and look for more bipartsian themes coming from the campaign office. Arnold is RIGHT on the infrastructure program – no matter what the cost. Simply put – California NEEDS it and the voters SUPPORT it.

Will it be ENOUGH to overcome his negative voter perceptions?

Stay tuned…….

Previous:

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: California Teachers Association President Barbara Kerr Ridicules Schwarzenegger on “Core Values”

California Republican Party Convention Watch: McClintock ASKS for Unity to Help Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: A History of BOLDNESS

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Keynote Address Tonight to California Republican Party

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: New PPIC Poll Shows Schwarzenegger’s Republican Support Falling

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: “What Does Arnold Schwarzenegger Believe in?”

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Latest Survey USA Poll NOT Favorable for California Governor

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: California Governor to Push Global Warming Fight

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: California Republican Assembly Drops Bid to Pull Republican Pre-primary Endorsement

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Chief of Staff Susan Kennedy Paid by Cadiz Real Estate

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: New Politically Diverse Campaign Team Set for Governor’s Reelection

Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Fundraiser with the Governor Nets Orange County Sheriff Carona $700,000

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Technorati Tags: ArnoldSchwarzenegger, California, CaliforniaElection2006, CRP, CaliforniaRepublicanParty, CaliforniaRepublicanAssembly, CRA, TomMcClintock, MikeSpence