Arnold Schwarzenegger,  California,  California Republican Party,  Election 2006,  Politics

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

Lt. Governor candidate and California State Senator Tom McClintock (L) and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, November 2005.

The California Republican Party on Saturday sought to defuse criticism of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and rally support from a divided membership as it struggled for unity at the start of a pivotal election year.

At stake, they were told, are a second term for Schwarzenegger and whether the party can build on the momentum of the 2003 recall election that brought him to power.

“What do you think are greater — the differences among us as Republicans or the differences between us and the Democrats?” state Sen. Tom McClintock, a candidate for lieutenant governor, told hundreds of members attending the GOP’s winter convention. “This is the election that will decide whether the recall was a fleeting curiosity or whether it was an historic turning point.”

Schwarzenegger’s poll numbers are dismal among the GOP and now he NEEDS McClintock to FLACK for him?

How about if the Governor enacted policies that reflected Republican core ideals.

Is this asking too much?

“I don’t agree with the governor on everything, but I still support him,” McClintock said to a packed convention hall, a day after Schwarzenegger addressed the convention and told party members that they share common goals.

McClintock urged the GOP to show a “solid and steadfast commitment” to the party’s principles and the direction set by Schwarzenegger.

Everyone knows that McClintock has always been a poor political fundraiser. In fact, he has had few jobs outside of government that qualify him for higher office (much like his Ventura County chort, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O’Connell) and the donors know this. With Schwarzenegger he has found a willing “BANK” for his Lt. Governor race.

This display by Tom really is quite sad and pathetic.

And not everyone is buying the McClintock spin……

Some of those who have led the criticism of Schwarzenegger remained unconvinced.

Republican candidates for statewide office traditionally need at least 80 percent of the party vote to win, and at this point Schwarzenegger “doesn’t have that,” said Michael Spence, who heads the California Republican Assembly, a conservative wing of the party.

Regarding Schwarzenegger’s appeal for unity, he said, “I don’t care what he says at this point. I care about what he does.”

Will the call for UNITY ignite the GOP base to turn-out and vote for Arnold in November?

Doubtful……

Stay tuned…….

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and California State Senator and Lt. Governor candidate Tom McClintock in San Jose at the California Republican Party Convention, February 24, 2006.

Timm Herdt of the Ventura County Star has McClintock assumes mantle of statesman as keynote speaker at Republican convention

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8 Comments

  • aaron

    Flap… I did not have the same reaction to McClintock’s Comments.

    McClintock cast a great difference between himself and the Governor. The call for unity was at the ballot box, not in the debate as far as I could tell…

    Any further explanation will have to occurr personally as it is not for publication. But keep reading my blog as I am going to keep posting as to the ridiculous stuff that happened at the CRP convention.

    But, what you will see is that on Sunday, Today… the CRA carried the day and scored a big victory for the people of California.

  • Flap

    But, Aaron, don’t you agree that McClintock is selling out his core conservative ideals as a paid shill for Governor Schwarzenegger?

    Is Schwarzenegger a RINO?

    You betcha……..

  • Eric Hogue

    This is amazing. I just read Aaron’s blog, and this posting here in the Flap. Are we really taking (debating) our (your) loyalty to McClintock now? How far will the ‘right’ go in this self destruction mode?

    Hogue

  • Flap

    Self-destruction was when California voters replaced Gray Davis with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the first place.

    Eric, can you REALLY say that Schwarzenegger has been a Republican Governor?

  • Eric Hogue

    No new taxes.
    Workers Comp Reform.
    Campaign for Bush in Ohio.
    Vetoed Same Sex.
    Vetoed DL for Illegals.
    Budget is from 38 billion, to only 6 billion.
    Replaced SOS Office with McPhearson…a Republican.
    …there is more…

    Remember, no Arnold…Governor Bustamante, or the return of Davis after a successful recall campaign. The “win” i sbetter.

  • Flap

    Eric,

    Let’s look at the issues:

    Bonds to pay off structural deficit – no new taxes you say? Who will pay the interest on those bonds?

    Workers Compensation reform which would have been forced to reform by business – probably initiative.

    Vetoed Same Sex: State and federal Supreme Court issue anyway. No California Governor would dare to approve.

    Vetoed DL for Illegals: Could have been handled by referendum and initiative constitutional amendment. Signatures were there to overturn at the same time as the recall.

    Budget after increasing revenues still has a structural deficit – $6 billion is still real money

    Replacing a corrupt Secretary of State – any Governor would have to replace a resigned, corrupt office holder and McPherson may be a place holder until November 2006.

    No Arnold = 2 more years of failed Gray Davis and more calls for reform of California which Arnold has given lip service but not enacted. Davis is termed out of office and 2006 may have seen a real Republican run for the governorship.

    The win probably was NOT better.