***Gov.Schwarzenegger Receives Mandate!***

Jan 12, 2003
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The People Have Spoken

With all these so-called "popular Democrats" activated in CA to help retain the helm of the 5th largest economy, I thought this was a lock for the DNC...or so they wanted everyone to believe. Davis is clearly no Bill Clinton.


Angry Californians resoundingly voted to recall Gov. Gray Davis and replace him with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger Tuesday, voicing a historic demand for change in the state's political order.

The size of Schwarzenegger's victory, after weeks of fluctuating polls, legal uncertainties and voter confusion, exceeded even his own campaign's expectations and offered the actor the unexpected opportunity for a mandate when he arrives in Sacramento next month.

On a day of record high turnout, the first recall of a governor in California history represented a sharp rebuke of the Democratic governor who first won election to the job in 1998 by one of the widest margins in state history. The Bay Area appeared to be the only region of the state that did not vote to oust Davis. While the recall appeared to be winning by about 10 percentage points statewide, San Franciscans voted against it 4 to 1.

Accusations of Schwarzenegger's crude behavior toward women, which dominated the final days of the campaign, did not appear to damage his support among female voters, who supported him nearly as much as men, according to exit polls.

Davis joins Lynn Frazier of North Dakota, who was ousted in 1921, as the only governors in American history to be recalled.

With more than three quarters of the votes counted, Schwarzenegger was easily outpacing Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the most prominent Democrat in the pack of 135 candidates vying to replace Davis. State Sen. Tom McClintock, the darling of conservatives whom many Republicans feared would siphon votes from Schwarzenegger, was a distant third and conceded defeat shortly before 9 p.m.

The 56-year-old Republican actor, a rookie in electoral politics, will assume the post of governor as soon as Secretary of State Kevin Shelley certifies the vote, a process expected to take until mid-November.

Aides said the actor, who promised to bring leadership and fiscal restraint to Sacramento, had been working for weeks to shape a transition team and would announce a group of "40 leading Americans" today to serve as his transition team.

Speaking from the same Los Angeles hotel ballroom where President Reagan claimed victory in 1980, Schwarzenegger said he would work to restore trust in government.

"For the people to win, politics as usual must lose," Schwarzenegger said. "Tonight we are celebrating, but tomorrow the work must begin."

Clasping a reporter's hand at the bottom of the stage, the Austrian-born bodybuilder exulted, "Can you believe this? Only in America."

Hollywood stars, including actor Rob Lowe and comedian Jay Leno, were among those attending the Schwarzenegger victory party.

"I'm so happy that the people saw Arnold for the leader that he is," said Lowe, a Democrat. "Now the hard work begins."

Davis, who had insisted as late as Monday that the polls were moving in his direction, was informed by an aide at about 3 p.m. that he would lose the governorship.

Standing before supporters about 90 minutes after the polls closed, Davis said: "I'm calling for everyone in this state to put the chaos and divisiveness of the recall behind them and do what's best for this great state. "

Davis shook his head as some of his supporters chanted "recall" in a not-so- mocking threat to the new governor.

Davis has called a Cabinet meeting for this afternoon, at which he plans to instruct his staff to cooperate fully with the incoming Schwarzenegger administration, a source said.

By the time all the votes are counted, it appears that nearly 10 million Californians will have cast ballots, about 30 percent more than in the 2002 governor's election. That would be the highest vote total in state history, and the highest turnout as a percentage of the state's population in a governor's race in more than two decades.

Schwarzenegger's aides say they broke out champagne Monday night after receiving the results of their final tracking polls, and immediately informed the elated actor, who had just left a fund-raiser at his Santa Monica restaurant.

Recall opponents had complained that the number of people who voted to reject the recall might exceed the number who voted for the ultimate winner, or that Schwarzenegger might receive only a fraction of the votes Davis received during the 2002 election, and still be declared the winner.

OUTPACED DAVIS IN 2002

However, the size of Schwarzenegger's victory rendered those concerns moot. The actor appeared not only to be keeping pace with the "no on recall" votes, but to be receiving more votes than Davis received during the 2002 regular election.

The numbers represent a devastating rejection of Davis, who has served in state government since he was former Gov. Jerry Brown's chief of staff in the mid-1970s. Davis went on to serve three terms in California's Assembly, two as controller, before winning the governor's seat twice.

Davis' failure to instill confidence in voters after the state's electricity and fiscal crisis had eroded his popularity to the point where only 1 in 5 voters said they approved of the job he was doing as governor.

Democrats already were pointing fingers Tuesday night, trying to limit the damage by pointing them directly at Davis.

"Our policies weren't repudiated tonight," said Art Torres, head of the state Democratic Party. "People still believe in those policies."

Davis didn't have the personal charm or the popularity to sell those Democratic policies, he added.


REBUKE FOR DEMOCRATS
But the vote also marked a rebuke for the party, which had rallied its best known leaders from around the state and the nation in an effort to build support behind Davis.

Schwarzenegger, who successfully shunned many political conventions in his campaign, announced his candidacy unexpectedly on the Jay Leno show only two months ago and ran an insurgent campaign that taunted the political establishment for leading the state into its current fiscal mess.

He must now turn his attention to governing a state of 35 million residents with an economy the size of France's.

The new transition team will focus on a variety of issues, including the economy, education and energy. Among those will be longtime GOP fund-raiser Bob Grady, a managing director of the Carlyle Group, who will aid the incoming administration in environmental policy matters, campaign sources said.

Former Republican Gov. Pete Wilson, who has served as Schwarzenegger's campaign co-chairman, when asked whether he would be part of the new administration, said, "Whatever I can do to help, I'll be happy to do, but I think mostly I'll be an adviser."

Some reports have suggested that Orange County businessman and former candidate Peter Ueberroth may take on a role, but campaign strategist Mike Murphy and media consultant Don Sipple refused Tuesday night to confirm those reports.

Schwarzenegger, whose fame attracted campaign coverage from around the globe, can be expected to quickly emerge as among the most prominent faces in U.S. politics.

President Bush, asked earlier in the day about California's election, said recent unflattering information about Schwarzenegger did not change his position that the Republican actor would make a good governor.

"If he's the governor, I'll work with him, absolutely," Bush told reporters following a Cabinet meeting. "He's obviously waged a spirited campaign, he's captured a lot of people's imagination."

The White House had kept its fingerprints off the California election, possibly concerned that any involvement would validate the Democratic complaint that the recall was part of a Republican strategy to steal an election they couldn't win.

However, many Republicans believe a Schwarzenegger governorship might present the White House with strong advantages in the upcoming 2004 election and a chance to capture the state's mother lode of electoral votes.

Schwarzenegger is not eligible to assume the governorship until the election results have been certified by the secretary of state, a process that under state law may take no more than 39 days, or be no later than Nov. 15.

Bustamante congratulated Schwarzenegger on his victory, and vowed to remain in his post, which will become the Democrats' highest ranking position.

"I may not be moving across the hall to the governor's office but I'm not going anywhere," Bustamante said.

Shortly after the polls closed, McClintock told a small but loyal group of supporters that he had talked to Schwarzenegger and pledged his "wholehearted support" to the new governor.

"This is a great night for California," he said. "This is the night the people of California rose up and threw out a corrupt administration."

Other recall supporters were less exuberant in their assessment.

"A lot of people have said this election is about anger, and, unhappily, it is, and, unhappily, the anger is justified," said Wilson. "But it really doesn't give joy to anybody to see the state fall on hard times."
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
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With all these so-called "popular Democrats" activated in CA to help retain the helm of the 5th largest economy, I thought this was a lock for the DNC...or so they wanted everyone to believe. Davis is clearly no Bill Clinton.

who the hell told you this? i called this for swartzeneger days ago, all my friends did too, some bitterly resigned to the fact. it was pretty clear, and we are democrats. bustamonte was too liberal to get elected, and davis was too unpopular, swartzeneger was liberal enough and had maria shriver and her familys full support as proof that he was votable by democrats. which i did contribute to. 25% of democrats crossed over. 45% of independent votes.
 

XZeroII

Lifer
Jun 30, 2001
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cliff notes? All I see is the same stuff that's on every other thread on the subject.
 

SuperTool

Lifer
Jan 25, 2000
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But it's true that voters are sick and tired of what's going on in Sacramento. Arnold does have a mandate from voters to try a different approach, at least for now. But there are also high expectations for things to start improving. As voters have shown, if there aren't results they won't wait too long after eleciton to clean house.
 

BaliBabyDoc

Lifer
Jan 20, 2001
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I think the argument is Arnold got more votes than Gray so that means Arnold is a legitimate replacement for Gray. For some reason the idea of barely getting more votes than an extremely unpopular governor does not strike me as a mandate. Some would say . . . and I agree . . . that Arnold won b/c he made a bunch of movies, mouthed center-left social concepts, and avoided providing any detailed policy. All of the above made him a tolerable candidate . . . if Arnold had registered as a Democrat and spouted off the same BS campaign he would have won by an even larger margin.

He has committed himself to ridding CA of waste . . . more power to him. He cannot repeal the "recall-fueled" bills that Davis signed unless the Legislature cooperates . . . I don't see it happening. He cannot do much about MediCal or CalMed except cut benefits or raise taxes. He cannot do much about education except cut funding or raise taxes. He can ask the Legislature to repeal the car fee/tax increase but that just makes CA's budget hole deeper. Arnold's promise to not raise taxes means he would have to cut 30%+ of CA spending . . . and that's before paying for mandated increases in certain programs (or repealing the car tax). He's either FOS or a miracle worker. If he's the latter I'm moving to CA.
 

LunarRay

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2003
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Arnie said he'd do an audit and find where the money is going. I suggest he visit the legislature and confer with the comptroller and the treasurer. We know where the money is going. He said he'd clean up the Workers Comp mess and make business come back to Cally-for-knee-ya. It would be nice if he could figure out that the comp rates rise due to the underlying cost increases like health care and rehabilitation and retraining etc.
The reason Arnie didn't give any details about what programs or cuts he'd make is because anything he could have said would have made him lose votes and look or sound like an idiot. Even one of Moonbeam's trained chimps can act smart... until it's time to eat the banana... then they go bonkers.. The only fix for Cally-for-knee-ya is to remove all the non working people to North Carolina or Texas. Well perhaps there is one possible fix... for the jerks in Washingtub DC to get off their butts and wage war on 'shipping America overseas'!
 

BaliBabyDoc

Lifer
Jan 20, 2001
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Whoa now, Nellie! You can ship as many people as you want to TX but NC can do without. Reagan, Bush the Father, Clinton, and Bush the Lesser have watched NC manufacturing and textile jobs go abroad for two decades. Ultimately, the crappy legislation that's accelerated the demise of American industry requires a signature from 1600 PA Ave.

I find it interesting the Schwarzenegger is planning to ask Bush for money to solve CA financial problems. Apparently he's promised not to directly raise CA taxes but he's eager to use federal tax dollars (deficit dollars which are ultimately more expensive) to bail CA out. How lame.
 

Napalm

Platinum Member
Oct 12, 1999
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OK - somebody please help me understand this phenomenon.

What is it about people in the US that makes them think that guys like Ronnie Reagan (b-movie actor), Sonny Bono (singer and Cher's side kick), Jesse Ventura (wrestling hack - "The Body") and now Arnold Schwarzenegger (Roid-monkey, action-movie star) have any idea how to lead a government. Are American voters so shallow and ignorant that they vote for these entertainers simply on name and face recognition? Or is there something that I am missing here???

N
 

daniel1113

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2003
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Originally posted by: Napalm
OK - somebody please help me understand this phenomenon.

What is it about people in the US that makes them think that guys like Ronnie Reagan (b-movie actor), Sonny Bono (singer and Cher's side kick), Jesse Ventura (wrestling hack - "The Body") and now Arnold Schwarzenegger (Roid-monkey, action-movie star) have any idea how to lead a government. Are American voters so shallow and ignorant that they vote for these entertainers simply on name and face recognition? Or is there something that I am missing here???

N

Voters were correct with at least one of those four.
 
Jan 12, 2003
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Originally posted by: Napalm
OK - somebody please help me understand this phenomenon.

What is it about people in the US that makes them think that guys like Ronnie Reagan (b-movie actor), Sonny Bono (singer and Cher's side kick), Jesse Ventura (wrestling hack - "The Body") and now Arnold Schwarzenegger (Roid-monkey, action-movie star) have any idea how to lead a government. Are American voters so shallow and ignorant that they vote for these entertainers simply on name and face recognition? Or is there something that I am missing here???

N


...glad you can name so many leaders in America; ask some Americans, to include myself, to name, say, 5 leaders in Canada...I know of 1 and that is 1 more than I should know. Clearly, Canadians are better at leading :)
 

cumhail

Senior member
Apr 1, 2003
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Is this like the "mandate" that Gray Davis received when he was reelected to a second term as governor a year and a half ago?

Arnold, at this point, is much like "the other man" to an unfaithful woman. If the voters in California weren't faithful to "the mandate" they sent their last governor, why should anyone believe they'll be any more faithful to him?

cumhail
 

cumhail

Senior member
Apr 1, 2003
682
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Wow... You liked Jesse Ventura that much?

cumhail

Originally posted by: daniel1113
Originally posted by: Napalm
OK - somebody please help me understand this phenomenon.

What is it about people in the US that makes them think that guys like Ronnie Reagan (b-movie actor), Sonny Bono (singer and Cher's side kick), Jesse Ventura (wrestling hack - "The Body") and now Arnold Schwarzenegger (Roid-monkey, action-movie star) have any idea how to lead a government. Are American voters so shallow and ignorant that they vote for these entertainers simply on name and face recognition? Or is there something that I am missing here???

N

Voters were correct with at least one of those four.

 

tk149

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2002
7,256
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Originally posted by: Napalm
OK - somebody please help me understand this phenomenon.

What is it about people in the US that makes them think that guys like Ronnie Reagan (b-movie actor), Sonny Bono (singer and Cher's side kick), Jesse Ventura (wrestling hack - "The Body") and now Arnold Schwarzenegger (Roid-monkey, action-movie star) have any idea how to lead a government. Are American voters so shallow and ignorant that they vote for these entertainers simply on name and face recognition? Or is there something that I am missing here???

N
One might well ask the flipside: "What is so wrong with American career politicians that the American people are willing to elect entertainers?"
 
Jan 12, 2003
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Originally posted by: tk149
Originally posted by: Napalm
OK - somebody please help me understand this phenomenon.

What is it about people in the US that makes them think that guys like Ronnie Reagan (b-movie actor), Sonny Bono (singer and Cher's side kick), Jesse Ventura (wrestling hack - "The Body") and now Arnold Schwarzenegger (Roid-monkey, action-movie star) have any idea how to lead a government. Are American voters so shallow and ignorant that they vote for these entertainers simply on name and face recognition? Or is there something that I am missing here???

N
One might well ask the flipside: "What is so wrong with American career politicians that the American people are willing to elect entertainers?"

Shhhhh, we are just shallow "ignorant" Americans because we don't vote in the same way the mighty Canadians vote [for 'career politicians' who tell the sheep exactly what they want to hear].

 
Jan 12, 2003
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Bob: You see her looking at me?
Doug: Yeah, because she thought you were some kind of a freak!
Now c'mon, lets go!
Bob: Take off! She likes me, eh?
Doug: No way!
Bob: Take off, hoser.
Doug: Like, no way, eh.
Bob: Like, I found this mouse in my beer, eh.
Doug: No way, eh.


...maybe this is why Canadians have to vote for career politicians.
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
72,327
6,040
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I think what pisses the people off is that they are impotent and occasionally throw a tantrum. Politics is about money and the art of masking the fact it's about money. Politics is about pretending to represent the people and voting for the money. The people don't see through this trick and occasionally kick over the table. Only by curbing the power of money to buy votes and returning to a true representative democracy can we save our country. What we just saw was direct democracy at work. We had better think very carefully if we want the people to rule. The Founding Fathers would have had no part in such a government. The tyranny of the majority is a profoundly dangerous thing, especially a majority that is asleep at the wheel. A professional politician, traditionally was a person who filtered the will of the people and tempered it with a deep understanding of what it means to govern.
 

cumhail

Senior member
Apr 1, 2003
682
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Now that's what I like... Why waste time on actual arguments and semi-respectful discussion whe negative caricatures, stereotypes and generalizations about an entire country's population will do?

Next, we can all break out in choruses of "Blame Canada" and attack these beady-eyed "aboot-"saying Australians... ("Canadians, Australians, what's the difference?"). Right, Jimbo?

cumhail

Originally posted by: xxxxxJohnGaltxxxxx
Bob: You see her looking at me?
Doug: Yeah, because she thought you were some kind of a freak!
Now c'mon, lets go!
Bob: Take off! She likes me, eh?
Doug: No way!
Bob: Take off, hoser.
Doug: Like, no way, eh.
Bob: Like, I found this mouse in my beer, eh.
Doug: No way, eh.


...maybe this is why Canadians have to vote for career politicians.