GOVERNOR IN RETREAT - Schwarzenegger

[not systems]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/07/23/MNGGRDSN181.DTL

GOVERNOR IN RETREAT
NOV. 8 VOTE
Schwarzenegger's advisers discuss canceling special election

Mark Martin, John Wildermuth, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's political advisers have discussed calling for the cancellation of the special election the governor has set for November.

A day after a state Superior Court judge ordered a Schwarzenegger-backed redistricting initiative off the November ballot, consultants for the first time considered how the election could be called off in a conference call Friday morning.

The discussion illustrates just how far the governor has fallen in the seven months since he first floated the idea of a vote this year. The election has been seen as Schwarzenegger's make-or-break moment in his nascent political career, and a retreat could have profound political implications.

...

With the political tide turning against him, dumping the election is the best thing Schwarzenegger could do, said Tony Quinn, a former Republican consultant.

"The governor needs to cancel this special election, regardless of the political cost, because he's headed for a huge political defeat,'' he said. "And he has to do it quickly, because he's approaching the point of no return. ''

...

Much of Schwarzenegger's power in Sacramento is derived from his threat to go to the people on issues lawmakers won't touch. But since announcing his proposals in January, the governor's popularity has plummeted, and many Democratic strategists now believe they can defeat his agenda in November and weaken his potential re-election effort next year.

...

[goclark]

1. Yes! Let's keep up the pressure

It's falling like a house of cards from Bush to the Groper.

[Booster]

2. Truth is he only wanted the redistricting issue to pass. Now that

he/they see that failing, they want to take their marbles and go home. I want another recall.

[yorkiemommie1]

10. that's what they wanted all right

n/t

[Zorra]

13. Actually, Enron Arnold already did the main dirty deed for his corporate.

masters. But redistricting was definitely the centerpiece of the "special election".

(Greg Palast sure hit the nail on the head back in Oct. of 2003!)

Enron, California Reach $1.52 Bln Energy Settlement (Update5)

July 15 (Bloomberg) -- Enron Corp., the energy trader that filed the second-largest U.S. bankruptcy, agreed to a $1.52 billion settlement to resolve California claims the company drove up prices during the state's energy crisis of 2000 and 2001.

The agreement includes a $47.5 million cash payment and $1.475 billion in claims in Enron's bankruptcy case. The actual cash value of the settlement will be about $260 million, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said. The funds will go to three Western states and utilities owned by PG&E Corp. and other companies.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aaJMU1LZpxjM&refer=us

Arnold Unplugged - It's hasta la vista to $9 billion if the Governator is selected
Friday, October 3, 2003
snip---
The wannabe governor has yet to deny that on May 17, 2001, at the Peninsula Hotel in Los Angeles, he had consensual political intercourse with Enron chieftain Kenneth Lay. Also frolicking with Arnold and Ken was convicted stock swindler Mike Milken.

Now, thirty-four pages of internal Enron memoranda have just come through this reporter's fax machine tell all about the tryst between Maria's husband and the corporate con men. It turns out that Schwarzenegger knowingly joined the hush-hush encounter as part of a campaign to sabotage a Davis-Bustamante plan to make Enron and other power pirates then ravaging California pay back the $9 billion in illicit profits they carried off.

Here's the story Arnold doesn't want you to hear. The biggest single threat to Ken Lay and the electricity lords is a private lawsuit filed last year under California's unique Civil Code provision 17200, the "Unfair Business Practices Act." This litigation, heading to trial now in Los Angeles, would make the power companies return the $9 billion they filched from California electricity and gas customers.
snip----
The pay-off? Once Arnold is Governor, he blesses the sweetheart settlements with the power companies. When that happens, Bustamante's court cases are probably lost. There aren't many judges who will let a case go to trial to protect a state if that a governor has already allowed the matter to be "settled" by a regulatory agency.

http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=283&row=1

Note To California Voters That Voted For Arnold:

Arnold ripped you off! You were propagandized and conned, foolishly led by the very corporation that already ripped you off into electing another idiot republican actor to be your "governor" so that they could rip you off again! Twice on the same scam! What a bunch of rubes!

YOU FUCKING IDIOTS! Sorry to laugh, but ya can't say we didn't warn ya - repeatedly! Really hope you learned your lesson this time.

Seriously though, Never, ever trust a republican. The money they don't steal from you will be your own.

[WhiteTara]

16. oh so sadly true

May his steriod pumped body bloat out of shape and the only job he can get is in the circus as freak. :grr:

[Barkley]

19. You speak absolute truth Zorra!

The recall election was really about how Davis handled the energy crisis. Davis bought long-term contracts at inflated prices that Enron et. al has pumped up through scamming.

Davis' actions implied that he was ready to take further actions (e.g. reverse the so-called dergulation) if the long-term contracts didn't work.

How people could be so guilible and naive elect someone that has NO public servant experience to the HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE STATE!?!?!

Just plain dumb!

[la la]

27. dog damn it!!!!

I'm a Californian and I did NOT VOTE FOR HIM! I've been fighting him all the way and am tired of being roped into the bunch of idiots who did vote for him! Nobody ever listens to me when I tell them about arnie and bushey ! damn....

There, I said it and I feel better ! '>)

[calimary]

41. Man, I tried to warn people, too.

I think we should have warned him, besides. Arnold never fully appreciated how different life in politics would be from life in Hollywood. He was a star of some magnitude, despite a waning film career. He was used to snapping his fingers and getting ANYTHING (or ANYONE). He had script and costar approval. Studios threw money at him. Because he had a popular film persona, he was popular, period. And he figured it'd just keep on workin' for him. He did not anticipate that he wasn't trading in the same currency in politics. You have to horsetrade, especially when the opposing party is in a strong position - like they still are in the legislature here in California. He's not used to compromising on ANYTHING. All he knows is what Arnold wants. I bet it feels like somebody's hit him in the face with a bucket of ice water. The ol' "I'll be back/hasta la vista baby" movie mojo just doesn't carry as far in Sacramento.

Hey, I didn't vote for him, either. I worked actively against him. As far as I'm concerned, he deserves what he gets. When you lie down with dogs - as in the republi-CON political establishment - you get up with fleas, Arnie baby.

[beltanefauve]

51. Jesse Ventura tried to warn him

But I guess his ego was overinflated or something.

[calimary]

53. Welcome to DU! You're quite correct - nobody has as big an ego

as Arnie. Except maybe for bush and rove.

[okieinpain]

37. because he's arnuld

[jobycom]

3. I wonder how badly he wishes he could just quit.

[Jade Fox]

6. Be careful what you wish for, Arnold....

because you got it, and it's kicking your butt, girlyman!

It's a joy to see that the Neocon machinations that went on behind the
scenes to get Arnie into office are getting the payback they deserve. Let's
hope Arnold has had his fill of politics as a career.

[calimary]

54. Maria supposedly wants (or wanted) him to quit.

I'm not that fond of her anymore, either.

He may indeed decide that it was much more fun in Hollywood where everybody was his good-time friend and all those around him were yes-men and yes-women. He only gets half the pie in politics - only deaf-dumb-blind republi-CONS are his yes-men and yes-women. The Dems aren't coming around as easily. Politics is NOT like Hollywood, Arnold. You don't say "frog" and everyone around you obediently jumps. Unless you have a domestic terrorist organization built around you like georgie does.

[dArKeR]

7. Just like a pussy. Just like a typical Repuke. They owe no allegiance to

our nation. Only allegiance to money and power. Is it funny. The people forcing citzens to swear to "allegiance" have no morality to understand its true meaning. The people fighting to keep it from the schools are the only people who actually have any "allegiance" to our nation, constitution, and citizens.

[xxqqqzme]

4. Yea, he was gonna clean up the waste

and ends up promoting an $80 million dollar special corporate-benefit election. Did his handlers think the people wouldn't notice? This is saurove's first defeat but then he hasn't given it 100%. arNOld's political career is over. The question remaining is...what does he do with the $40 million corporation's gave him 2 promote the circus? what about the promises he made in exchange?

[lateo]

5. Little girly man can't take the heat...

Too funny.

[DeepModem Mom]

8. Whoa! Things are that bad for Arnie, Cali DUers? nt

[LeftyMom]

32. :) Worse

He can't go anywhere without nurses and teachers protesting him. He has to have * style phony photo-ops and he can't announce where he's going in advance or protesters show up (they usually manage to find him anyhow.) Caltrans tore a pothole into a San Jose side street so he have his picture taken filling it in. The location was super-secret, the media had to get bussed in, and the nurses and teachers were there with thier signs. So he went to Bakersfield (a republican stronghold) with almost no warning, guess who was waiting.

It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

[DeepModem Mom]

33. Thank you, LeftyMom -- LOL at your answer! Especially Caltrans...

and the pothole!

[okieinpain]

38. but, but, what about oprah, and leno, and ms. shriver.

[belle]

55. His approval rating's in the 30's now, no?

[mike_c]

9. the repig party machine is going to advise Schwarzenegger...

...to return to his film career rather than stand for governor again, IMO.

[beltanefauve]

45. Y'know,

He still hasn't declared his candidacy for 2006...

[Carla in Ca]

48. And I'd like to see him try it!

And I bet he won't do any more movies, either. It's over.:-)

[belle]

56. Oh, he'll do movies, of that I've no doubt.

[Carla in Ca]

57. Maybe, but I think he would have to finance it

I think any movie he'd be in would be black-balled. He's done.

[robertarctor]

11. A nice side benefit to seeing Rove on the ropes

Too bad Rove is so preoccupied with his own troubles in Washington that he can't orchestrate his coup in California.

[Maat]

12. Hi, Robert!

We will NEVER tolerate the coup in California!

[WhiteTara]

14. Arnold is a girlie man

Arnold is a girlie man. He can't stand the heat and is running scared. Now that he can't steal the state like they did in Texas and Colorado, he wants to tuck his tail and slink into his expensive smoking tent. Arnold is a girlie man. na na na

[goclark]

25. I'm not convinced they didn't steal CA that time

[WhiteTara]

31. you mean in the "recall"

of course they did. Diebold had machines in Riverside county. The only place the boobengroper campaigned except of course in New York and Florida. He won 80% of the votes. But in LA county he only won 20%. But, if they had won the redistricting, there would be no more democratic senators or congresspeople. Only by their own arrogance were they stopped.

[goclark]

36. I would work night ands day for a recall of this fake muscle girl

[WhiteTara]

39. me too! eom

[Maat]

61. Yes, I live in Riverside County, Calif.

And the stonewalling vis-a-vis the FOIA requests from the Elections Grand-Poobah (or whatever her title is) is incredible.

Our local DFA is trying to get to the bottom of what happened; that's when they suspect the shennigans went on - at the time of the recall election.

My conscience is clear - I didn't vote for him; heard he and Karl Rove had met and made plans.

Peace,

[wildwww2]

15. He's a son of a non-vote counting maggot. As is Bu$h. If he cannot

cheat to win he does not want to play. Repukelickins make me sick. With their fascism they love so much.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[bluestateguy]

17. OK, joke's over, bring back Davis

n/t

[Carla in Ca]

49. I've hinted a few times about that very thing

He was absolutely magnanimous in his loss. He didn't just go away as some would have. And he has apologized for his part in the energy crisis. If he could learn to stop fund-raising with the elitists I think a lot of people might reconsider their mistake of voting for Arnold and take another look at Davis. And there are others to consider as well. Oh man, I think this is going to be fun!

[shanti]

18. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

we have him in retreat mode!!! this is fantastic news for californians! he is burnt TOAST!

[UTUSN]

20. Life's Rough without a Script n/t

[bassman79]

21. "Gov in Retreat" - I thought maybe he had gone to Bohemian Grove

It is in seesion and he's been there before.

[shanti]

22. it was last weekend

n/t

[BrotherBuzz]

52. His political career was engineered there....

It's all connected, and most of the dirty stuff has been hatched in the Hillbilly camp (surprise, guess who belongs to that camp).

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

23. A little muscle doesn't make one a truly strong person, I guess.

What a wuss.

[MichiganVote]

24. This gig isn't as much fun as he thought it was going to be

Another wealthy asshole in office

[gulfcoastliberal]

26. Isn't he also trying to scrap CALPERS in the special election?

I remember hearing something about him wanting to scrap the CALPERS pensions fund and force state workers into 401Ks. The underlying reason being to stop CALPERS from actually trying to hold companies accountable for bad governance that costs the shareholders. Is that a measure on the special election?

[stanwyck]

28. This is almost as embarrassing to Arnie

as the fake pothole he had his helper monkeys dig so he could have a photo opp. filling in the....fake...pothole. Just what you'd expect from the star of Kindergarten Cop.

[Mister Mark]

29. on McLaughlin Group

Last night, I can't remember if it was Tony Blankley or Lawrence O'Donnell, but one of them predicted that Arnold will go down in flames and will never win public office again - anywhere! :D

[calimary]

62. Welcome to DU! Good to hear. I hope whoever said it is correct.

Arnold doesn't know how to do politics. He kind of knows movies, but Sacramento just doesn't work the way his idea of Hollywood does. Much to his chagrin, I'm sure.

FUCK him. He lives near me, here on the Westside. If ever I see him, I give him a dirty look.

[Demeter]

30. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Cancel the election! That's SOOOO Republican!

[niallmac]

43. Have the GW and Arnold voters discovered anything yet?...

It really does matter who you vote for!
'You betcha' and 'I'll be bahk' are not measures of character.
you........MORONS!
Damn, and I was going to be civil in this post.

[Initech]

34. Der Gropenfuhrer is going down!!!

So long, Ahnuld!

Go back and make True Lies 2. That's what people want to see you in.

[Placebo]

35. If he cancels the election, it will make voters MORE upset...

and give even more ammunition to his Democratic challenger.

Oh man, seeing Arnold go down in flames is going to be one happy day for me.

[olddad56]

40. Why would they cancel a crooked election. Don't bet on it.

[The_Casual_Observer]

42. arnold is idiot who had done nothing for California.

He is the biggest failure of all time in California politics, including Grey Davis.

[cliss]

44. I'd like to point out 1 things -

1) I believe the state of California has the world's 3rd largest economy. No, not the US; the World. So it's huge. No wonder they went all-out to oust Davis and move in. Farm and produce revenue is huge. Also, CalPers is one of the biggest teachers pension funds in the country. And now he's cutting all kinds of positions, teachers and nurses. Weird, considering how much money there is.

2) If anyone has looked at photos of Arnie lately, he looks terrible. His face is swollen. He seems to be losing his hair rather fast; it looks really thin too. I noticed his arms are definitely not as big as before; he must not be working out so much.

Maybe too much going on so he can't work out at the gym.

[Barkley]

60. 'Maybe...he can't work out at the gym...' or he's got Rush's doctor

[SoCalDem]

46. Great news.. he only wanted the special election

to get the redistricting feature "installed" so he'd have an easier time in '06..and to please his "masters".Since that option seems to be off the ballot,Perhaps he realizes now that his "selection" was accidental, and he should just hang up hi governating gloves and go home to boss maria around again:)

[intensitymedia]

47. Let the bullying sexist moron have his way!

When a bloviating idiot like Schwarzeneggar finally gets enough rope to hang himself, why are liberals always rushing in to prevent disaster?

let the ballots be cast! Let the people of California speak

Let the special interests Schwarzenazi is in bed with .. take the consequences.

The special election could be an opportunity to create a new mandate for California - one that removes the stain that Karl Rove's illegal attempt to replace our state officials and their districts with falsely elected gerrymandered rebpublican tyranny has tried to impose on us to obliterate a bastion of progressive politics.

Liberals - get a clue-! Arnie deserves his day of doom. Don't interfere with the process of evolution.

- peace but never give up the struggle

che de vera

[calimary]

63. Fair enough. Give him enough rope...

I will be celebrating, for sure! And Welcome to DU!

[anitar1]

50. I hope his movie career is dead in the water, when

this is over. I can't stand to look at the blowhard.

[struggle4progress]

58. Oh, how unfortunate ...

:evilgrin:

[earth mom]

59. I can't believe Maria stands by him, he's made a fool out of himself!

What a joke! And I wonder what Oprah thinks about his dissing teachers so badly when she always talks about how much she loves teachers! No doubt their friendship is over!

He should resign now. :thumbsdown:

[goclark]

64. I loved the crowd put down when the Mayor Took Office

If you havem't seen the video of the boo, you must.

It was a thing of beauty.

[Disturbed]

65. Ego on Steroids

He should resign saying that he has decided to spend more time with his family. CA needs a Gov. that works for all the people not the wealthy Corps.