I'm enjoying the Calif. recall debate

[lanlady]

Even though I don't live there, this makes for good watching on C-SPAN2. A lot of smart questions being asked (no wonder Ahnuld isn't there, I don't think he could handle it).

[Room101]

1. I don't know if they showed the opening segment on Cspan2

that they showed here in Cal, it was funny and depressing.

They did there how did we get here segment ending with a conversation with a voter that went like this.

Reporter- Are you in favor of the recall
Voter- Yes

Rep- who will you be voting for
Voter- frantically declares I know it will be for a Republican

Rep- who are you leaning to
Voter- Bustamante

Rep- He is a Democrat
Voter- Deer in headlights says "OOOH shows how uneducated Iam

They cut to the canidates and audeince laughing
What a dumb fucking bitch that is what we are dealing with.

[lcordero]

11. Uh no

That's very depressing. The person likes Bustamente and doesn't know what party he belongs to. The person can't differentiate in between a Republican and a Democrat, that is the part that is really sad.

[catzies]

25. I'll bet he didn't know what he was signing on the recall petition either

I think most of the people who signed it didn't know what they were signing, either. It's easy when someone collars you walking out of Target and says their prepared incendiary statements to get your blood boiling before sticking a clipboard under your nose.

[Lindsey]

2. Me too

I just got home from work and it's 9:30 L.A. time so I'm assuming this is a repeat. I'm actually diggin' Ariana and the guy from the Green Party (wouldn't it be a trip if HE won!) I think Bustamante is doing okay too.

[burr]

3. I thought Davis won hands down!

Peter Camejo came in second. Was a little disappointed in Cruz, but at least he made Huffington look like a fool.

The best thing was watching the two neocons blowing their chances for a Republican Governor, or getting recall. I think people are turning against this, even the conservative voters.

[Lindsey]

4. I completely missed Davis

I'm glad to hear he did well since I'm totally against the recall. However, I disagree that Huffington looked bad. I like her. and am surprised that I'm impressed with Camejo.

[Lindsey]

5. ..an added note

I think it's DISGRACEFUL that Arnold S. didn't participate. That sickens me. It only proves that he would never have been able to measure up to these professionals. It further proves that he's planning on running via his popularity as a movie star. If he wins, this is a f'uped place and I'm going back to Vancouver where I went for vacation and apply for political asylum. On the internet he's being referred to as Governor Gang Bang but the main stream media has basically ignored the whole interview that he has with Oui Magazine. People also continue to misstate that he was 19 when he was involved in this incident when in actuality he was 29. Give me a break!!!

[Bandit]

26. Newsweek Magazine devoted a half page to that article.

I'm not sure if Newsweek is still considered "mainstream" but a lot of people subscribe to it.

[lanlady]

6. Davis made a good statement

The glaring omission is Arnold, of course. I like how Cruz turned to the empty space next to him and referred to "the other candidates who are here--and the one who is not." Cruz made a good impression on me. McClintock came off as a hard-nosed Rethug, Ueberroth is still trying to bask in the glory of the LA Olympics.

[burr]

8. That was a good moment, so was the attempt to give time his time to AH.

But, I felt that his answers were more salemanship than what I saw from Camejo and Davis. I loved Camejo's answers regarding educators not being social workers, and that standardized tests are used to destroy public education. I also agreed with him on the gaming question, tribes need to do well but this is the worse way to do it!

[Room101]

7. Burr - did you watch the same debate I did ?

Huffington made cruz look like a fool calling him on the 2 million dollors from the tribe. I counted at least three times the canidates said I agree with Arianna.

[burr]

9. Arianna made sense some of the time...

but she seemed to lose track on many of the economic and budgetary issues that are concerning people. Cruz was smart to say very little when attacked, but he could of said more about his basic philosophy when not being defensive.

I also disagreed with her on properity taxes, again I thought Camejo had the best answer while Cruz could of said more on this.

[pasadenaboy]

10. i watched the debate

Cruz was great, seemed comfortable, wasn't combative, was light and funny, but clearly laid out his views.

Conejo was good, I thought, but since Cruz is such a liberal dem, I don't see the greens being able to do much.

Ariana in my mind came off as a lightweight, full of criticism, but no experience, no gravitas.

Uberoth seemed confused, sort of like Admiral Stockdale in the VP debates in 1992,

McClintock did very well at being a true conservative. he will continue to get more and more support from repubs as they realize what a loser Arnold is going to be.

[burr]

12. McClintock did well?

If anything, he will do more to change minds about the recall than Arnold's cowardly run. Now I see why this guy can hold office in California. They must of took all of California's neocon nuts, and stuck them in his district. He probably didn't even need to campaign to win! :crazy:

[slackmaster]

18. McClintock made it very clear where he stands

He's the clear choice for conservative Republicans. Oddly, Peter Camejo agreed with McClintock on a couple of economic issues while the others did not. Generally McClintock was the only one to voice truly conservative viewpoints on anything.

California Republicans come in two flavors: Moderates and conservatives, without a lot of inbetween. The conservatives are not just in Thousand Oaks; they are scattered throughout the backcountry and some northern counties, and their viewpoint dominates the roughly 1/3 of both houses of the Legislature that they represent.

[burr]

21. 1/3...boy what a force!

They almost make a minority.

McClinton came across more like an incompetent, uncaring Quayle or Newt than a deluded but friendly conservative like Reagan. Reagan may not of been bright, but in a debate he could be witty, optimistic, and appear to be concerned about the interest of the people. This is much better than appearing brash or bitter.

I never heard Camejo agree with McClinton on any issue, except for one..the feds and medical marijuana. It scared me most of all, when he made his statement about loosening up the unemployment compensation laws.

[slackmaster]

24. Under the current system the Republicans are an effective force

When it comes to passing a budget. With the 2/3 majority requirement to increase taxes it is not possible to pass as state budget without Republican support.

[burr]

28. No wonder California has a budget crises!

Most state legislatures can pass needed increases with a bare majority. If voters don't like it, we have a system called the BALLOT BOX! A new idea to some.

It seems like Davis could make this into a campaign issue, and get it on the ballot as a referendum. If Clinton needed a 2/3 majority for the tax increases, we would of never had those surplusses when he left office!

[slackmaster]

30. You're right - It's 2/3 for taxes and a simple majority for spending

The proportion of the legislature required to approve spending should be the same as it is for imposing taxes. Simple majority or 2/3, either way would work because you'd have the same group of people working on both sides of the balance sheet. The system we have now is guaranteed to throw things out of whack.

[noiretextatique]

13. i missed davis, but camejo did very well

mcclintock was dull...uberroth was wishy-washy...bustamante and arianna were OK. i thought bustamante scored some points with education and the energy crisis. but camejo was the most impressive (and honest of the lot). of course i missed davis, so my assessment excludes him.

[jamesturnsliberal]

14. bustamante campaign site.

Does anyone have url for bustamante's campaign site.

[newyawker99]

15. Hi jamesturnsliberal!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[salmonhorse]

17. Cruz ~

http://www.noonrecallyesonbustamante.com

http://www.ltg.ca.gov

[salmonhorse]

16. Camejo is actually the man...

And there may be a time when Greens will be in a position to ascend as a matter of course. His exposure of late has been very on target and covered intact. Sadly, however, it is that 'right place at the right time' thing. Greens get my vote rountinely on thee gamit of office holdings. If this seems somehow at odds then try to understand; Cailfornia is presently being slobbered on while being gang-banged by the Rove/RNC/Nixon-Bush-Cheney/Bechtel-Bush-Family-Oligarchy Admin lap dogs such as Darrel Issa and Arnold which cannot be allowed to any extent. When the sun shines we'll make hay again...

Political pragmatism must-need follow ~

[_NorCal_D_]

19. I'll

'enjoy' the recall as long as Bustamante or someone similar wins.

[Starpass]

20. A follow up on MSNBC this a.m. (didn't expect the whores to pass did ya)

They had on Arianna and showed the clips of her laying into Cruz over the "Indian giving" ('cuse the pun) thing. Then they let us, the viewers, know that as Arianna's popularity rises, it takes away from Cruz and assures a Arnnnuld victory. Arnold, like the slimes in D.C. who he's in bed with, played this well. He scored via Arianna and didn't have to get his dyed hair mussed. The others should have declined to debate if he wasn't going to be there or people like Arianna and Cruz should have just gang banged Arnold over and over and over. Anchor told us that their were very, very few references to or remarks directed at Arnold. Ohhhhh, and just one tidbit...my Time mag from last week (I believe) had this stat on their stat page: They gave the worth of Arianna's home which was like 4 million dollars and that her combined income tax for TWO years was $740 bucks. Something just grates on me when these multi-millionaires do the "you have dirty money" act. Let's elect Arianna president so she can pass laws so that I only have to pay $740 bucks over two years in income taxes.

[proud patriot]

22. Here the link to the play by play transcription

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=271968

[Hell Hath No Fury]

23. I watched it from the start...

and was impressed with what I saw.

Davis' segment was very good, I thought. He took the chance to explain why certain actions were taken given the situations he was dealing with -- laid it out so that it was easily followable. I think he left many with a favorable impression.

I can see exactly why Arnold chose not to attend this debate -- he would have had a terrible time. They had some good reporters asking questions, and I liked that they were allowed to press the candidates when not given a satisfactory answer.

I think Cruz came across as fairly confident, though watching him try to explain away the Indian tribe money was embarrassing.

I have to say that I like Arianna's sell -- she injected a little fun and pointed criticism to the mix.

Ueberoth WAS the Stockdale candidate. Was all about making CA "business friendly" -- but offered very few specifics on what regulations and laws he would change to do so -- which scares the crap out of me.

McClintock was very good -- he spelled out clearly and forcefully the differences between himself and the other candidates, including Arnie. He is a CA conservative wet dream -- he is everything Arnie is not, and viewers got to see that. Went into a unneccessary rant on "partial-bith abortion" that I am sure had wingers heart's singing. I think his participation in this race could be the thing that torpedoes Arnie.

Can't wait for the second one --

Hell

On edit: oops, forgot Camejo -- will post with thoughts on him in a few minutes.

[lanlady]

27. agree completely

McClintock was well prepared, came across exactly for what he is--a died-in-the-wool conservative.

It's fortunate for Cruz that he has a sense of humor, otherwise he might have blown his stack!

CNN Morning was a bit dismissive of the whole thing--the bimbo of the hour (Soledad O') proclaimed that nothing much came of it. They interviewed the mayor of SF about it, he opined that Uebberoth was toast after his performance last night.

[Kanola]

29. I was very impressed with the moderater

and those asking the questions to the candidates. Particulary because if the candidates did not answer the questions directly they called them on it. I would like to see more of this happen with the Dems. I get tired of candidates not answering the direct questions put to them