sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/09/23/ISSA.TMP
The GOP congressman whose money put the recall on the ballot urged Republicans Monday to keep Democratic Gov. Gray Davis in office if neither Arnold Schwarzenegger nor Tom McClintock pulls out of the race by election day. If two major Republicans remain on the ballot, Id advise you to vote no on the recall, said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista San Diego County, who spent more than $16 million of his own money to help gather signatures to recall Davis. Cruz Bustamante will be the governor, even though a majority of voters are asking for a no-tax solution to Californias budget problems, Issa told a lunchtime meeting of the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. Both McClintock and Schwarzenegger have said they would not raise taxes, while Bustamante has proposed boosting taxes on the wealthiest Californians to balance the state budget. In every poll, more than 50 percent of voters support no-new-taxes candidates, while 34 percent support someone who will raise taxes, Issa said. I understand what hes trying to say, said Duf Sundheim, chairman of the state Republican Party. We cant come this far and throw it all away by having two candidates. GOP NOT NAMING NAMES While most Republicans arent naming names, its clear that its not Schwarzenegger, the Hollywood action hero whos brought his boundless star power to the race, whom theyre suggesting drop out. Since Arnold Schwarzenegger is the only viable anti-tax candidate on the ballot, said Todd Harris, a spokesman for the actor, my guess is that this was Congressman Issas nice way of putting pressure on Sen. Issa said that McClintock, a strong conservative, has admitted to him that it was unlikely he could win a one-on-one race for governor. Its incumbent for the one who cant get to a majority to drop out, Issa said. If Tom is still in the same position, with about half of what Arnold has, hes the one who will have to make the hard decision. But McClintock doesnt sound like a man getting ready to bail out of the recall replacement race. In an e-mail message sent to supporters Monday, he reminded them that Republican leaders had urged Ronald Reagan to step aside in the 1966 governors race to clear the GOP primary field for San Francisco Mayor George Christopher, a more moderate candidate. The rest is history, McClintock wrote, urging his backers to raise $800,000 for a last-minute TV ad blitz. I believe Ronald Reagan felt it would be wrong to walk away from his principles and from those who believed as he did in those same principles. SCHWARZENEGGER STALLED John Stoos, McClintocks deputy campaign director, said recent polls have shown the Ventura County state senator picking up ground while Schwarzeneggers effort has stalled. If Arnold Schwarzenegger is as strong a candidate as everyone wants us to believe, why is he spending so much time trying to get us out?
Schwarzeneggers campaign went on the attack Monday, putting out a television ad that takes a not-very-backhanded swipe at both Bustamante and McClintock for accepting money from Indian tribes with gambling interests in the state. Speaking directly to the camera, Schwarzenegger says in that ad that its time for the Indian tribes to pay a fair share of their gambling revenues to the state. All the other major candidates take their money and pander to them, he says. Since polls show that Bustamante and McClintock are the only other major candidates, its no secret whom Schwarzenegger is talking about. McClintock has been taking his own shots at Schwarzenegger, saying in the Sacramento Bee on Monday that the actor is surrounding himself with aides to former GOP Gov. Pete Wilson, whom he called one of the worst governors in Californias history. DAVIS CAMP PLEASED With the skirmishing between the two GOP campaigns threatening to break out into all-out war, Issa was forced to paraphrase humorist Will Rogers. Davis backers gleefully accepted Issas suggestion that Republicans might have to vote against the recall. Were happy that Darrell Issa has come around and hope he joins us in voting No on the recall, said Peter Ragone, a spokesman for the anti-recall group controlled by Davis. The Republicans troubles in the replacement race are pulling attention away from the recall itself, where new polls have shown Davis picking up ground. Ive been a lonely voice in the wind, warning that the replacement vote is just a popularity contest unless we win the recall vote, said David Gilliard of Rescue California, a recall group founded and financed by Issa. But if youre a donor, you want to put your money where the glitter is. CANDIDATE VISITS CITY COLLEGE Bustamante had problems of his own Monday, when a Sacramento court ordered him to return much of the money he has received from Indian and union interests. But as the lone Democrat in the replacement race, he has been enjoying plenty of support from fellow party members. On Monday, the lieutenant governor toured San Francisco City Colleges Mission District campus with Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman and talked about the need to put more money into community colleges, which he called the superhighway of opportunity in California. Lieberman, whos running for president, echoed Bustamantes campaign slogan, calling on voters to Vote no the recall and yes on Bustamante. Get Californias economy moving again by keeping Democrats in Sacramento, he said.
|
http://csua.com/feed/