David Codrea Addresses "Stealth Candidate"

[Tempest]

Having never held elected office before, we had no OTHER way to sort out where Arnold's head is at 'cept for where he spent money.

As to Tom: he decided long ago he didn't want to be governor. He's not stupid; he had to know that having BOTH "pro-life" and "anti-gay" positions meant he couldn't win.

Not being a contender probably has something to do with the NRA's delaying official endorsement. They were hoping Arnold would make a clear public signal about his views on the RKBA. When that didn't happen, they backed Tom somewhat halfheartedly because they knew he wasn't a contender.

I disagree. Arnold admitted as early as last April that he supports gun control.

At the end of August his stance on gun control was clear. He stated plainly he supports the "assault" weapons ban and closing the "gun show loophole."

Knowing all this CRPA didn't endorse McClintock until the end of September. Sorry. This doesn't add up.

 

[Jim March]

Ohhhhkay.

Don't you think that a statement like "I support gun control" covers such an incredibly broad spectrum from "use both hands when you shoot" to the "GRAB 'EM ALL, THEY'RE EVIL!!!" of a DiFi or similar, that it's meaningless?

Sigh.

Look, he's not running in Nevada or Wyoming or whatever, where a statement like "I support gun control" would be an automatic death-knell.

He's running in California, where SOME "sheeple noises" are going to be necessary. The dude is a pragmatist, we knew that going in.

Cards on the table time: Tom wasn't going to win. Who would you prefer instead?

We got the best of a bad situation, a bad situation created in large part BY Tom McClintock.

 

[Tempest]

Don't you think that a statement like "I support gun control" covers such an incredibly broad spectrum from "use both hands when you shoot" to the "GRAB 'EM ALL, THEY'RE EVIL!!!" of a DiFi or similar, that it's meaningless?

No, I do not, and neither would any rational human being.

He's running in California, where SOME "sheeple noises" are going to be necessary. The dude is a pragmatist, we knew that going in.

Cards on the table time: Tom wasn't going to win. Who would you prefer instead?

We got the best of a bad situation, a bad situation created in large part BY Tom McClintock.

Whether McClintock was going to win or not is a side issue to me right now. The issue I'm trying to decipher is the apparent political maneuvering and misrepresentation that took place for Arnold.

For the record, I do think that had McClintock had the full backing of his party and the NRA from the very beginning, he would have had a very good shot. But that's neither here nor there. I guess we'll never know, will we?

 

[Jim March]

None of what I'm saying is "irrational".

It wouldn't have mattered if Tom had had NRA support right off the bat. Heck, it wouldn't have mattered what the GOP did. They'd have backed either Arnold or Riorden, but if neither and they backed Tom, we'd have been looking at Governor Cruz. Or Davis.

Look, remember how turnout was predicted to be LOW back around June/July, when Davis was desperate to stall this out to Spring of '04? So why was there a rush to the polls? Because Arnold suprised everybody and dragged a bunch of people who don't usually vote (esp. in an off election) to the polls. Without that happening, it's quite possible Davis wouldn't have even been recalled.

Tom wasn't gonna win. Period. Arnold made mild grabber noises while giving money to gun groups. So you don't have any idea where his head is at, neither do I.

Now I've told you exactly what my thinking is, what my opinions are. And you say you're "still trying to decipher" what's up.

Dunno man...you're reading conspiracies into plain truth.

 

[Publicola]

Jim March,
The plain truth is tht Schwarzenegger is pro-gun control. It's also plain that his supporters didn't want that known in republican/conservative circles.

Now I believe I've said it before, but the only thing left up for debate is exactly how much gun control Schwarzenegger approves of? Is he a DiFi-like gun control supporter, or is he more like an NRA-type gun control supporter? For me either one would be just as bad, but others may feel different.

So let's talk about that instead of getting silly about gun control encompassing such a broad spectrum that its meaning is unclear, or that he had to make gun grabbing noises for political expediency. Hell, he was making some of those same noises years before he thought about running. & we all know what gun control means in politics & it ain't about improving your group size.

Was it wishful thinking, or did someone intend to swing as many pro-gun voters to Schwarzenegger's side despite his pro-gun control stance thinking it was for the greater good?

 

[Preacherman]

Folks, this has been done to death by now, in the weeks before the election, and now afterwards as well... Enough, already!