Robert Novak claims that he knows the reason that Arnold Schwarzenegger broke his promise to Richard Riordan to leave Riordan a clear field to run for governor: Schwarzenegger has concluded that Riordan is senile:
Thumbs up or down for Arnold?: Arnold Schwarzenegger's late decision to jump into the California recall election was made after weekend meetings to plan what was supposed to be a campaign for governor by Richard Riordan... the multimillionaire movie actor was disturbed by the demeanor of the multimillionaire former mayor of Los Angeles. As Schwarzenegger later related to associates, he was unpleasantly surprised by his old friend. In their private conversation, the 73-year-old Riordan duplicated his shaky performance in losing the 2002 Republican primary for governor. To Schwarzenegger, Riordan seemed so confused and disorganized he could not possibly be elected governor...
The story may be true. The story may be false but printed because Novak thinks it is a good thing to take potshots and Schwarzenegger. Novak is not a reliable source.
Posted by DeLong at August 14, 2003 08:11 AM | TrackBack
Anyone else find it interesting how Republican attacks on Schwartznegger seem designed to project an image of his moderacy in a state where that is exactly the message likely to improve his electability?
Maybe I'm just paranoid....
Arnold is no moderate. The criticisms are a pretense.
Posted by: lise F&B on August 14, 2003 09:44 AMArnold tagging Buffett as his Economic advisor makes Schwarzenegger the key pivot man in the rhetorical arguments leading to the 2004 Presidential race.
Yesterday, the WSJ discussed the Dems tactic of charging political "Mulligan." I still don't know how that plays out in he centrist hearland. But the California races now has national implications. The WSJ’s Gerald Seib (deputy chief of WSJ Wash D.C. bureau) notes:
"How the two parties handle popular anger at California's big budget deficit, and the question of whether taxes need to be raised to deal with it, may shape the national debate over the similarly burgeoning federal deficit."
-In the California Recall Mess, Democrats See National Message, WSJ.
Arnold tagging Buffett as his Economic advisor makes Schwarzenegger the key pivot man in the rhetorical arguments leading to the 2004 Presidential race.
Yesterday, the WSJ discussed the Dems tactic of charging political "Mulligan." I still don't know how that plays out in he centrist hearland. But the California races now has national implications. The WSJ’s Gerald Seib (deputy chief of WSJ Wash D.C. bureau) notes:
"How the two parties handle popular anger at California's big budget deficit, and the question of whether taxes need to be raised to deal with it, may shape the national debate over the similarly burgeoning federal deficit."
-In the California Recall Mess, Democrats See National Message, WSJ.
Warren Buffett as chief financial adviser to the golden state sounds like a wonderful idea.
Posted by: Joe Willingham on August 14, 2003 02:00 PMThe National Review lays down the conservative line on Arnold.
http://www.nationalreview.com/1sep03/editors090103b.asp
Posted by: Joe Willingham on August 14, 2003 02:20 PM