George Skelton (LA Times): Schwarzenegger fading as Lord of the Polls

[Jack Rabbit]

From the Los Angeles Times
Dated Thursday April 7

Capitol Journal:
Self-Proclaimed Governor of the People Is Fading as Lord of the Polls
By George Skelton

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's style may be getting stale.

He's too interested in PR gimmicks, many voters think, and should be putting more effort into dealing with legislators.

Fewer than half of Californians now approve of the way the governor is handling his job, a sharp decline since January.

Moreover, people think California has gotten off on the wrong track.

Read more.

[livetohike]

1. Finally

What took so long? He is alienating his "people" by taking away their benefits. Let's recall him.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Recall would be premature

If you're seriously proposing it, such a move would almost certainly fail.

However, it may not be too soon to start thinking about defeating him in a general election in 2006. That still won't be easy, but it is starting to look like something that can be done.

The findings in this poll also suggest that, if he gets his way and we have a special election this fall, the Democrats can use that against him. California Democrats may not be the pushovers the ones in Congress are, but they're also willing to bargain with a governor from an opposing party. Schwarzenegger is wasting time and money not reaching out to them.

[livetohike]

3. I confront every "signature getter" I see for this

money wasting special election.

Do you see any interested Democratic who can beat him in the Governor's race? I don't.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Right now, I don't see any Democrat who could beat him

If Phil Angelides stood next to Schwarzenegger, most people wouldn't even see him.

That bothers me in two ways. First, Angelides would make a better governor than Schwarzenegger. Second, even if it were concluded that Schwarzenegger could not be defeated in 2006, elections still provide an important opportunity to discuss issues. Walter Mondale was doomed against Reagan in 1984, but he did an excellent job of keeping the campaign focused on Reagan's fiscal irresponsibility in spite of the outcome being a forgone conclusion. The Democrats would do well to run a candidate with enough presence to air his case even in a lost cause. Frankly, I'm not sure Angelides could even do that. In a race where an runaway Schwarzenegger win seems certain, we may be depending on somebody like Peter Camejo to remind us there are things that need to be discussed.

[saltpoint]

5. Any poll trauma / corresponding drop in support for --

-- Arnold among California voters would be just alright with me.

I hope he's pecked to death by seagulls on a pile of garbage.