Friday, October 21, 2005

Qualified Loyalty

Put this one under the "They Eat Their Own" category. Arnold Schwartzenegger was so miffed that the Resident was poaching funds while the Governator was trying to raise money for a media blitz for his special election project that Arnold snubbed George when the Resident came to Southern California. The governor of one of the bluest states in the US indicated that he would not attend the fund raiser George had scheduled in Beverly Hills. LA Times columnist George Skelton analyzed the situation yesterday.

Don't expect to see happy photos of President Bush with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger when the president visits Los Angeles tonight for a Republican fundraiser. The governor doesn't plan to go near the president. He's upset.

Schwarzenegger is miffed because Bush is dipping into the California money pot less than three weeks before the governor's special election. Schwarzenegger still is tapping contributors for his own political needs, trying to salvage a "reform" agenda crucial to his governorship and to him politically.


Now why either man would want to be seen in each other's company is a mystery to me. We are, after all, talking about two of the most unpopular leaders in the history of US politics.

A statewide poll last month by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California showed that the president and governor are about equally unpopular in the state. Their job ratings among likely voters: Bush, 38% approval, 60% disapproval; Schwarzenegger, 38%-55%.

Still, the word out of Sacramento is that Arnold is angry that the White House scheduled the fund raiser when it did, especially because he had requested the White House delay the event for a couple of weeks until after the special election. A leader in the California Republican party made clear the state's displeasure:

"What California needs from the Bush administration are more federal dollars, not fundraisers, at a time when we're just weeks from a crucial statewide election that could have a significant impact on the governor's administration," Hanretty says.

...the Schwarzenegger camp considers the White House a bunch of ingrates, noting that the governor campaigned in Ohio for the president last fall and helped him narrowly carry the state, securing his reelection.

"A little respect and courtesy for what Schwarzenegger is doing out here would be appreciated," says a gubernatorial aide. Or, to put it another way: a little appreciation for what Schwarzenegger did for the president in Ohio, which included alienating California Democrats and turning himself into a full-fledged partisan.

"This is a president who values loyalty probably to a fault," says a state GOP official. "But he's showing absolutely none to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
[Emphasis added]

Apparenty Arnold doesn't actually understand this regime. Loyalty is for long time friends, not for tools to steal another election.

Silly Arnold.

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