No McClintock drop-out proves no Rove conspiracy?

[Hanuman]

As a Californian, I have been ardently following the recall debate and the replacement races. I have said here on more than one occassion that I believe McClintock will not drop out of the race,

EVEN THOUGH his presence as a candidate all but guarantees a win for Bustamonte, by splitting the republican vote.

Says McClintock: "I'm in this race to the finish line."

I have been informed by many of my beloved DUers that the recall is the work of the White House and Karl Rove and that it is inevitable that Rove will brush McClintock aside and hand the reigns to Arnold.

I see no WH involvement here. Anything but. Bush and the WH have remained steadfastly absent and mum on the issue, and many Californian and national republicans see the recall as a net loss to republicans overall in 04.

This weekend a republican convention will be held in California and many believe this will be the deciding moment for McClintock and the recall. If he's still in the race on Monday morning- he ain't going anywhere and he's not giving up.

For all of my fellow DUers who see a Rove conspiracy under every republican rock, I ask this: If McClintock doesn't drop this weekend, will that change your perception of Rove's involvement in the recall effort?

[libertad]

1. He may drop out near the end, leaving the sheeple

little time to "think" about their options.

[CMT]

2. not necessarily

I do believe the WH has been behind efforts to get candidates out of the race, but it could be since McClintock is moving up in the polls and his conservative followers are probably going to turn out that he thinks he actually can win. I hope he stays in.

[Frances]

3. Arnold is the White House's choice

just as Riordan was in the election.

The White House could not persuade California Republicans to select Riordan, but they tried.

Now the White House would like to get McClintock to drop out.

The problem is that the California Republican base is very stubborn and proud. I don't agree with their philosophy, but I think they are brave to stand up to all of the pressure exerted on them.

[Bandit]

4. Who influenced Issa to drop out?

The man who thought he would buy himself a governorship dropped out for what reason? KKKarl Rove doesn't control everyone but does control a lot.

[rustydog]

5. Of course you are dismissing, out of hand, the "meetings"

Aaahnold held with Rove in the White House aren't a machination of roves, or the funding of the recall by ISSA who said he was in it to the finish. I guess the finish was then the recall petition was certified, then he dropped out.

Rove made an assumption that Aaahnold would have the electability of a Ronald Reagan. His fatal error was the groupie skeletons in Arnold's closet and the "fag" comments. Then the "gay marriage should be between a man and woman" remark sets Aaahnold on a par with Bush*

[Hanuman]

7. Good point... I guess...

I was not aware that Rove and Arnold met, but that does not come as a suprise, since Arnold certainly has ties to the WH and has visited there at least once to plead the case for more money for after school programs.

But meeting with the WH and/or Rove does not mean that Rove is the recall puppetmaster. If he is the puppetmaster and yet cannot get McClintock out of the way for Arnold, then he's got a lot of missing strings on his puppet stick.

[Capn Sunshine]

6. I guess you need to re read the Grover Norquist article

where he is quoted in an interview with the Denver Post about his clearly articulated strategy of creating partisan strife at the state level and how this will work to republicans benefit.

And of course the article on The recall , which documents the meeting between Ken Lay, Scwartzenegger , Michael Milken and representatives dispatched by Rove.

Of course if you don't read these , you can continue pretending that no guiding hand exists.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/07/31_grover.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/08/20_recall.html

I wrote both of these, and I left a hell of a lot out for bevity's sake.

[Hanuman]

10. For all of the machiavellian tactics listed here...

that seem to operate on the borders of the issue, why can't Rove get McClintock to roll over?

Do you predict McClintock will roll over?

[rocktivity]

8. Frankly, I don't blame McClintock in the least

I certainly wouldn't take a back seat to a complete neophyte who doesn't even toe the party line. I'd rather be known as the politician who couldn't beat out a movie star than as the politician who didn't even TRY to beat out a movie star.

McClintock is probably so pissed he doesn't care what the GOP does.


rocknation

[BushHasGotToGo]

9. Uberroth did drop out though

That could push this into Schwarzenegger's column though.