Arnold's Bubble
Arnold Schwarzenegger is living in a fantasy land from which his erstwhile supporters are beginning to bolt. This fantasy land is a place where voters just 'know in their hearts' (doesn't this sound like a Bushism?) that while Schwarzenegger may be raising more money from special interests than Gray Davis, the former would never be influenced by the wishes of those donors. (Arnold would say there is a method to his madness: insurance companies are less a special interest than the state workers' union, or one Indian gaming lobby is less a special interest than another Indian gaming lobby, but this is twisting Californians' blind faith into reasoned conviction.) Daniel Weintraub, who was (and still is) a big Arnold-booster, says Arnold has simply continued to believe this throughout his governorship, while California voters (especially the Democrats and independents who gave Arnold a mega-coalition like nothing seen in California politics since Ronald Reagan) may be starting to suspend their suspension of disbelief:
In one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's first press conferences after taking office, the new governor, already well on his way to breaking California records for political fund raising, was asked by a reporter if he wasn't setting himself up to be compared to his predecessor, former Gov. Gray Davis.
Davis, the journalist noted, also raised massive amounts of money. And he was heavily criticized for being beholden to the interests whose money filled his campaign coffers. "Could not the same argument be made against yourself?"
"It could be," Schwarzenegger replied. Then he explained.
On the surface, he conceded, there really wasn't much difference between his fund raising and the activity that tainted Davis. The distinction, in Schwarzenegger's view, was in their hearts. Like most close observers of the Sacramento scene, Schwarzenegger had come to believe that Davis based his policy decisions on the donations he received from the players involved. And Schwarzenegger said he would never do such a thing.
Since then, the governor has expanded his fund raising, but his explanation remains more or less the same.
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Ergo, his 60% approval ratings can't last for another 5 years.
In one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's first press conferences after taking office, the new governor, already well on his way to breaking California records for political fund raising, was asked by a reporter if he wasn't setting himself up to be compared to his predecessor, former Gov. Gray Davis.
Davis, the journalist noted, also raised massive amounts of money. And he was heavily criticized for being beholden to the interests whose money filled his campaign coffers. "Could not the same argument be made against yourself?"
"It could be," Schwarzenegger replied. Then he explained.
On the surface, he conceded, there really wasn't much difference between his fund raising and the activity that tainted Davis. The distinction, in Schwarzenegger's view, was in their hearts. Like most close observers of the Sacramento scene, Schwarzenegger had come to believe that Davis based his policy decisions on the donations he received from the players involved. And Schwarzenegger said he would never do such a thing.
Since then, the governor has expanded his fund raising, but his explanation remains more or less the same.
________________
Ergo, his 60% approval ratings can't last for another 5 years.
posted by hellisotherpeople at 10:06 AM
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