I'll be back

Nov 3, 2005

Yesterday, following the release of confirming poll results predicting the demise of his ballot measures next Tuesday, Governor Schwarzenegger vowed to be bring more initiatives to future ballots.

"Schwarzenegger told reporters that he could have put '15 more ideas' on the ballot. As it was, the governor said, he was criticized for taking on too much. Schwarzenegger suggested that he won't be satisfied even if his agenda was approved and that Californians can expect more far-reaching measures from him."

The American Association of Political Consultants couldn't be happier. They're even bringing their annual "Pollies" awards to Napa next March.

The governor also addressed the Maria issue. "In a conversation with reporters, Schwarzenegger also said his wife, Maria Shriver, is in a difficult spot. Shriver, a Democrat, has yet to endorse any of the governor's initiatives, nor has she joined him on the campaign trail. In contrast, Shriver made joint appearances with Schwarzenegger during the recall campaign, helping him when he was confronting allegations about his treatment of women.

"'Maria now is dragged into this whole thing,' he said. 'For her to walk that tight line of not offending her side, not offending my side and trying to be supportive and not getting involved specifically is a tough thing to do. But she has handled it really well.'"

If you can't persuade your own Democratic wife to support you, how can you persuade the 42.7% of California's voters also registered with her party? Just askin'...

Pete Wilson talks to Capitol Weekly about the special election, and the job his political protege is doing.

"Well I don't know if it is all that different from my own experience to be honest with you," Wilson said. "There may have been a greater expectation in his case that he would be more accommodating. I never had that. I think it was based to some extent on the fact that Maria is part of the Kennedy clan but Arnold is doing many of the things that I did or sought to do."

The Los Angeles Times releases its remaining poll results today, and finds that only Proposition 73 (parental notification) heading for victory.

Los Angeles Times
Proposition 73: Abortion
Yes: 51%, No: 39%
Proposition 78: Prescription drugs - Industry-backed
Yes: 38%, No: 43%
Proposition 79: Prescription drugs - Labor/Consumer-backed
Yes: 30%, No: 47%
Proposition 80: Electricity Regulation
Yes: 25%, No: 48%

The Times writes that voters are confused by the pharmaceutical measures, which will likely lead many of them to vote no on Tuesday. "When voters don't understand an initiative, they tend to vote no," said Times Poll Director Susan Pinkus.

The Times adds to voters confusion with the following poll appearing next to the website version of the article on today's poll release:

Abortion: Parental Notification
Where do you stand on Proposition 73?
- I'm for it. Parents should be notified.
- I'm for it because it makes it more difficult for teens to have abortions.
- I'm against it. Minors should have privacy.
- I'm against it because abortion is evil.
- I don't care about this issue.
- I'm not voting this election.

So, it's early and we're bleary-eyed, but we're having a hard time understanding why people might vote against Proposition 73 -- which amends the constitution to define abortion as the "death of the unborn child, a child conceived but not yet born" -- because they believe abortion is evil?

George Skelton reviews each measure and advises voters to follow his lead and vote no on all ballot measures. "I need a bumper sticker that reads: 'Vote — Vote No.'"

Of course, it's all going to come down to turnout, and Capitol Weekly's Malcolm Maclachlan catches up with a couple of the people the GOP is turning to to rally the base, including GOP activist Steve Frank California Republican Assembly president Mike Spence says: "At this point in the election, Steve Frank is more valuable than all of the governor's consultants."

Speaking of Republicans, GOP strategist Arnie Steinberg endears himself to the Schwarzenegger campaign by talking about some of the governor's poll numbers. "Cheerleading and optimism are okay. But I see bs numbers on conservative websites. They’re exploiting their friends, screwing them. If I were writing online and were made a fool of, I’d be a little upset. I mean, all this nonsense about the silent vote, or that the governor’s internals were showing all four winning. We were told that last month. How absurd. They were never showing that."

Meanwhile, Shane Goldmacher takes a peek at the slimy underbelly of the world of slatemailers.

"With the special election less than a week away, campaigns are using every available tactic to lure potential voters to the polls. For the No on 77 campaign, that includes bankrolling a direct mail piece sent to Republicans urging a "yes" vote on three-quarters of Gov. Schwarzenegger's special election initiatives. "

Just a reminder, we will be voting for governor a year from now, and the Field Poll has the latest numbers. Only 36% of the voters are inclined to support the governor's reelection, while 55% are not. This includes 22% of Republicans who are not ready to give Schwarzenegger another term.

And yet, in the Times Poll, the governor gets more than 36% in all hypothetical head-to-head match-ups. Like we said, it's early...

Here are the numbers:

Field Poll
Trial heats among registered voters
Angelides (D) 47%
Schwarzenegger (R) 41
Undecided 12

Westly (D) 46%
Schwarzenegger (R) 40
Undecided 14

Reiner (D) 45%
Schwarzenegger (R) 43
Undecided 12

Schwarzenegger (R) 44%
Beatty (D) 41
Undecided 15

Expect a cut and paste job of yesterday's Steve Westly e-mail--which claimed he was the best candidate to take on Schwarzenegger--by Phil Angelides's campaign team by mid-morning...

The News and Review's Capitol Bites has a little fun with the Capitol Weekly online salary database in the issue hitting the streets today. "The Weekly has now put its salary search online. The first few days, it was searched more than 200,000 times, presumably by Capitol staffers hard at work.

"True, more than a handful of those searches came from SN&R, as Bites typed through the tears of realization that even the average legislative employee (at a salary of $56,311) makes more before lunchtime than Bites is paid for this column each week. Ugh."

The beta version of the database is still online. After all, it's better than phone-banking.