August 16, 2003

Huffington blasts Schwarzenegger as Bush Republican

Two observations on this story...
1) I am delighted that she attacked the Terminator, I
wish Gray Davis (a Democrat, a Vietnam veteran and the
duly elected Governor of California) had hurled this
political grenade, I wish Cruz Bustamente had hurled
this political grenade. If they do not go on the
offensive and define this race as a struggle with the
Bush cabal, if they do not define it as culture war,
class war and *civil* war with the "vast right wing
conspiracy," they will lose in this abomination
disguised as a constitutional process...Bravo for
Arriana Huffington...BUT remember...
2) If Gray Davis or Cruz Bustamente had indeed hurled
this political grenade at the Terminator, there would
be no significant SeeNotNews coverage of it.


http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/08/14/huffington/index.html
Huffington blasts Schwarzenegger as Bush Republican
Taking aim at GOP front-runner

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) --Seeking to defuse the
campaign of Republican rival Arnold Schwarzenegger,
California gubernatorial hopeful Arianna Huffington on
Thursday blasted the movie star as a "good friend of
the Bush administration" beholden to special
interests.

"Arnold Schwarzenegger is a Bush Republican through
and through," said the best-selling author, who is
running as an independent in the October 7 special
election to recall Democratic Gov. Gray Davis.

Huffington then ran through a litany of questions she
wants the GOP front-runner to answer, focusing on what
she described as ties to Enron chief Ken Lay and
various Republicans.

The name Enron resonates in California because the
failed energy giant -- which collapsed amid reports of
shady accounting -- was accused of taking advantage of
the state's energy crisis in 2001 to make money.

"Clearly, Schwarzenegger is a very good friend of the
Bush administration," Huffington said. "But this
administration is no friend to the people of
California. Indeed, at times, it seems as if the Bush
administration has declared war on California."

During a stop at a Los Angeles middle school,
Schwarzenegger said he didn't recall the meeting with
Lay.

"I can't remember every meeting I've had over the last
10 years," he said.

He also said he was adding George Shultz, the U.S.
secretary of state during the Reagan administration,
to his economic team, which is being headed up by
billionaire Warren Buffet, a Democrat.

Wednesday, President Bush told reporters that
Schwarzenegger "would be a good governor, as would
others running for governor of California." (Full
story)

Huffington criticized Schwarzenegger for attacking
Davis for being fiscally irresponsible, "while he's
actually ignoring the orgy of fiscally
irresponsibility going on in Washington by the
Republican Congress."

Recall supporters have blamed Davis for California's
budget deficit -- which until a recent budget deal had
stood at $38 billion, but is now at $8 billion -- and
his handling of a severe energy crisis which led to
rolling blackouts throughout the state in 2001.

Democrats in turn blame Bush for the weak economy and
for federal policies that made the energy crisis much
worse.

Huffington urged journalists to pose tough questions
to Schwarzenegger "whenever he decides to start
answering questions."

At Thursday's news conference, Huffington, who lives
in a house worth more than $1 million, was asked how
an affluent person like herself could speak for all
Californians.

"I think it is very important for people who are
blessed with a lot of privileges to take up the causes
of those who need to have a greater voice in our
democracy," she said. "I think this has been a great
tradition in American democracy. I'm proud to be part
of it."

Huffington and Schwarzenegger are among the better
known of the 135 candidates who qualified for the
recall ballot. The list of candidates was released
Wednesday night by the California Secretary of State's
office.

Other well-known candidates on the list include
Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante; Republicans Bill
Simon -- who lost to Davis nine months ago in the
general election -- and former baseball commissioner
Peter Ueberroth; Hustler magazine publisher Larry
Flynt, a Democrat. (Complete list)

In a two-part ballot, voters will be asked whether
Davis should be recalled and if so, who should replace
him as governor. Davis' name will not be listed among
the possible replacement candidates.

If the governor is recalled, whoever wins a plurality
of votes would serve out the remainder of Davis' term.





Posted by richard at August 16, 2003 04:01 PM