The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Blind Loyalties

10.8.03 @ 12:01AM

THE GROPE
Re: George Neumayr's A Party of Gropers:

A not insignificant side benefit of today's Recall Election in the Golden State is that its long awaited arrival could bring a lessening of Mr. George Neumayr's moralistic lecturings and obstreperous gasconades regarding the downfall of the California Republican Party for its backing of Mr. Schwarzenegger ... but I doubt it.

Best Wishes,
-- Samuel Keck
Indian Wells, CA

Prove it, George. I bet you supported Slick Willie, the King of Gropers and he even has been charged with rape. But I suppose you are a Rat -- a DemocRAT -- and will excuse any bad behavior by a Rat.

This is a sickening state of affairs. This is what this special election is about. Not groping. Not social issues. The nightmare economy and the monstrous political mafia in California that cannot be rooted out unless something extraordinary happens.

By the way I never heard of this George guy before I saw this "stupid" column.
-- Ruth
Colorado

Awesome coverage of the recall, thanks.
-- Jonathan Shultz

Fiddlesticks. The pragmatic reason for supporting Arnold is that the enemy of our enemy is our friend. Even if he's only a 20% friend, he's better than Gray Davis, a zero.

I take second place to no one in my disdain for country-club and dinner-party Republicans. But there was no conservative running who was going to turn California voters around and win this one in six weeks. Sure, McClintock almost certainly would make a better governor than Arnold. So would Bob Tyrrell. So would I. But none of us was ready to run and win.

The California GOP deserves blame for having a weak farm team, with nobody electable statewide ready to step in and win. Given their lack of preparation, they've made the best of a bad situation.
-- Doug Welty
Arlington, VA

George Neumayr is a useful idiot for the Democrat party. In a primary election McClintock seemed to me to be the best choice (his self-centered disloyalty has exposed his true character and he doesn't deserve support for even dog catcher). This election (no primary) required quick determinations of who had the best chance. Arnie won that battle. The center of mass of California Republicans tend to be more liberal and apparently not immune from our celebrity culture. This state of affairs is not a good thing but a rational person should take an improvement instead of pining for some imagined ideal. Simon did the right thing and got out (he deserves support in the future). McClintock and Neumayr-like losers decided to split the vote and work hard for the Democrat party. They attempt to hide behind principles but they smell exactly like the Perot supporters trying to send messages that will never be heard by anybody but the Democrats who exploit them.
-- Clifton Briner

The Spectator piece on Arnold and the Republican party is spot on. In my view, the Republican Party stood for something other than power for the sake of power, which has been the sole domain of the Democrat Party for decades. Now, the Republicans are no better than the Dems. If the Republicans stood on principled ground, then they surely would have lost this particular race, but not the next one and that could have been a significant influence on future Republican gains. Now, if someone says they see no difference between the two parties, then they are more right than wrong...
-- Steve Shaver

I disagree! Republicans have not adopted the sleazy tactics of the dark side! Arnie has not been accused of the acts Willie committed. Take another look at the testimony of the 15 "gropees." Does it seem plausible to you that in 30 years, a dominant, rich male player in a city and business reputed to be of such low moral standards, did no better than a feel here or a fondle there? The last President did a lot better than that and never left his office. Using a baseball phrase, Arnie never got to first base! And, according to the 15 wannabes, he never scored. Does that sound accurate? Does that sound like reality? The testimony has been fudged. No, Republicans are not adopting that other side's tactics but the other side is still doing what they do in the sewer.
-- M in Colleyville

It is exactly the exclusionary, judgmental attitude demonstrated by George Neumayr that has prevented any meaningful Republican progress in California. To trot out the Clinton-Schwarzenegger comparisons over and over again only shows how Mr. Neumayr's position doesn't stand up to even lightweight scrutiny. Allegations of groping by an international celebrity from a dozen-or-so unnamed women and a few book-deal-seekers over a 30-year-time period. I find this unremarkable on its face particularly when it is reported 120 hours before an election by the left-wing L.A. Times on Page One. Taken along with some litmus-test logic on abortion and race, the argument is nothing more than a malcontented rant. Clinton abused his power for years before he became president, was a serial molester and had to settle a sexual battery lawsuit; Schwarzenegger is a private citizen with no lawsuits and a marriage of love rather than of convenience. There is no moral equivalency between these two men.

Mr. Neumayr: You have lost sight of what the recall is all about:

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Foreign Policy, Business, Abortion, Environment, Constitution, Law, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Conservatism, Energy, Unions