LA Times: Tensions on Governor's Staff

[RamboLiberal]

Tensions have begun to emerge between two camps within the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, threatening to complicate his efforts to win over state lawmakers who are considering his controversial budget recovery plan.

An especially revealing episode occurred in recent days when an aide's routine effort to build support for the governor's financial package grew into something else: an aggressive series of statewide campaign rallies that appeared to target wavering lawmakers.

Schwarzenegger's legislative secretary, Richard Costigan, had drawn up a list of Democratic lawmakers whose backing could decide the fate of the governor's plan. The idea was for Schwarzenegger to court these legislators in hopes of getting the votes to put his spending cap and bond measure of up to $15 billion on the March ballot. Schwarzenegger is pressing the Legislature to act by Friday.

Two people who have spoken to Costigan about the matter said they were told the governor's political team had used the list to arrange rallies that stoked fears of Schwarzenegger's wielding his celebrity to intimidate legislators into voting for his plan.

To counter such worries, Costigan and some of his aides have been visiting the Democrats this week, trying to convince them that the governor was not working for their political defeat.

[opihimoimoi]

1. Rookie poker players will get rooked every time

Look at the White House

[ClintonTyree]

2. Mr. Schwarzengroper....................

is finding out that the Governorship is slightly different than reading a script for one of his "movies". Not all is scripted, and I don't think der Gropenizer is very good at ad lib. What happens if his bond measure is defeated? How will Herr Handsenwander react then?

[cap]

3. cant democratic celebrities and unions do counter-rallies???

eom

[Moderator]

4. Please re-post with the link

Thanks!

DU Moderator