McCain Stumps For Gov. Schwarzenegger: Focus on Prop. 77
S.F. Chronicle reports: “Arizona Sen. John McCain, traveling to California for two campaign appearances with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, gave his blessing Monday to the governor’s initiatives on the Nov. 8 ballot, but worried aloud about the estimated $200 million that will be spent on the special election.”
The senator focused his attention on Prop. 77, the redistricting initiative. Reapportionment in California and across the nation is far too respectful of incumbents, he suggested.
“Today more people lose their seats in the Politburo of Havana than in the U.S. Congress,” McCain said. “We’ve got to have a clash of ideas. We can’t leave people in office for life unless they compete and compete successfully.”
Tell that to the special interests.
Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, in San Francisco for an event, said it wasn’t surprising McCain would help a fellow Republican.
“I don’t think the people of California are going to listen to a senator from Arizona who’s endorsing a power grab by the governor,” she said.
Guess you can call it a “power grab” if your a liberal Democrat controlling all the power, and not wanting to give any up to fair elections.
In a related newsstory, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said she would start raising money to defeat the measure.
The House minority leader said she planned to ask all 33 Democratic members of California’s delegation to pitch in and had the green light from federal elections regulators to raise unlimited funds.