# The Governator wins! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 8, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207 "2003-10-08T03:11:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/41 "2003-10-08T07:43:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Airman Doors, USAF \* > \*\*Hell, I already respect Arnold as a politician. > > He wouldn’t even hesitate to tell the truth about a blowjob, and he certainly wouldn’t lie under oath about it. \*\* Would he misrepresent reasons to attack another country? ---
**Author:** ![Spurious\_George](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Spurious\_George](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spurious_George)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/42 "2003-10-08T08:14:32Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **jsleek** : > For me, it was the last minute mud slinging that turned me to vote for Arnie. I had planned to vote for Tom. Would you have voted differently if the issues had come up six weeks ago? And do you think any of the many allegations are true? What if they’re all true, would that affect your opinion of Governor Schwarzenegger at all? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/43 "2003-10-08T08:18:22Z")
Whoo hoo! Arnold wins! ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/44 "2003-10-08T11:08:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wakimika \* > \*\*Americans are such celebrity worshippers that they would no doubt put Elmer Fudd in office, if possible. \*\* Not a chance. Elmer Fudd has an extensive criminal history, including rape, murder, assault, extortion, and fraud. Seriously. I’ve seen it. He’s in the system as a training exercise, so we can practice running criminal histories. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/45 "2003-10-08T11:12:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Not a chance. Elmer Fudd has an extensive criminal history, including rape, murder, assault, extortion, and fraud. Plus then we’d have to listen to years of posts complaining about the pronunciation of “Nucwear”, "Amewica"and “Congwess” ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/46 "2003-10-08T12:02:12Z")
As a Minnesota resident I can’t be too smug (tho Jesse was at least a mayor b4 being gov). Not sure what he can do with the same legistlature and the same constraints based on referendums. Brian ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/47 "2003-10-08T12:10:06Z")
They ACTUALLY voted him in?! LMAO ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/48 "2003-10-08T12:12:47Z")
Why wouldn’t he win? At least he has a health plan (free breast exams for all women). The only other Republican to come out with a health plan is Rush Limbaugh (everybody gets 5000 pills per year). ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/49 "2003-10-08T12:13:47Z")
Is it true he actually said this? - “What are your thoughts on the enviroment?” Arnold - “Don’t worry about it.” Or is someone just taking the piss? ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/50 "2003-10-08T12:30:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Marlitharn \* > \*\*Not a chance. Elmer Fudd has an extensive criminal history, including rape, murder, assault, extortion, and fraud. Not to mention hunting out of season. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/51 "2003-10-08T12:30:47Z")
This wasn’t a Republican takeover. The Repubs didn’t have the votes. Plenty of Dems voted for the recall and Arnold. So this can’t be blamed on a right wing conspiracy. But he’s facing a hostile legislature. I’m not sure he will get his agenda pushed through. California is in a big mess, and I don’t know that Arnold will be able to fix it quickly enough for the voters. Heck, give him six months, and the voters with their short memory will be blaming him for the deficit. Besides, the rabid arm of the liberals will jump on every tiny misstep he makes and blow it out of proportion. I feel sorry for him. I wouldn’t wish California’s mess on anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/52 "2003-10-08T14:26:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wolfman \* > \*\*Plus then we’d have to listen to years of posts complaining about the pronunciation of “Nucwear”, "Amewica"and “Congwess” \*\* I believe it’s pronounced “Nucuwer.” ---
**Author:** ![wakimika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f08c70/32.png) [@wakimika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wakimika)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/53 "2003-10-08T14:36:32Z")
If Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t a movie star, would he now be governor? No. Therefore, he is governor due to his status as a celebrity. Is that disputable? ---
**Author:** ![wakimika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f08c70/32.png) [@wakimika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wakimika)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/54 "2003-10-08T14:47:50Z")
I meant to add that he _might_ do a good job? Who knows? We have nothing to base an opinion on except “The Terminator” and “Total Recall” Heh. My problem is that celebrity gives you a free pass whereas obscure citizens need to prove themselves at the local level and work their way to the top. I don’t like to see inexperienced people in the private sector leap frog to the top because of nepotism, sexual opportunism, what-have-you. And yes, the same thing applies to Bush, Hilary, various Kennedys etc. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/55 "2003-10-08T18:45:27Z")
I used to think it was just a comedian’s cliche. “Granola country,” and all that “Californians are daft” stuff. I was in denial; I see that now. The results are in, though, and a clear majority of Golden Staters are bonkers. Completely, undeniably 'round the bend. I apologise, I was wrong. I’ll never call you sane again. I have seen the light. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/56 "2003-10-08T19:00:58Z")
There once was a state way out West Got Grayed to a state of unrest. Had a Total Recall Now it heads into fall With a new governator to test. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/57 "2003-10-08T19:30:19Z")
> [@](#): > > I was in denial; I see that now. The results are in, though, and a clear majority of Golden Staters are bonkers. Actually, only 10% of the state’s population actually voted for him, but that’s all it took. And wakimika nailed it: if this had been Arnold N. Smith (N for Nobody), with the same record, credentials, and “character” issues, Smith would just be another of the 134 losers today. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207/58 "2003-10-09T05:23:18Z")
**ArchiveGuy** wrote > [@](#): > > Actually, only 10% of the state’s population actually voted for him, but that’s all it took. That may be technically true (actually “close to true”, as it’s closer to 15%), but it sorta lines up with Mark Twain’s “Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics” thing. This was an undeniable landslide. Further, the participation in the election was extremely high. The implication of your statement differs with these clear truths. Here are the facts: California has around 35.4m people Of those, around 61% (21.8m people) are eligable to vote. Of those, around 70% (15.4m people) are registered to vote. Of those, an estimated 65% to 70% participated in this election. Of those, Arnold took an estimated 49% of the vote, a full 17% in front of his closest competitor. Basically, in your “10%” number, you’ve included a) children, felons, non-citizens and others who aren’t eligable to vote, b) people who chose not to register, and therefore cast their vote for what the electorate chose (i.e. they were happy to give their vote to Arnold), and c) people who were registered, but chose not to vote, again happily accepting the voters will as their own. Right now, the participation looks to be the largest turnout for a gubernatorial election in California since 1982. And had McClintock been decent about things and withdrawn, Arnold would’ve likely pulled in an addition 10 points. Cites: [http://www.npg.org/states/ca.htm](http://www.npg.org/states/ca.htm) [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/10/08/state0318EDT0012.DTL](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/10/08/state0318EDT0012.DTL) [http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2003/recall/pages/governor/](http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2003/recall/pages/governor/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-governator-wins/206207.md?page=2)