Day One or Round Two
Today was press conference day. Don Perata held one. Fabian Nunez held one. Phil Angelides held one. Steve Westly held one. Rob Stutzman (Schwarzenegger's communications guy) held one. Barbara Kerr and the Alliance held one. And spin they did. There are two tacks to take in the day (and days to come) after the special election: bipartisan cuddling and more partisan warfare. It is unclear which direction Sacramento will go. During the waning weeks of the campaign Schwarzenegger aides told the LA Times that the governor, win or lose, would come back in 2006 and address some bipartisan reforms--like providing children's healthcare. But some of the unions, fresh from what can only be described as a clean sweep, are sniffing around for blood--trying to push an expansive Democratic agenda. After all, the victory yesterday did not change policy in Sacramento; it changed politics. As one Democrat last night wondered aloud, "Did we just accomplish great things? Or did we just stop bad stuff from happening?" And there are plenty of Democrats who, with a politically weakened governor, want to push what they see as "great things." So does Nov. 9 mark the beginning of a new year in Sacramento--or simlpy round two of a battle with Schwarzenegger that won't end until he is up for reelection next November. |
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