Ire from the Right

The angry among the Republican base for the choice of Susan Kennedy as Gov. Schwarzenegger's new chief of staff continues to boil. Steve Frank, a conservative activist, sent out a mid-week missive decrying the choice. Here's some highlights: In the phone calls I received tonight about her, the donors and the grass roots leaders now believe that the Governor is not running for re-election. They feel the Democrats won't support him, the Independents no longer trust him and the Republicans have lost trust in him. They also note the numerous other Davis top staffers like Bonnie Reiss and Daniel Zingale, the Chief of Staff for Maria Shriver, also a former Deputy Chief of Staff for Davis in top advisory positions in the Administration--but where are the leading Republicans--and will they stay --want to stay--or allowed to stay? One legislator I spoke with this evening flatly said that Kennedy has no credibility in representing Schwarzenegger to the Republican legislative caucuses. "What happens", he said, "when the governor needs GOP votes to pass the budget? Kennedy was one of those responsible for the massive deficits under Davis, why should we listen to her?" The question was also raised, how can she work with the GOP grass roots to give support for the measures of the Governor. Not only doesn't she know them, but due to her previous work, she was what these folks were working against. Of course, the issue should always be policy, not personality. But on these grounds there are problems as well. Just after November 8th the Governor announced he would rethink a raise in the minimum wage, would have the Democrats co-wrote the State of the State address and more. Complaints have been circulating for months now that in LA County, and other places, the Governor was top heavy with Democrats appointed to the bench. A Supreme Court appointment should be coming soon, will it be a version of Janice Rogers Brown or Rose Bird? ... All of this gives rise to the question, why should Republicans support the Governor for re-election? The unanimous answer from those who called or wrote this evening is that the Governor has decided not to run for re-election, that the Kennedy appointment, will take away any electoral base he could have for next November.