Wednesday, October 08, 2003

I'm with Kevin Drum of Calpundit -- please, no quickie campaign to recall Schwarzenegger.

I haven't read all the comments that follow his post, but the ones I've read present this as a choice between playing nice and taking a stand. But do you know that old political saying -- "When your enemy's drowning, throw him an anvil"? People who want to recall Schwarzenegger want to throw him an anvil when he's not even damp.

Let him screw up first. Then consider -- consider -- a recall campaign. Don't get so far ahead of the general population's opinion that you look ridiculous, just because you want payback for Florida '00 and the Texas legislature '03.

Sustain the anger. Develop counterarguments. But don't try to take Schwarzenegger down between election cycles unless there is genuine widespread outrage. There'll be a real election soon enough -- I'm not sure I fully believe that revenge is a dish that's best served cold, but that can be a really satisfying way to serve it. Meanwhile, if Schwarzenegger makes an absolute bollocks of the job, he'll be a big fat millstone around Bush's neck a year from now in the state with more electoral votes than any other.

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