It seems that when Arnold isn't kicking the butts of special interests, he's having long, intimate conversations with them on an ultra-secret phone line. You have to donate a pretty solid sum of money to get on, but that's a small price to pay when you get insider campaign information and the opportunity to suggest initivatives for the governor in return:
When wealthy contributors write checks to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger,they often get a few canapes and a drink — and a secret telephonenumber that grants them access to his closest advisors and even thegovernor himself.
Twice a month, donors can become insiders' insiders — invited toparticipate in conference calls featuring information aboutSchwarzenegger campaign strategy that his political enemies would loveto have. In turn, donors who dial in can give the governor advice.
The LA Times got quite a leak on this, their story does everything but offer you a number to call. As it turns out, the Schwarzenegger campaign -- and it really is a campaign, there's no administration to speak of -- is planning a massive counterattack against the public employee unions, hoping to create a "phenomenon of anger" that'll neuter them politically. Will it work? Probably not. In the post-9/11 world, viciously attacking firefighter isn't the smartest move. In the post-Garden of Eden world, broadsides against nurses aren't much appreciated. And in the post-United world, all unions everywhere are on red alert for changes to their pension plan. This is a stupid fight for Arnold to pick, which is why I hope he picks it.
Seems like as good a time of any to give the first of many, many planned plugs to Draft Warren!
