From today’s WSJ Political Diary… (Thanks for the shout-out!)
Governor Moonbeam II
California Republicans met at their convention near Palm Springs this weekend and heard two starkly different messages. Their own "post-partisan" governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, called on them to embrace the fight against global warming, support huge tax increases required by his universal health care plan and otherwise move to the center. Otherwise, he warned, the GOP would be "relegated to the margins of California’s political life."
The governor’s message was received with tepid applause, with some delegates sitting on their hands. The atmosphere dramatically changed only minutes later when another convention guest, conservative Texas Gov. Rick Perry, strode to the podium. Mr. Perry, a former Democrat, delivered what the San Francisco Chronicle called "an incendiary address deriding Schwarzenegger-style moderation." He assailed California’s "bankrupt, liberal political philosophy" and, without mentioning his fellow governor’s name, made it clear he included Mr. Schwarzenegger in that indictment. "It’s a sad, sad state of affairs when liberals campaign like Republicans to get elected, and Republicans govern like liberals to be loved," he bellowed, leading the crowd of 400 delegates to give him a standing ovation.
Jon Fleischman, publisher of Flashreport, a popular conservative Web site, said the crowd’s unfavorable reaction was understandable because Gov. Schwarzenegger had come "into a Republican convention and talked about how the success plan for Republicans is to be more like Democrats." The governor’s aides snapped back that their boss still has the approval of over 80% of Republicans in opinion polls, and no conservative Republican currently holds statewide office.
Of course, the governor’s strategy only makes sense if it leads to good governance. In the case of his health care plan, not a single state legislator of either party is willing to introduce it — Democrats want something even more radical and Republicans believe the plan is unconstitutional and loaded with higher taxes. The former action movie star may be basking in laudatory news coverage for his "third way" approach to governing, but on his signature policy issue he’s so far laying a goose egg.