SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's effort to reposition his administration after his special election defeat -- culminating with this week's appointment of a Democratic activist as his chief of staff -- has disheartened some prominent California Republicans and reinvigorated talk of finding a conservative primary challenger next year.
"I'm getting more e-mails off of this than I do for Viagra," said Mike Spence, president of the California Republican Assembly, a grass-roots group, referring to Schwarzenegger's appointment of Susan Kennedy.
"Since the special election, where we were very loyal, all we've heard about was a $50-billion bond and looking at clemency for [convicted murderer and gang leader Stanley] Tookie Williams," Spence said. "I think the Kennedy thing was just the last straw. There's not even one Republican in the state to be qualified as chief of staff?"
Kennedy's appointment has raised particular ire among conservatives because she is a former Democratic Party executive director and senior member of Gray Davis' administration. Anti-gay activists have also objected strenuously because she is a lesbian. A new website, stopsusankennedy.com, urges people to petition Schwarzenegger to rescind the appointment.
Schwarzenegger also faced pointed questions about the Kennedy appointment from a normally supportive source: conservative radio talk-show host Roger Hedgecock. In a late-afternoon appearance on KOGO-AM (600) in San Diego, Schwarzenegger found himself defending the appointment.
Hedgecock said that Kennedy's background "seems completely incompatible with Republican principles."
Schwarzenegger responded that her philosophy was consistent with his own.
The governor conceded that some people will be "up in arms about" the appointment, "but I have to pick someone that I feel comfortable with. And I talked to a lot of people for this job, and she was the one who I felt most comfortable with."
When asked what views the two shared, Schwarzenegger cited Kennedy's opposition to new taxes and her pro-business stance.
"She believes strongly that we have to make sure that business can bloom here in order to create an economic boom so we have more revenues and pay down the debt and live within our means," the governor said.
Schwarzenegger denied that he was moving to the left of the political spectrum. "We're not moving anywhere," he said, adding that he was "going in the same direction."
