Thread: Calif.Governor continues shakeup(is MM in the Picture)

SACRAMENTO
Governor continues shakeup
Communications chief was seen as last 'true conservative' voice
Mark Martin, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

Tuesday, December 20, 2005


Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has picked a new communications director, continuing an exodus of top personnel in his administration after a year of plunging popularity.

Adam Mendelsohn, who has worked for statewide campaigns in California for Republicans, will replace Rob Stutzman as the governor's key adviser in shaping his administration's media message, two administration sources confirmed Monday. Stutzman, who has been with the governor since the recall, will continue working with Schwarzenegger as a member of his re-election campaign team.

The change completes a considerable transformation of the key figures around the governor: in the last six weeks, he has also named a new chief of staff and a Cabinet secretary and created a new high-level policy adviser position. First lady Maria Shriver also has a new chief of staff.

The reshuffling has irked conservative Republicans, who remain angry that Schwarzenegger picked longtime Democratic operative Susan Kennedy to be his chief of staff.

Bringing in Mendelsohn does not appear likely to appease conservative Republicans. Stutzman was perhaps the most conservative member of an administration of strange bedfellows, where liberal and conservative appointees worked side by side but haven't always gotten along.

"Stutzman was the last grassroots, movement-type conservative in the administration,'' said Mike Spence, head of the California Republican Assembly. "Now there is no true conservative voice left.''

Mendelsohn's hire is expected to be officially announced as soon as today. He declined to comment for this story.

For the last two years, Mendelsohn has worked in Washington, D.C., running media campaigns for Fortune 50 companies. He last worked in California in 2002, when he worked on then-state Sen. Bruce McPherson's unsuccessful campaign for lieutenant governor against Cruz Bustamante. McPherson is now secretary of state.

Mendelsohn also worked on Matt Fong's bid for U.S. Senate in 1998 and Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander's presidential campaign in 2000.

He joins an administration with several fresh faces that hopes to move past defeat in this year's special election as the governor faces re-election. Despite a public fence-mending last week, when the chairman of the state Republican Party said the "Susan Kennedy issue is over,'' some Republicans continue to gnash their teeth over Kennedy's hire.

The outcry has led some to search for a Republican opponent for Schwarzenegger, with names floated such as actor Mel Gibson or Jim Gilchrist, founder of the citizen border patrol Minuteman Project, who finished with 25 percent of the vote in the Dec. 6 race to represent Orange County in Congress.

In an interview Monday, Gilchrist said he had received "an overwhelming response" from supporters after his congressional run and was "exploring options,'' including a run for governor. But he noted he was not a registered Republican and if he ran, it would likely be as an independent.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... GAQ241.DTL

Arnold is almost just like Bush. Always trying to please everybody including those who hate him. I say adios to Arnold. You had your chance and boy did you blow it. It takes more than just constantly borrowing money to become a good leader. Just like Bush, Arnold had a chance to really turn things around. I guess the real girlie man is the one who runs Excremento. Watching Arnold run that cesspool is really painful to watch. Granted he didn't give drivers licenses to illegals and that's good, but he really didn't take the fight to the illegals because he was so afraid of being called a name. Pete Wilson was the last great governor of that state. At least Pete was willing to fight the establishment and almost succeeded.

God help Mexifornia!