Arnold’s $$$$$$ ‘Artillery Shell’

26 March 2006 |permalink | email article

Itís certain that Arnold Schwarzenegger, seeking a second term, Phil Angelides and Steve Westly, each seeking the Democratic nomination, will raise tens of millions of dollars to be competitive. The expenditures to the governor’s campaign manager is whatís raising eyebrows.

Consider the sum paid to Steve Schmidt, his new manager. Capitol Weeklyís Shane Goldmacher reported last week that in less than two months on the job Schmidt - with three $26,250 paychecks - is on a pace to earn more than $470,000 during the governorís race. A source close to the campaign said there was ìa signing bonus componentî to the salary figures ñ a practice not unprecedented but said by operatives in both parties to be uncommon in California.

Like Schwarzenegger, state Treasurer Angelides and Controller Westly are serious multimillionaires. But the sums theyíve paid to their campaign managers marks each so far as cheapskates. By contrast, the governor has spent over $14 million on campaign consultants since 2003.

Cathy Calfo, Angelidesí campaign manager has received more than $215,000 in payments stince she joined the campaign dating back to September 2004. Jude Barry, managing Westly, with the campaign since April 2005, has been paid $60,000, with another $10,000 going to his consulting firm.

Is Schmidt, 35, worth it? His resume suggests that the Californian is a budding GOP star ñ player in the 2004 Bush re-election campaign; senior media adviser to Dick Cheney; overseer of the nominations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito; and with close ties to Karl Rove.

Schmidt, who ran Republican Matt Fongís unsuccessful 1998 U.S. Senate campaign, insists his issues are policy and issues. But a talent for uncanny media spin and rapid response, which prompted Newsweek to call him a political ìartillery shell,î appealed to the macho Schwarzenegger.

Regardless of who wins the June primary, Angelides and Westly each has tested media operatives quite capable of engaging Schmidt whose candidate remains highly unpopular in current polls. Donnybrook best describes the general election.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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