The Governor may be doing the right thing (public policy-wise) by talking about and making moves to be ‘tough on crime’ but it won’t be the reason any measured group of voters choose him in November.
Let’s travel back in time to 1998 when crime was an issue. Attorney General Dan Lungren waged a miserable excuse for a campaign. But he did have the edge on being the ‘tough on crime’ candidate and the voters didn’t care.
Today crime is even less of an issue. For all the posturing and outrage over the whatever lawbreaking activity or crime against children or seniors or investors or whomever, its not an election issue. Think illegal immigration, traffic, education.
However, the governor’s rhetoric on crime is smart strategy–the strategy being: never let his opponent own ANY space in the public policy arena.
This Governor is uniquely suited for this strategy. Schwarzenegger has that special ability and charm that allows him to shuck one day to champion the cause of the environment and jive the next to lead the charge on protecting property rights.
We will see more of this strategy where the governor wades into issues that may or may not be important to voters but is simply an attempt to control that space and prevent Angelides from getting a foothold.
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