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Schwarzenegger wins Simon endorsement as recall race resumes in earnest "I am here to endorse Arnold Schwarzenegger for governor. `I think Arnold Schwarzenegger is the right man to be governor of California," Simon told a noontime town hall meeting. Schwarzenegger was set to get another key boost Friday, when GOP Rep. Darrell Issa -- who spent $1.7 million to get the recall on the ballot and briefly was a candidate for governor himself -- planned to endorse him at a joint appearance in Santa Monica, a Republican source said. The endorsements, coming hours after Wednesday night's lively debate between the race's leading candidates, appeared to put more pressure on conservative Republican Sen. Tom McClintock to fall in line behind Schwarzenegger's candidacy. Although he didn't directly call on McClintock to drop out, Simon said it was time for Republicans to unite behind their front-running candidate and noted he himself left the race last month when he was behind in the polls. McClintock continued to insist Thursday, however, that he is in the race to stay. "I don't know what it is that people find so astonishing about a politician who actually keeps his promises," McClintock told Fox News. "I promised at the beginning of this campaign that I would see it through to the finish line, and I keep my promises." Schwarzenegger said at the forum that it wasn't his place to urge McClintock to get out, although he thought a Republican would have a better chance of winning the election to replace Gov. Gray Davis if they didn't split the vote. Republican leaders have increasingly expressed concerns that if Davis is recalled and McClintock and Schwarzenegger split the replacement vote among Republicans they will give the election to Democrat Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante. McClintock discounted that scenario. "I don't believe the people of California, having just voted to recall a governor for policies that have devastated our state, are then going to elect another Democrat to carry on precisely those same policies," he said Thursday. Bustamante and Davis were also campaigning in Los Angeles on Thursday. The lieutenant governor held a press conference to tout a $10 million proposal to help military families make up for lost income while loved ones are on active duty. Davis scheduled a town hall meeting in the afternoon to make his case against the recall with voters. There were plenty of confrontations at Wednesday night's debate among the five leading candidates to replace Davis. Schwarzenegger, attending his only debate of the campaign, fought off criticism and took the offensive with sharp digs of his own, repeatedly linking Bustamante with the unpopular Davis. "Remember one thing, in California we have a three-strike system. You guys put wool over the people's eyes twice, the third time now, you're out. On Oct. 7, you guys are out," Schwarzenegger said. Bustamante sought to avoid getting drawn into exchanges with Schwarzenegger, instead shaking his head and chiding, "OK Arnold, OK." Some analysts said Schwarzenegger accomplished what he needed to by appearing confident and in command of issues, while others said he remained too short on specifics. Bustamante, who's neck and neck with Schwarzenegger in the latest poll, used his appearance Wednesday to shore up his Democratic support -- the same task he must focus on in the days ahead.
Independent Arianna Huffington and the Green Party's Peter Camejo got the opportunity to make their views known and -- in the case of Huffington -- skewer Bustamante and Schwarzenegger.
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