The Greening of Republicans

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California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger saw blood in the campaign waters, dripping from the heel of the Democratic candidate who will challenge him in November. State Treasurer Phil Angelides’ Achilles Heel got a good nipping during the California primary campaign with State Controller Steve Westly.

In the final week before the election, the two Democratic candidates slugged it out over the environment. Phil Angelides got his start as a suburban developer of former agricultural land and protégé of a notorious megadeveloper who blatantly flaunts environmental laws. Cartoonists showed Phil cozying up to Angelo Tsakapoulos and Westly spooning with Schwarzenegger. Voter turnout was hurt by the Lesser-Of-Evils package deals offered to Democrats.

Although many supporters were in denial and the Angelides’ campaign could only muster up huffy dismissals, there were very real concerns among voters about Phil’s environmental credentials. Voters who remember the stories and live with the impacts of 20 years of Central Valley mega-development are loathe to place the green mantle of environmental champion on this Democratic candidate’s shoulders. Angelides' PR team blew off voters’ skepticism about it during the primary-- will they continue to ignore the fragility of his environmental cred heading to November? Pointing to one pet project in Lake Tahoe does not seal the deal; when sub/urban Californians are living and working and driving and breathing and remembering in the environments created by developers who make promises and don’t keep them. (Apparently, Arnie’s team picked up on that, too-- see below).

Meanwhile, Arnie’s campaign noticed the transformation and commanding presence on the national stage (despite megamedia efforts to smear and misrepresent the work) of Al Gore and “An Inconvenient Truth.” Schwarzenegger knows which way the hazy, chemical-laden, particle-filled, 6-miles-to-the-gallon wind is blowing.

MAKEUP!! AND GET THOSE LIGHTS OVER HERE! Move this background! Where are the painters?! BRANDING!!


Schwarzenegger adjusts image, message to voters
GOVERNOR OFFERS PRAISE FOR DEMOCRATS, REPAINTS PATRIOTIC-COLORED BUS GREEN
San Francisco Chronicle-- Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer, Friday, June 9, 2006
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/09/BAGU3JBH541.DTL&hw=marinucci&sn=001&sc=1000

In the world of advertising, which is as cutthroat as politics, the effort under way for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is called "rebranding'' -- the sometimes-elusive effort to revive and reposition a familiar product so it will sell, sell, sell to new consumers.

In California's political world, no single brand name comes as close to being recognized as "Schwarzenegger.'' This week, from the bingo-parlor/VFW Post 435 in Antioch to the Little League field in Auburn to the famous Samoa Cookhouse near Eureka, Californians are seeing the new, improved and thoroughly rebranded Schwarzenegger on display.

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Republicans seem to like what they see, especially when they think of their man coming up against Democratic nominee Phil Angelides, the state treasurer. "It's low tax, high charisma against high tax, low charisma,'' crowed Tom Del Beccaro, head of the state GOP chairmen's association of the coming campaign between Schwarzenegger and Angelides. They also liked the new themes, the new colors, the new upbeat language -- including the new, streamlined campaign logo: simply "Schwarzenegger," in 3-foot letters on his green campaign bus, adorned with panoramic scenes of the state.

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Among the imagery and details of the California governor's pitch to voters:

-- The theme: "Protecting the California Dream," chosen because it communicates "who he is: It's the dream of an immigrant ... the dream of anybody in California to have a job, to be educated,'' Dowd said. "And ... protecting the good life here. We have it, we can't assume it will always be there. It goes to his strength."

-- The colors: Gone are the patriotic red, white and blue of the last campaign, "Join Arnold!'' An early decision for hard-core red as the dominant tone was nixed in favor of a color that's striking and standout: green, a color associated with the outdoors, the environment, something fresh and friendly. Comfort and coincidence? It's also the same color scheme as the flag of his home state of Styria, Austria.

-- The venues: Meticulously created photo opportunities, each telling a story. Take the VFW hall in Antioch on Thursday -- where a huge lighted bingo board was positioned on the wall as a backdrop for the candidate and the 11 TV cameras and dozen still photographers shooting away. The location said, "This is a place you all know, a place where people really live, work and play."

-- The candidate's message: "Promises made, promises kept" and "moving the state forward'' were phrases repeated religiously. Schwarzenegger also dismissed Angelides' policies as passe: "I don't believe in (a) recipe and prescription that have failed. Those are some recipes from 2 1/2 years ago that did this state in.''



Angelides’ Achilles Heel
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x20910

More Campaign 2006 by Marinucci:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/qws/ff/qr?term=marinucci&Go=GO&Submit=S

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