Question: When will Arnold drop out of 2006 race?

I can not see him staying on. Clearly he will lose next years elections - we just have too much shit on him now:

1) His refusal to work with the legislature (calling them names - girly men, etc) and forcing a $50 million "special election" which he loses. All the while talking about how we need to cut funding to education, etc.

2) His being a tool for Tom Delay and George W. Bush. His measures were overtly partisan and unnecessary.

3) His outright hypocricy. He talks about special interests, but is the worst in California history.

4) His basic inability to get anything done.

That's just the beginning. How can this guy win next year? And Arnold seems to me to be the kind of guy who runs when the going gets tough.

I expect an announcement before Christmas.

this arrogant idiot.

a sequel to True Lies. Don't know that Arnie's denied it. Right now his future political career prospects don't look so good.

Moreover, Arnie's used to public adulation, not protestors and disdain. I don't think he's used to, anticipated, or deals well with the public turning against him. He spent a lifetime building up his brand name and right now it's dogshit. And he's an object of ridicule.

During the recall campaign Arnie showed up at the State Fair and was mobbed. This summer, in one of his very few forays into an open public appearance not rigidly controlled, he showed up at the Fair as a "surprise" visit to stump for his initiatives and hardly anyone paid attention. No adoring throngs.

Arnie may not have the stomach to take more wounds to his enormous ego and I'm guessing the PTB in the party after this debacle will be looking for another candidate to run in 2006. Arnie may try to remake his image but I think he's terminally damaged goods.

future. Groper has the perfect face saver "you won't give me the tools I need to save CA, I can't help you, I quit". Maria looked like and old anorexic dishrag last night.

I used to think that if he lost the special election, he wouldn't run agian. BUT he already annouced that he is running, so there when that idea.

He will run. The republicans are hoping that he will "be back" and win in Nov 06.

I STILL don't count him out.

What needs to happen on the Democratic side is a candidate that can REALLY connect with Californians and appeal to the "reform" voters that help this asshole win in 2003.

My guess is that Phil Angelides will be the nominee for us. Even with Arnie's slump in the polls, the fucking media is going to still drool over Arnie. Angelides still will have to overcome the star ca-ca.

He needs to follow the groper's campaign bus now. Angelides is my man

I don't and I hope Warren Beatty will not run. He's really done a good job however in his campaign.

Rob Reiner is a fantastic speaker. But I think we need to move away from the Celeb candidates.

After all the bloviation by media, politicians, political analysts, etc., Beatty simply nailed it.

And from a PR perspective, Beatty and Bening's jaunt with the nurses, etc to Arnie's bash was brilliant. The bored media cooling its heels outside the place got a live theater "confrontation" and a member of classic "Hollywood royalty" more than willing to chat while the Gropenator was behind guarded doors. The media got a story with a bit of Hollywood drama and Beatty and company got their word out and actually widely covered by the media. Nicely done.

of that, we can use a lot more.

him for another go at the voters after this debacle is another matter.

Arnie announced he'd run for Gov next year because his backers with the bucks pressured him to commit and stick around. They thought he was their golden goose with the voters. But they shelled out their bucks for the initiatives and came up with a big nada. They'll likely be reconsidering if they want to really back this horse again.

And again, the Repubs will be concerned enough about 2006 and this latest very public failure kind of shot down the myth of the inevitability of Arnie's ability to woo voters.

Arnie's ego won't be the deciding factor on his future candidacy. The money men will decide that. Arnie was an investment. I suspect they may be having second thoughts. If they do back Arnie again with their checkbooks it's because they've got no one else as a more viable alternative.