All Arnold ... all the time?

Denny Freidenrich

After what seems like a lifetime in politics, I thought I’d seen just

about everything. When I was 11, I shook hands with Sen. John F.

Kennedy three months before he was elected president. A dozen years

later, I was working on Capitol Hill when the now infamous Watergate

break-in occurred.

Like I said, I thought I’d seen almost everything in politics.

That is, until the Arnold Schwarzenegger tsunami came rushing ashore

a few weeks ago. Like all tidal waves, Arnold’s initial public

relations onslaught wiped out virtually everything in its path. The

only things big enough to knock his campaign for governor off stride

were two international incidents. The first occurred when the lights

went out on more than 50 million Canadians and Americans. The second

occurred when terrorists exploded massive car bombs in both Iraq and

Israel.

For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Schwarzenegger

wasn’t mentioned at the top of every news story on the planet.

President Bush and Gov. George Pataki of New York were. As a native

Californian, I never thought I’d say this, but here goes: it was good

to hear George W’s Texas accent again. If that remark sounds unkind,

it’s not meant to be. Just as Prop. 187 wasn’t meant to be, either.

Schwarzenegger’s entry into politics has proved to be no fluke.

Inside the first seven days of the campaign, he lined up billionaire

Democrat (and bigmouth) Warren Buffet of Emerald Bay, quintessential

Republican insider George Schultz and “West Wing” co-star Rob Lowe to

lobby on his behalf. Who’ll be next, Bill Gates, Nancy Reagan and

Martin Sheen?

Despite convening his high-powered economic summit last week, most

political insiders believe Arnold’s numbers have nowhere to go but

down. Frankly, I share their opinion. The only question is: when will

Schwarzenegger’s political tidal wave subside?

According to several recent polls, more than 90% of the state’s

voters are closely following this landmark recall election. If that

number holds up, I ‘d say that clearly qualifies as a tsunami of

sorts. I imagine Democratic front-runner Cruz Bustamante would, too.

The tide rushing toward Laguna’s Peter Ueberroth, the former water

polo star and Olympics impresario, may prove to be too strong to swim

against for long. At least, that’s what Orange County’s fabled

Lincoln Club and relative newcomer on the block, the New Majority,

seem to think. These two powerful groups recently endorsed Arnold.

In order for the independent Ueberroth, conservative Tom

McClintock, outspoken Arianna Huffington and all the other candidates

in the race to have a chance, they have to pray they still are

politically standing when all the white water recedes. If you don’t

believe me, ask Bill Simon. He’s already jumped overboard and headed

for dry land.

Former governor, and key Schwarzenegger advisor, Pete Wilson is

savvy enough to know the big guy’s numbers will go down -- but

hopefully, only an itsy-bitsy bit between now and Oct. 7. It wouldn’t

surprise me if record executives weren’t thinking something similar

40 years ago. That’s when the Beach Boys, with their wholesome good

looks and idyllic sounds, inspired a lifestyle. That is until the

Beatles arrived and knocked them (and everyone else) flat on their

backsides.

Strange as it sounds, we seem to be reliving a similar experience.

Think about it: today girls scream for Arnold like they did for Paul

in ’64. Back then, it was all Beatles ... all the time. Now, it seems

it is all Schwarzenegger ... all the time. Depending on how things

play out over the next several weeks, there may or may not be enough

oxygen left for Arnold’s challengers to fuel their campaigns.

I thought I’d seen everything when Richard Nixon resigned the

presidency.

Then, I figured I’d seen it all when Bill Clinton was impeached.

Today, I’m scratching my head wondering if Schwarzenegger’s run for

governor might not capsize both of them.

That’s what tsunamis do, you know. They wipe out virtually

everything that is in their way. I hope Schwarzenegger’s opponents

have their lifejackets handy.

It looks like they are going to need them.

* DENNY FREIDENRICH is a founder of First Strategies, LLC of

Laguna Beach.