Schwarzenegger Clemency Denial Called Politically Safe

[Thom Little]

In the end, there was outrage from some quarters and a sense of justice from others -- but little surprise.

Political strategists on both sides of the death penalty debate said Tuesday that whatever California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's view on capital punishment, he took the politically safe road by denying clemency to Stanley Tookie Williams. Williams, co-founder of the Crips gang, was executed at San Quentin State Prison early Tuesday.

"Even if you assume he made the decision without political motivations, the political impact or ramifications certainly worked in his favor," said Dan Schnur, a Republican strategist in California. "All those swing voters who supported him during the recall election support the death penalty."

.......

"Let's face it, he is a first-term governor who wants a second term. He is going to make decisions that appeal to those who got him into office and those who could return him to office," Bruce S. Gordon, president of the NAACP, told reporters after the governor announced his decision. Gordon supported clemency for Williams.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/13/AR2005121300026.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. And of course he's catering to his conservative base

who were disappointed when he gave a position to a Democrat. Have to mend fences, you know. And he's betting that the majority of Californians support state sponsored murder (DP).

[devinsgram]

2. In other words, he was thinking of himself first.

Yep, that's really going to help him get re-elected. Just all the rest of today's politicians, only their lives count, to hell with the American people. I hope it backfires on him.

[Kagemusha]

3. At least he gave a statement with actual reasons.

I've heard enough of the content to be assured that he actually looked at this situation as a human being faced with a decision required by his elected office. In other words he seemed to give a damn, even if he didn't make the decision most DU posters would have wanted.

I'm hardly a supporter of him so I didn't expect even this much.

[sasha031]

4. He put allot of thought behind his decision

He was seen yucking it up at his sons socker game that weekend and skimmed through Tooky's book and used the dedication in the beginning of the book as his reason.
The state of California should be proud to have such a courageous thoughtful governor that would never put politics before making a life and death decision.
:sarcasm:

[Kagemusha]

5. Tooky?...

Um, whatever.