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Thoughts from San Diego on Law, Politics, and Culture
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October 08, 2003
Arnold's Revelers By Gail Heriot Well, I couldn't resist. I got an invitation to go to Schwarzenegger's Victory Celebration at the Century Plaza Hotel, so I decided to brave rush hour traffic and make the trip up to L.A. It turned out to be a surprsingly easy drive. And I wasn't even out of San Diego before I received a telephone call from a journalist friend of mine assuring me that the exit polls showed that Arnold was a sure thing. This was not going to be a stressful night. If the news media were looking to see either peasants with pitchforks or Hollywood glamour types at party, they would have been disappointed with Arnold's supporters. They looked pretty normal (although a few had that alternately nervous and expectant look that political operatives get when they are clutching their resumes after an election). This was a happy crowd, of course, but as political victory celebrations in my experience go, it was more sober than average. And fittingly so. There was a sense that something significant had just happened, but no one had yet articulated just what it was and where it's going. Judging from the comments made while gathered around the television monitors, these people understood that dealing with California's comically corrupt legislature won't be easy. But they also understood that Schwarzenegger has certain political assets that no other politician can claim. And they're optimistic. If I were an ancient Roman, I might be concerned about whether the gods were giving me an omen during the drive back to San Diego very late that night. In contrast to the easy drive up, the return was horrific. Interstate 405 was closed down and following the detour signs was no easy task for this very sleepy law professor. But for now I choose to take my sign from the the mouth of the young Marine I sat near while drinking coffee at the Denny's in Oceanside a little before 2:00 a.m. "Are you kidding? Arnold's going to kick butt," he said to his companion. The companion seemed ready to believe. Maybe it's true. |