For the second time,
ArnoldWatch told the Capitol press that we would attempt to buy our way
into an Arnold fundraiser in Sacramento with a different kind of green
— 21,200 green jelly beans. And for the second time the Sacramento
soiree was canceled.
A tipster tell us that tonight’s fundraiser will be rescheduled for
December 17th — when ArnoldWatch will again see how much access jelly
beans can buy when they’re offered by real people with real problems
who don’t have the money but want to see their governor.
ArnoldWatch suspects that the real reason for delaying tonight’s affair
has nothing to do with Arnold’s schedule and everything to do with
location. It’s just two blocks from the Capitol and the media bureaus.
The Governor did find time in the middle of budget negotiations last
week to get down to a fundraiser in La Jolla. And he has not
rescheduled two other fundraisers this week, one in an exclusive
country club in Orange County and the other in a luxury sky box at a
Lakers basketball game.
What do both of this week’s remaining fundraisers have in common?
They’re completely private. On the other hand, the Sacramento Sheraton
Grand, where tonight’s get-together was scheduled, is a place of public
accommodation where real people are allowed. The Gov seems to like
raising money; he just doesn’t want the public to snap a picture of him
doing it. And he certainly doesn’t want to face regular folks with
nothing but jelly beans to trade for equal access.
Is there really any political currency in jelly beans? Arnold has
reportedly given out jars of jelly beans at fundraisers before. Turns
out the Jelly Belly corporation has donated $5,000 to the Gov.
