Entry level workers in factories snicker that the managers of the firms for which they work can't operate lathes or drill presses. Privates in armies snicker that the Generals can't always competently drive the tanks or fire the mortars or do some of the other things that these privates can do so well. Administrative assistants in offices usually can type, file, answer the telephones, and do all the rest of the administrative work much better than many CEOs.

So, why are the managers, the Generals, and the CEOs in charge instead of the factory workers, the privates and the admin assistants?

The answer is because "leadership" is it's own type of work. It requires abilities and talents that are different from the other types of work indicated above.

A leader works on a larger scale and delegates authority to others who are expert in various aspects of an organization. A good leader knows how to inspire and draw good people to him and he knows how to make good decisions. If a leader is really good, and if all things are equal, his organization and all the people in it will prosper or be successful as they define those terms while similar organizations with poor leadership won't prosper or be successful.

Governor Gray Davis is a lousy leader of California. The effects of his poor leadership are all around us in the once Golden State. The state is sliding into Third World status while this guy is at the helm and he doesn't have any idea of how to stop it. That's why we're having a recall election. While there are 135 people vying to replace Davis, there are really only three people who have a chance of being California's new governor after October 7: Cruz Bustamante, Tom McClintock, and Arnold Schwarzenneger.

Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante, who was a member of what critics say is a racist anti-white organization would be a disaster for California and for citizens of the state who are not brown.

Tom McClintock is a state senator who has some good bona fides in the immigration reform and conservative communities. Despite strange eyes and a Renfield laugh, he appears to be a good guy, but he's pretty boring and bland. He's been in politics most of his adult life and seems reasonably competent and on top of the issues. Because of his years in politics, he knows how to talk to the press and he knows many details of government. However, there is nothing to indicate that he is a leader. In fact, he fails to inspire people beyond his very vocal so-called conservative base. This base constantly seems to promote candidates for office who can't get elected. We've had Dan Lungren and Bill Simon and others. The base pumps them up and makes a lot of noise. Come election, these guys are defeated. Then, those who promoted these guys run around saying that we "sure came close." Well, close doesn't count. California doesn't need any more "came close" conservative politicians. We need winners even if they aren't pure conservatives. McClintock will never break out of his base of 9%-13% of the voters,. He's too inflexible and he isn't pragmatic. He simply can't win this election.

Unfortunately, McClintock is appearing more and more as though he wants to be the spoiler in this election and ruin the chances of getting fellow Republican Schwarzenegger into office. Lately, he's even been taking donations from the Indian gaming tribes. These tribes appear to be pretty much for Bustamante and against the pale faces. By helping McClintock, they may be figuring they can help Bustamante win by splitting the Republican vote. The Injuns don't like Arnold because he has said he wants these non-tax paying tribes to pony up some wampum in the form of taxes just like the rest of us.

McClintock's motivation for stealing votes from Schwarzenneger may be based on a childish and petulant grudge against the GOP bigs who have leap frogged over him to support Arnold, even though McClintock has been laboring in the fields of politics all his adult life. Or, he may be figuring that if Bustamante gets in, then in '06, the state will be even more screwed up and voters will then turn to McClintock to fix things.

Whatever his motivation, McClintock is starting to look like a mental case who would rather burn down his house than let any other Republican get into office. His support, as already mentioned, is now mostly from certain conservatives who are primarily hardcore immigration reformers. These folks flood certain conservative radio talk programs with their impotent gripes. Many are eternal whiners rather than winners.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is not a life long politician. He's a guy who has shown leadership and ability in his personal life. He can win this election because his support is broader than McClintock's. He excites people beyond the base just as Ronald Reagan did. And, as with Reagan, Schwarzenegger is apparently not a detail man, but is one who delegates to others.

From where I sit, it appears that McClintock is a lathe and drill press operator, a private, and an admin assistant and Schwarzenegger is a manager, a General, and a CEO. If McClintock will get his head straight before the election and tell his supporters to vote for Schwarzenegger, then he may have an important role to play in the Schwarzenegger administration. If he keeps acting like a spoiled child and doesn't release his supporters and if Arnold still gets elected, McClintock's political goose will be cooked and he'll begin fading from the scene. If McClintock steals enough votes from Arnold so that Bustamante gets elected, then the name McClintock will become a synonym for stupid jerk.

But, maybe I'm wrong. If Schwarzenegger is a leader, he should be able to win this election by doing whatever it takes. Lately, however, his campaign doesn't appear to be on the attack but is taking a traipsing through the tulips approach to the election similar to that used by other Republicans in California in the past. If true, this is probably the result of poor advice from those to whom Arnold has delegated certain authority. And, this--again, if it is true--would ultimately reflects poorly on Arnold who, of course, should be the leader. If Arnold really has the right stuff to be a leader he should probably be reminded that a leader may always delegate authority, but he may never delegate responsibility.

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• References: (Note: links may expire and content not necessary endorsed by H. Millard
  or New Nation News but presented for further study for those interested in the topic by the NNN editor.)
• Bustamante racist
• McClintock Indian
• McClintock spoiler