Honestly.
Ahh nold, has had how many heart surgeries? Is "ruling" really THAT important to him? His office is closed some days due to massive mail-in and computer malfunctions from people begging for clemency.
The risk of inner city rioting is how high following the execution?
Another death sentence was handed out this week .. to accomplish, what?
When does a medievel practice become ... just that?
Isn't it time for some real "leadership" to turn America around?
Just what does the current electoral "process" promote?
I think any issue that ignites this many rhetorical questions, is probably
laden with intrinisic wrong ..
Virginia


Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2005 08:38:15 -0800 (PST)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051204/pl_nm/crime_execution_tookie_dc

Schwarzenegger clemency review has political risks
By Adam Tanner
= Sunday, December 4, 2005

San Francisco (Reuters) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's
clemency review this week to determine whether to execute Crips gang
co-founder Stanley Tookie Williams could influence the governor's ability to
rebound from political setbacks.

Convicted of four brutal killings a quarter century ago, Williams has
generated a big public campaign calling for clemency because of his
anti-gang books aimed at inner-city youth.

The Republican governor will hear from prosecutors and defense
attorneys at the clemency hearing behind closed doors on Thursday. He will
only have a few days if he wants to halt the December 13 execution by
lethal injection at San Quentin prison north of San Francisco.

Some analysts say the former Hollywood action star risks further
alienating his party base if he grants clemency.

"There are already a number of people that have already said that
they are not going to vote for him, work for him," said Mike Spence,
president of the California Republican Assembly. "If he granted clemency,
based on the evidence that has been presented, it would be a disaster."

Weakened by a stinging loss on all his initiatives in a special
election he called last month, Schwarzenegger angered some in his party this
week by appointing an openly gay, longtime Democrat as his chief of
staff.

Republican fiscal conservatives have also expressed concern about his
interest in billions of dollars of new infrastructure bonds. Some
analysts say such concerns could prompt another Republican, such as state
Sen. Tom McClintock, to challenge Schwarzenegger in the June
gubernatorial primary.

McClintock told Reuters he does not intend to run and said politics
should not be considered in clemency reviews.

"Political issues should have no place in this discussion," he said.
"It's totally irrelevant."

APPEALING TO THE INNER CITY

Williams' supporters -- such as Barbara Becnel, who edited his
anti-gang books -- say Schwarzenegger could win over new voters by sparing
the inmate's life.

"I think the political results will be positive because he,
Schwarzenegger, will be seen as a hero in urban communities throughout the state
of California and throughout the nation for helping the leaders of
those communities to succeed ultimately with reducing youth gang violence,"
she said.

Williams' case is one of several that have drawn attention to U.S.
use of the death penalty, as the execution toll passed a milestone on
Friday of 1,000 since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstituted capital
punishment in 1976.

Schwarzenegger has seen his poll numbers fall sharply over the past
year and is running for reelection in November 2006 in a state where
Democrats are the largest party.

He has denied clemency to two death row inmates since coming to
office in 2003; one man was later spared by a court ruling.
In a rare twist, the former Mr. Olympia apparently met Williams --
when both men were avid bodybuilders in the Los Angeles area in the
1970s. During a recent interview, Williams smiled as he recounted how he
impressed Schwarzenegger when they met at Venice's Muscle Beach.

"I met Arnold in the gym on the boardwalk," he said. "He told some
woman 'Those aren't arms, they are thighs."'

The governor says he approaches each death row case with an open
mind, but he appeared to express sympathy when a radio host complained
Williams was still involved with prison gangs.

"First of all, I totally agree with you," Schwarzenegger told KOGO
radio on Thursday. "I have looked through the files and pages for hours,
and I have looked at his record in prison."

But "I want to have the open mind, sit down and then I make my
decision."

Schwarzenegger takes pride in unconventional decisions and even
supporters say that they are not sure what he will do.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051204/pl_nm/crime_execution_tookie_dc