Ishtar, Gigli or the California Republican Party? (Plus Fleischman Hedges, Pledges - Will He Make Good?)

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

This weekend, the California Republican Party is conventioning in Indian Wells. Last night, Gov. Schwarzenegger asked the party faithful to cast a wider net and appeal to more rank-and-file Republicans.
 
This morning, the party's initiatives committee decided not to take the Governor's advice. The so-called Fleischman Initiative to oppose term limits reform was proposed and approved.
 
Here's how it went down:
 
Fleischman introduced his initiative with a predictable screed about current legislators.
 
Sen. Jim Battin then told the assembled group that passage of Fleischman's manifesto would significantly set back negotiations on (ironically) a core issue for Republicans -- redistricting. He said by taking a position before the Legislature was out of session, Republicans' negotiating power would be significantly diminished.
 
Apparently Assemblymember Bob Huff agreed with Fleischman -- and took a veiled swipe at the Governor by saying if the Governor thinks Republicans are the party of 'no' they should get up and say it as loudly as possible.
 
Jill Buck then echoed Sen. Battin's sentiment -- why would Republicans risk redistricting reform by passing this initiative? She said it just didn't make sense.
 
There was a hopeful moment -- Fleischman pledged that if the Legislature actually passed redistricting reform, he'd convene the party's executive committee to reconsidered their position on term limits.
 
With that, the committee voted to support the Fleischman Initiative and send it to the full party.
 
Still dyin' at the box office apparently.