Arnold's faithful in Beverly Hills

OK so it may not be the biggest barnburner of an election in recent history.
Just chatted with Matthew Dowd, the governor's chief campaign strategist, who looked confident relaxed and dressed down in tweed jacket, open collar shirt and blue jeans, and said the candidate was feeling just as low-key, while polishing up tonight's speech. Dowd's prediction: tonight's main excitment at GOP headquarters inside the Beverly Hilton Hotel: the billions of dollars in bonds The Gov wants to replace the state's worn out infrastructure. "We still don't know on those ballot measures, so that will keep people late into the night."
Not exactly pins and needles stuff, but listen for those Prop A1-E1 cheers or moans wafting across the city if you're hard up for a political fix.

Speaking of fixes, the bartender inside the International Ballroom (The Gov afterall is jetting off tomorrow for Mexico to catch up on the political scene there) where the party faithful will converge in a couple of hours said he's stocking up on whiskey, scotch and lots of ingredients for Cosmos and other mixed drinks. Guess maybe the Dems are more the beer and wine crowd.

Pretty glitzy stage set for tonight's festivities with an over-sized guernatorial seal flanked by 16 flags before an ocean blue curtain, all screaming great photo ops. No guest or press will be without a flat screen TV monitor within about 10 feet in case the stage isn't big enough. It may not be Hollywood, but there are enough cameras in the room to flim a sequel to The Terminator.