Spring Break
Former assemblyman speaks to sparse audience
Jennifer McLain
Daily Arts and Entertainment Editor
Cunneen, a Republican, sat on a table in the Almaden room of the Student Union with two students next to him and two students in front of him and talked about the changing roles of Republicans in San Jose as well as his support of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Invited to campus by the newly re-established San Jose State University College Republicans student club, which has 30 members, Cunneen said the Republican Party lacks motivation in San Jose, but local Democrats support the new governor.
"The biggest newsworthy result that came from Schwarzenegger's election is the amount of Democrats that supported him," he said.
Cunneen said he has met with Schwarzenegger several times, including during a recent visit to SJSU.
College Republicans president Alex Vassar asked Cunneen what his personal relationship is with the governor.
"I don't want to overstate my relationship with the governor," Cunneen said. "I supported him in the recall and am very close to a number of his senior advisers."
According to a representative from the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, Schwarzenegger also spoke at an annual chamber of commerce dinner in November 2003 organized by Cunneen.
Two of the students asked Cunneen to comment on their perception of SJSU's faculty being overwhelmingly liberal.
"Some of the toughest politics are university politics," Cunneen said, responding to a student's comment that at times he felt uncomfortable being a Republican on campus.
Sylvia Van Horn, a junior industrial design major, described feelings of intimidation caused by anti-Republican campus constituencies.
"Industrial design is very left wing. There is an anti-Bush picture in the hallway and that is accepted, whereas if I came in with something pro-Republican, it would not be accepted. It is intimidating," Van Horn said.
In response, industrial design assistant professor John McClusky said he was unaware of any such intimidation in the Art building.
"I try to temper my political views as much as possible," McClusky said.
There was also a brief discussion about the stereotypes of Republicans and how not all party members are reflections of these ideas.
Van Horn, Vassar and marketing senior Arthur Than agreed that some people falsely classify Republicans as racist homophobes who are rich and own guns.
To her, Van Horn said being a Republican is about empowerment.
"I believe America is a country where you can make it on your own. There's a lot of freedom in this country, and people can make it for themselves," she said.
Van Horn said she was impressed with Cunneen.
"I thought he was very intelligent," she said.
Cunneen, who graduated from UCLA, said he got involved with politics at a young age, becoming active in high school and then in college.
Cunneen said he was born and raised in Los Altos and he accepted the position of CEO of the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2001.
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