I love the contrast of Bill at home in a black church, and Davis utterly bewildered.
September 15, 2003
Clinton, a Davis Ally, Tries to Provide Boost
By JOHN M. BRODER
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14 — The beleaguered governor of California imported some out-of-town talent today for aid in his struggle to stay in office.
Former President Bill Clinton and Gov. Gray Davis — one charismatic and one admittedly not — appeared together at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church here to plead the case against the recall of Mr. Davis, which will be decided by California voters on Oct. 7.
Mr. Davis, standing before a purple-robed gospel choir and speaking above an organ accompaniment, looked a bit bemused at the church, which is Los Angeles's oldest black congregation. Mr. Clinton, who has appeared several times at the church and in countless other black churches, clutched a Bible and looked utterly at home.
"Gray Davis and I have been friends for a long time, and I don't want this happening to him," Mr. Clinton said toward the end of his 25-minute remarks. "But this is way bigger than him. It's you I'm worried about. It's California I worry about. I don't want you to become a laughingstock or the beginning of a circus in America where we throw people out for making tough decisions."
He added: "Don't do this. Don't do this." The congregation roared its approval.
Mr. Clinton is only the first of a parade of national Democratic figures who will be in California this week to fight the recall and motivate core Democratic constituencies to vote.
Former Vice President Al Gore, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Senators John Kerry and Bob Graham will appear with Governor Davis to urge a no vote on the recall.
Mr. Clinton said this morning that it was entertaining to watch the recall race from afar, with its colorful characters and highly compressed schedule. "It beats watching `Friends' or reruns on TV," he said.
But he warned that the election was not a sideshow and not merely about who occupied the governor's chair in Sacramento.
"If you do this recall, you may create a problem that you won't get over for a long, long time," Mr. Clinton said. "This spreads instability and uncertainty among your people and among people around the country."
He repeatedly invoked Scripture in his argument, using the tale of Jesus and the harlot to suggest that those behind the recall were not entirely blameless for the state's troubled political and economic condition. "Let he among you who is without sin cast the first stone," said Mr. Clinton, who knows something himself about sin and redemption.
He likened an election to a contract and said Mr. Davis had been elected last fall to serve a four-year term. The threat of recall could deter politicians from making tough decisions, he said, fearing that one unpopular move could cost them their jobs.
The former president was introduced by Mr. Davis, whom he has been privately advising on strategy, and delivered an impassioned argument against the recall. His appearance clearly buoyed Mr. Davis and his aides, who are gaining confidence that they can defeat the recall movement. Recent polls show that the percentage of voters favoring the recall had been shrinking from a wide margin just a few weeks ago to a near tossup.
Republicans, meantime, have an internal battle raging between those who support Arnold Schwarzenegger as the party's most electable candidate and those backing State Senator Tom McClintock, a bedrock conservative with 20 years of experience in state government.
A two-day state Republican convention ended today with neither man commanding a strong majority of party allegiance.
Mr. Schwarzenegger today was in Orange County, where he picked up the endorsement of the California State Firefighters Association. In brief remarks, he did not address the Republican split but said he could provide the leadership the state needs.
Opening for Mr. Clinton at the church this morning, Governor Davis referred to "powerful forces" in California and Washington who were trying to overturn the will of the people, citing the challenge to the presidential vote count in Florida in 2000 and the effort to impeach Mr. Clinton.
"This recall threatens the very fabric of democracy," Mr. Davis called, and several in the congregation responded, "That's right."
"It is not good for you, it is not good for California," he said. "I ask that you defeat it."
Mr. Davis's biggest applause line, however, was his introduction of Mr. Clinton: "Some days I wake up and wish he was still president. He'll always be the president for us."
Mr. Clinton and Mr. Davis were joined at the church by many of California's top Democratic elected officials, all in their Sunday finery to spread the antirecall message to an audience already largely converted to the cause. Polls show that African-Americans overwhelmingly oppose the recall.
Betty Ford, a retired schoolteacher and a member of the First A.M.E. congregation, said after the service that she had already decided to vote against the recall. Ms. Ford said Mr. Clinton and Mr. Davis had strengthened her conviction with "very persuasive arguments."
"The financial condition of California can't be totally blamed on Governor Davis," she said. "That was the point President Clinton made when he talked about the problems he had as president. You have to give a person time to solve these problems."
Monica Ballard, another worshiper, said of Mr. Davis, "Of course he made mistakes, but he's admitting his mistakes."
Ms. Ballard said the 135 candidates on the ballot to replace him were far worse.
"All the people running for governor now are clowns," she said. "They're making us look bad. I like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I think he should really stick to acting."
Neither Mr. Davis nor Mr. Clinton mentioned Lt. Gov. Cruz M. Bustamante, who defied Mr. Davis's wishes by putting his name on the replacement ballot. The state Democratic Party on Saturday endorsed him as their preferred candidate if the recall succeeds, but most of the party's effort and money will go toward defeating the recall.
After the church service, Mr. Clinton and Mr. Davis walked through the touristy Olvera Street plaza in downtown Los Angeles. Tomorrow they will appear together at the dedication of the William Jefferson Clinton Elementary School in Compton.
Mr. Clinton then headlines a big-dollar fund-raiser for the antirecall campaign at the Beverly Hills home of the billionaire Ron Burkle, a longtime contributor to Democratic causes. The former president will be in Northern California on Monday night and Tuesday for two policy speeches.
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