Democrats Are Abandoning Davis
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 8) - Amid the frenzy of California's gubernatorial recall drive, one thing appears certain: Gov. Gray Davis is sinking deeper into trouble as prominent Democrats abandon him and Republicans rally around the star power of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In twin blows to Davis on Thursday, the state Supreme Court rejected lawsuits that could have delayed the Oct. 7 vote and Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi broke with party unity to announce they would run.
The pressure even started mounting on Davis in Washington, with party sources saying House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California had reversed herself and concluded the party needs a replacement candidate.
In contrast, the prospects brightened for Schwarzenegger, one day after his surprise announcement on the Jay Leno show that he would seek to replace Davis.
Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan - the top potential Republican contender in recent polls on the recall race - announced he would endorse Schwarzenegger, a fellow GOP moderate.
And Republican Rep. Darrell Issa withdrew in a tearful news conference, saying that Schwarzenegger's decision to run helped assure him enough qualified candidates would seek the office.
``Once it was possible to not have to be the face of the recall, not have to be the candidate if no one else would lead, I now have the opportunity to choose between two directions,'' he said. ``One is my service in Washington, the other was what many people assumed was blind ambition.''
Schwarzenegger began his campaign day early on Friday, getting up before 4 a.m. to appear on the national morning talk shows in back-to-back interviews.
He told NBC's ``Today'' show that Davis has created ``the most disastrous situation'' in California history, citing the state's record deficit, deficiencies in the school system, the flight of businesses from the state and other problems.
``We have to get rid of this whole thing of self-interest and special interests. ... We represent the people and not the special interests,'' he said.
On Thursday, the field of candidates changed almost hourly as the Saturday deadline for candidates to file signatures neared. Former baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth, a Republican, was one of the most prominent figures to step forward Thursday.
Green Party candidate Peter Camejo, who earned 5.3 percent of the vote in last year's governor's race, also added his name to the list. GOP businessman Bill Simon, who lost to Davis in November, was expected to jump into the race Saturday.
The feverish activity was capped with a decision by the California Supreme Court that apparently cleared the way for the Oct. 7 ballot.
The justices, six Republicans and one Democrat, declined to intervene in five petitions seeking to delay, block or alter the recall provision that has created a free-for-all among politicians, businessmen, celebrities and any dreamer with $3,500 and 65 signatures.
Several federal lawsuits still remain. A case was filed Thursday in Los Angeles by the American Civil Liberties Union, alleging that some of the state's 58 counties are ill-prepared to carry out a vote by Oct. 7, and some would be forced to use old voting machines they had promised a federal judge they would discard by March.
Bustamante, a former state Assembly speaker and the first Hispanic elected to statewide office in more than 100 years, was the first prominent Democrat to enter the fray despite weeks of saying he would stay out.
He decided to enter as a backup candidate after polls showed Davis vulnerable, but said he would campaign against the recall.
Under the law passed by voters in 1911, the ballot will offer two options: whether to recall Davis; and who should replace him.
``I'm here to tell everyone to vote no on the recall and yes on Bustamante,'' he said. ``We are going to fight like heck against the recall.''
In Washington, party sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Pelosi has joined in conference calls in recent days with fellow Democratic lawmakers and other officials seeking a consensus candidate.
Davis took aim at Schwarzenegger at a rally Thursday, telling a rowdy group of teachers in Anaheim to ``Terminate the Terminator,'' a reference to one of his popular movie characters.
He said he wished that fellow party members had followed his plan to stay off the ballot, but said more Democrats could lure more voters to the polls.
``Every Democrat says they are against the recall, and I take them at their word,'' he said.
A cheering crowd of supporters greeted Schwarzenegger as he picked up his papers at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's Office. He offered no specifics on solving California's fiscal problems but promised to improve the business climate.
``It is very important that we straighten out the mess we're in,'' he said.
Ueberroth, Time magazine's man of the year in 1984 after he successfully organized the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, was expected to announce his decision Friday, said GOP consultant Dan Schnur.
Issa's announcement came as a surprise because he was the one who bankrolled the recall drive. The 49-year-old businessman relentlessly accused Davis of misleading voters during last year's governor's race about the size of the state's massive budget deficit.
AP Special Correspondent David Espo contributed to this report from Washington and David Kravets contributed from San Francisco.
08/08/03 08:19 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. |
