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Pastimes : Laz For CA GUV! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: calgal who wrote (237)	8/18/2003 11:07:11 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 260

Bustamante lashes out at Davis SAYS GOVERNOR NEEDS TO PUT PARTY FIRST; BILL SIMON AD ATTACKS SCHWARZENEGGER By Dion Nissenbaum Mercury News Sacramento Bureau SACRAMENTO - Long-simmering tensions between California's top two Democrats boiled over Sunday when Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante accused Gov. Gray Davis of trying to undermine his breakaway campaign to become the state's next governor if voters toss Davis from office this fall. During an appearance on NBC's ``Meet the Press,'' Bustamante lashed out at Davis and suggested that the embattled governor is putting Democratic control of California in jeopardy by trying to save his job. ``If some of the governor's minions would stop trying to undercut my efforts,'' said Bustamante, the only major Democrat in the field to replace Davis, ``. . . we have the possibility of having a win-win position on the ballot.'' After the appearance, Bustamante political consultant Richie Ross said top Davis aides have been calling Democratic donors and discouraging them from giving money to the lieutenant governor's campaign. ``They're trying to shut it down,'' said Ross, who declined to identify specific contributors who had been pressured. ``The governor's operation is trying to get donors to buy into the all-or-nothing strategy.'' Davis spokesman Gabriel Sanchez denied that anyone with the governor's campaign is putting pressure on donors. ``We're focused on urging voters to vote no on the recall, that's it,'' Sanchez said. ``Some people have different ideas on what's the best way to defeat the recall, but that's the key point here: They all want to defeat it.'' Bustamante's public scolding put a new spotlight on the fractured Democratic strategy for defeating the Republican-led recall and further exposed the chilly relationship the governor and his lieutenant have had for years. Initially, Davis tried to keep Bustamante and other high-profile Democrats from putting their names on the long list of aspiring replacements if a majority of voters decide to recall the governor Oct. 7. But that plan crumbled when polls showing a growing number of voters supporting the recall sparked widespread anxiety among Democrats worried about losing control of the California governor's office. Bustamante took advantage of the fear by going back on his pledge not to offer himself as the Democratic alternative if Davis is ousted. Bustamante is expressing opposition to the recall, but says Democrats need a credible fallback strategy if they can't save the governor's job. The two men are battling for scarce money and support, with labor unions, donors and Democratic politicians caught between the two camps. Both men will need money to battle wealthy Republican candidates, such as actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and former baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth, both of whom have put $1 million of their own money into their campaigns, as well as wealthy businessman Bill Simon. Over the weekend, Controller Steve Westly became the first statewide officer to endorse Bustamante -- and he predicted others will soon follow suit. Westly said the lieutenant governor is the most qualified of the 135 candidates on the recall ballot to lead the state and denied that his shifting support would hurt Davis. ``I think I will be working as strongly as anyone to oppose the recall,'' Westly said Sunday. ``I don't think it undercuts the governor's efforts one bit.'' While the Democrats wrestled with their confusing no-on-recall, yes-on-Bustamante strategy, Republican Simon took aim at GOP actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has spent more than a week in seclusion after a bumpy beginning to his surprise campaign. Simon, who came within five percentage points of beating Davis last fall, unveiled a new radio ad suggesting that Schwarzenegger's team wants to triple California property taxes. ``I've signed a pledge not to raise taxes,'' Simon says in the ad. ``Isn't it time Arnold told us where he stood?'' The ad was sparked by controversial comments from Schwarzenegger's high-profile economic adviser, Democrat Warren Buffett, who suggested last week that California property taxes -- contained for decades by voter-approved Proposition 13 -- are too low. Schwarzenegger's campaign immediately distanced themselves from Buffett's remarks, but Simon and others quickly seized on it. On Sunday, Schwarzenegger issued a statement voicing ``rock solid'' support for Proposition 13, despite what Buffett has said. ``Warren and I have talked about Proposition 13, and he clearly understands my strong unequivocal support for the initiative,'' he said. Schwarzenegger is expected to confront the issue this week as he prepares to take part in his first major campaign event: an economic summit Wednesday in Los Angeles that will be led by Buffett and Republican George Shultz.