Posted on 05/05/2004 12:18:24 PM PDT by Akira
LOS ANGELES -- When you're Gray Davis, former governor of California, and you're going to the Lakers-Rockets playoff game, even the metal detectors and turnstiles that civilians find irritating, are a welcome novelty.
"(As) governor, you never get to walk in through the front door," he laughs. "You're always going through kitchens and loading docks and going up back elevators. It's very disorienting."
As he empties his pockets of his Blackberry and house keys and walks through the metal detector he offers, "You have no sense of reality, and you live your life in a cocoon. I understand why it happens; it's all supposed to be for your protection. But part of governing is learning and listening. It's very hard to do listen and learn when you're always coming up a back elevator!"
Clearly, Davis is enjoying his new life as a private citizen. "This is great," he chuckles. "I've been to Staples Center three times in the last ten days: The first game of the Series. A fight on Saturday night. And now tonight. I didn't get to Staples three nights in a year when I was Governor. That's another benefit of being a free man. After thirty years in public service, I'm entitled."
Davis is very popular. The sell-out crowd at Staples Center is seem so happy to see him you would think that all of the Republicans had left the building. (Perhaps they are all in the luxury suites ...)
As we make our way over to the bar for some bottled water, Davis graciously signs autographs, poses for pictures and shakes lots of hands. His friends are everywhere: studio chiefs, deli owners, movies stars.
Davis is relaxed and happy, affable and is positively giddy over our seat location: Three rows off the court, on the baseline facing the Rockets bench. "Listen, life is not so bad! I get to go to a Lakers playoff game. And I get to sit almost courtside. These are the best seats I've ever had at Staples Center. You have no idea how physical the defense is when you're sitting there," he says pointing upstairs. Not to mention the proximity to the Laker Girls.
If he is worried about the public's reaction to coming face-to-face with their former governor, he shrugs it off. "Sometimes people bitch and moan about the vehicle license fee and I say, 'Yeah, but Arnold got rid of it!'" As he settles back in his seat he adds, "Hey, I'm not responsible for the sins of the world anymore."
Tonight is about hoops, not politics. But it's not always easy to separate the two. "We need a decisive win!" he says as the game gets underway. And Davis punctuates the sentence with a very gubernatorial wave of his fist. You can take Gray Davis out of the governor's office, but it's very hard to take the governor's office out of Gray Davis.
But Davis is working on it. You also cannot deny that there's a real fan in Davis, too. "I'm from the old school. I think having Karl Malone on the Lakers is the only chance of having everyone approach this championship run like adults. Wherever they decide to play next year, they are all better off if they win. And they should all realize that and they should seize the moment. It is not good for them to get more playing time if it means that they don't get that ring."
Perhaps it might be a good idea for Phil Jackson to invite Davis into the locker room for a little pre-game chat with the boys.
By the end of the first half, the Lakers are down by a point, we attempt to make our way over to The Chairman's Room, the private club located on the floor level. It turns out our passes are for another, less chichi club on the suite level. And while the governor asks, nicely, if we can be admitted, we are turned away.
This could only happen in Los Angeles: Every single B-List actor is whisked into a private club that will not allow the former governor past the velvet ropes. Davis is unfazed. "Frankly, by the time you get there, people are leaving. It's a ten-minute schmooze and there's nothing to eat. So let's go find the other club," Davis offers with a smile and we move on.
Davis is not wasting a lot of energy looking back. "I had a 30-year ride and I'm not going to obsess over the fact that I didn't get to finish the final three years of my second term. I served in the Assembly, controller for eight years, (was) lieutenant governor for four years and governor for five years. Before that I was the Chief of Staff for Jerry Brown for seven years. I might have felt that I was cheated or shortchanged, but I had a very long ride. Now I am enjoying all of the things that I never had the time to do -- like go to a Lakers game. Just smelling the roses. If I had just started in government, then I'd be freaking!"
The circumstances surrounding his exit from the governor's mansion have actually helped him. "Even if I had finished my term -- big deal. Another governor finishes his term. Frankly, most governors go out of office not all that popular. (The people) get tired of you. You just get used up and you fade away," Davis says. "The fact that I was defeated by an actor -- that's sort of interesting. Particularly one who is as world renown as Arnold. It has opened up opportunities that would not have been there for me if I had beaten the recall and finished my tern. There is something about this unfinished business that is kinda interesting. I'm having a laugh. I don't know if it's the last laugh, but I'm certainly having fun."
In addition to having fun, what else is Davis doing these days? "I'm looking at some way to stay involved with young people and teach. Mentor. Maybe write a book. Maybe a little consulting. And definitely, a lot more fun."
Davis surprised everyone with a recent commercial for Internet search engine, Yahoo. In the commercial, Davis pokes fun at losing the recall to an actor and what career options might lie ahead for him.
"The Yahoo commercial just fell out of the sky. Ogilvy and Mather called and asked if I would be interested in doing it. We wanted to do something self-deprecating. There was no script. It was mostly improvised. We did a couple of different versions and they chose the one on acting. And it was funny because a couple of my friends saw it before I did. I had no idea which version they had chosen until I saw for myself."
With a guest-starring appearance on "Yes, Dear" and the Yahoo commercial on his resume, Davis has enjoyed the acting. "I told Arnold (Schwarzenegger), 'Acting is not heavy lifting. This is fun.' When you're governor, every moment of your day, from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed, someone is on your case to do this or that. Acting is far less stress and a whole lot more fun."
And there are a few more acting projects in the works. But Davis is mum on the specifics. "I'm keeping my hand in acting and doing a couple of odds and ends there. I get superstitious. I don't like to talk about something until it happens. There are a couple of things involving animation that may work out ... so we'll see. I've lived the last 30 years in a pretty disciplined, structured life. I'm just going to see where this chapter of my life leads me."
While the press is speculating that the new governor's grace period has ended, Davis completely disagrees. "I don't believe the honeymoon is over for Arnold. I think he is making a lot of good moves and I think he has good instincts. If he gets some breaks. And if the economy improves on his watch, he'll do just fine. If it doesn't improve, like all governors, he'll have problems. So far, it's improving. Bush only cares about what happens between now and November, Arnold has to concern himself with what happens between now and the end of 2006."
As we make our way back to our seats, talk turns to the upcoming election. Davis is very optimistic about John Kerry's chances come November, "Kerry can beat Bush. And I believe he's got a 50/50 chance. There was a New York Times poll out this morning and he's within 2 points. The race will be within 3 points, either way.
"A lot depends on how people view Iraq when it's time to vote in November. People look for peace and prosperity. Not necessarily in that order, probably the opposite. They vote their pocketbooks first and their sense of security second. I think that most Americans will conclude that they are not better off economically then they were when George Bush was elected. The wealthy will. But most Americans will not. But Iraq is the real wild card. We're not certain about this Iraq thing. What conclusion voters make about how well Iraq went on Election Day may well tip the election."
So why does he feel so confident about Kerry?
"I have a certain affinity for him. In the East they teach you not to brag about yourself. Not to overstate your virtues. To give credit to other people. And you can see that in Kerry. I obviously admire his service in Vietnam. And his service in the Senate."
By the end of the third quarter the Lakers lead the Rockets 72 to 57. Our fourth quarter talk is all about sports, moreover California teams and the reputation of their fans.
"I think part of it is envy. We have had some great teams in California. The Dodgers had a great run in the '80s. The San Francisco 49ers had some good years. The Raiders, too. The Angels. And, of course, the Lakers. We're winners. Most people have to deal with more adversity than Californians, from the weather if nothing else. The weather is spectacular here. "We're a laid back state and we don't have the long-standing, long-suffering fans that the Chicago Cubs or the Boston Red Sox do. And I'm delighted we don't have them, because that would mean our teams were big losers!"
Now that Davis makes his home in Los Angeles, he looks forward to spending more time in Chavez Ravine, "I'm hoping the Dodgers will have a bit of a Renaissance. I'll have to wait and see. So far, so good; but they have a long way to go."
Davis is not nearly as optimistic about Los Angeles' chances to lure an NFL francise. "I don't think we'll ever see another football team here. The NFL keeps claiming they're going to come here. It may happen." He pauses briefly before adding, "It could aslo rain beer. I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
"I remember Commissioner Paul Tagliabue called me in 1999 and said he was thinking of coming here and I said great. We're happy to do anything but give you money, that's not how we do it here. And he said, 'Oh No! We don't want any money!" And at the end of the day, that's what it was all about -- extracting money out of the state which then goes to the owners of the other teams. Other cities, like Houston have done it and that's how they got the new expansion team. I don't blame them."
So besides looking for work, what does he do to fill his days? "I still play golf. My handicap hasn't gotten any better since I left office, but I have every hope that it will. I haven't played nearly enough, but now I shoot in the high eighties. When I played for Stanford from '62 to '64, I was a two handicap. I played every day of my life.
"I'd love to play the course at Augusta National. It's time. I'll even do a commercial for them!" he laughs.
The Lakers win and move on to round two and the San Antonio Spurs. Making our way to the car, Gray Davis is already looking ahead to the next series. And beyond.
"I'm hoping for the best against San Antonio. You've got to be destiny's child," he says. "The Lakers are going to have to bring something special to the table. Pound for pound San Antonio is at least their equal ... maybe better. I'd like to believe that they will win, and I'm predicting they will win. And if they can beat San Antonio, I think they will win the Championship."
As we are walking, a homeless man ambles over to Davis. "You look familiar," the man says.
Davis looks him in the eye as he takes out his wallet. "I'm Gray Davis," he says as he gives the man a few dollars. "I used to be your governor. God bless."
Citizen Davis wears it well.
Judging by the pictures that accompany the article at espn.com, he just walks around posing with T&A. Perhaps he has more in common with Arnold than he let us know.
That about sums it up for Davis.
Wasn't that the rallying cry of the Recall Davis campaign?
Hopefully we will give a number of other Democrats a well deserved (or at least long overdue) rest after the election this November.
not a good governor...but not a complete clymer.
bragging is one of kerrys biggest problems. Decent, moral people the world over teach their children not to be a braggert. Where does this fool get off claiming its only people back east that do this when its something many northeastern yankees are known for? Present company excluded of course. Once a fool always I guess
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