Bush Tries to Stay Out of California Recall Fray

Reuters ^ | 8/14/03 | Adam Entous

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CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President Bush heads to California on Thursday with promises to stay out of the fray over the state's recall election to potentially replace the unpopular Democratic governor.

Bush is expected to keep his distance from actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other Republican gubernatorial contenders during his two-day visit to the state, where he will meet with troops and raise money for his own re-election campaign.

Bush has confessed to being gripped by California's political drama, but pointedly questioned why it was getting more attention than the presidential race.

The White House has tried to distance itself publicly from the recall election, and Bush is not scheduled to meet with Schwarzenegger, the leading candidate to replace Gov. Gray Davis in the polls, during his stay.

Instead, Bush will lunch with U.S. troops and, as he told reporters, do "a little spade work for the '04 campaign" at a San Diego fund-raiser.

On the eve of the trip, Bush appeared to distance himself from Schwarzenegger, a movie star untested in politics, saying, "He would be a good governor, as would others running for governor of California."

"I'm going to campaign for George W.," he insisted.

Republicans said the White House was justifiably wary of getting involved in the race to replace Davis, who is unpopular because of the state's fiscal crisis but has vowed to fend off all challengers.

"All the president can do in this case is polarize the electorate and cause Arnold to have difficulties," said Republican consultant Scott Reed.

Republican Bill Simon, a former candidate, is now seeking to recoup his 2002 loss to Davis and businessman and former Olympics organizer Peter Ueberroth is another prominent Republican.

"It's a fascinating bit of political drama," Bush said of the recall vote, scheduled for Oct. 7. "I'm looking forward, like you are, to seeing the outcome."

Among the 171 pending or certified candidates were Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and porn actress Mary Cook, aka Mary Carey, who is pledging to wire every room of the governor's mansion with live Web cams if she wins.