California Recall Daily Thread (10/6/2003) 1 Day To Go

Tomorrow the people of California will choose a Governor and as a result set a course that will affect the future of the state and our country in profound ways. This thread has been created to keep us all informed of the important developments.

I invite you to post all the major recall stories here or if it has already been posted, then add links to these posts. We welcome discussions of the candidates, the issues, campaign strategy, the polls, etc. Please be civil in your comments.

If you want to be added to a ping list on the recall please freepmail me and make sure you mention that you want to be added to the "recall ping list." I will ping you once daily at the start of the thread and occasionally if there is major breaking news.

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Do last-minute scandals affect election outcomes?

AP ^ | 10-3 | AP
Posted on 10/06/2003 12:10 AM PDT by ambrose

www.sfgate.com
JENNIFER COLEMAN, Associated Press Writer
Friday, October 3, 2003
©2003 Associated Press
URL: sfgate.com/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/10/03/state2150EDT0202.DTL
(10-03) 18:50 PDT SACRAMENTO (AP) --

Publishing allegations of a candidate's boorish behavior toward women just days before an election may raise eyebrows among the public, but it isn't unfair, media watchers said Friday.

Five days before the California recall election, voters awoke to a Los Angeles Times report that six women accused Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger of sexually harassing and groping them between 1975 and 2000.

Schwarzenegger immediately apologized to anyone he offended, and said he had "done things that were not right, which I thought then was playful but now I recognize that I offended people."

His campaign says the claims were an attack on Schwarzenegger's campaign and blamed his political opponents. ....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995866/posts

Renowned Pollster Says Recall Likely to Go Through

Daily Californian ^ | 10-6-03 | Daily Californian
Posted on 10/06/2003 12:43 AM PDT by ambrose

Renowned Pollster Says Recall Likely to Go Through in Speech on Campus

By RACHEL KING

Contributing Writer

Monday, October 6, 2003

With just one day left before California's recall election, voters are increasingly likely to oust Gov. Gray Davis and replace him with Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, said a highly respected pollster at UC Berkeley Friday.

The Field Poll, released Friday, shows that 57 percent of likely voters are more disposed to vote to remove Davis from office. In April, just 46 percent of likely voters said they would vote to recall the governor.

Mervin Field, founder of the Field Poll, pointed to the excitement surrounding Schwarzenegger's campaign and the absence of a strong competitor as driving forces behind the increasing support for the recall.

Support for Schwarzenegger surged up from 27 percent in early September to 36 percent in the latest poll.

Schwarzenegger currently maintains a 10-point lead over Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, who was the front-runner in the recall election as late as early September.

The only region where Schwarzenegger is not favored is the Bay Area, where Bustamante leads the actor 37 to 23 percent.

The latest poll, however, was completed before the Los Angeles Times published an article Thursday that revealed Schwarzenegger's past cases of alleged sexual harassment. ....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995870/posts

Actor's misdeeds failing to sway advantage to Davis

Contra Costa Times ^ | 10-5 | Contra Costa Times
Posted on 10/06/2003 12:01 AM PDT by ambrose

Poll indicates blackball for governor, green light for actor

By Daniel Borenstein

TIMES POLITICAL EDITOR

[snip]

Absent a last-minute surge, voters Tuesday will oust Davis, making him only the second governor in the nation's history to ignominiously exit midterm at the hands of a recall.

"It looks like the recall passes," Elway said. "That number has been pretty solid for a long time across a number of different polls. It looks like Schwarzenegger wins. And it looks like the bigger the turnout, the bigger he wins."

The reports about Schwarzenegger's behavior surfaced Thursday morning, after the first night of the survey. The poll found a momentary surge Friday in recall opposition. But results from Saturday showed the numbers returning to the level of the first two days of polling. ....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995863/posts

Deserting Davis

St. Petersburg Times ^ | October 6, 2003 | BILL DURYEA
Posted on 10/06/2003 1:11 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

LOS ANGELES - Scott Anderson stood at the back of the crowd at the rally for Gov. Gray Davis and shouted.

"Bring down the tower of corruption and hate," he said, as people nearby tried to rip a sign from his hands. "Davis must go!"

The presence of a heckler like Anderson shouldn't surprise anyone after the unprecedented populist revolution that has swept California.

What might surprise people is Anderson is a Democrat. ....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995875/posts

Deserting Davis***Good morning, everybody," Davis said. "This is neat stuff, isn't it?"

"Yes," droned the children who were spread out on the floor in front of Davis like they were waiting for story time.

"I've been proud to go toe-to-toe with those who want to roll back the environmental clock," he said.

He reminded the audience that the day before, he had acquired nearly 3,000 acres of land north of the city to prevent it from being developed.

Somehow Davis managed to mispronounce the names of his celebrity guests, calling them "Mr. and Mrs. Bronson." Three times.

The first-graders watched with admirable patience as Davis explained each bill, credited the authors of each bill, signed each bill and then held up each identical sheet of white paper for the children to see. It took 20 minutes, but it seemed much longer. Call it, show and tell from hell.

Then Davis asked the reporters, who had the first-graders encircled, "Anyone want to ask any questions about the four environmental bills we signed here today?"

A lone TV reporter did. Everyone else wanted to ask about Schwarzenegger.

"Can you address the Schwarzenegger thing," a reporter shouted. "He's basically admitted to groping these women. What's the effect on your campaign?"

With that reference to improper sexual conduct, the press conference came to a temporary halt as Mrs. Elm's first-grade class was escorted out of the room. One mother chaperoning the field trip was not amused.

"We traveled an hour to get here," said a red-faced Maureen Fowler, "I didn't know we were going to be used as a political pawn for Gray Davis.

"By the way, I'm voting yes on the recall."***

California dreamin': Ahnold cannot fix Golden State's mess

Manchester Union Leader ^ | October 6, 2003 | Editorial
Posted on 10/06/2003 3:41 AM PDT by billorites

CALIFORNIA holds an election tomorrow to decide whether to recall Gov. Gray Davis. On Wednesday we will be a little glad and a little sad that it's all over. The entry into the race of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gary Coleman and others who have given little thought to serious policy issues and have no business being governor of a state, especially a state that is larger than many nations, has made the race a spectacle worthy of promotion by P.T. Barnum.

But when you get right down to it, the question is a terribly serious one: Who will govern the state of California?

Serious questions require serious answers, and throughout this race the only consistently serious candidate has been state Sen. Tom McClintock. Here is a man who knows about which he speaks, and whose proposed solutions to California's self-imposed crises would actually work....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995900/posts

Davis Calls on Unions to Help Defeat Recall

New York Times ^ | October 6, 2003 | DEAN E. MURPHY
Posted on 10/06/2003 3:42 AM PDT by calcowgirl

THE GOVERNOR
Davis Calls on Unions to Help Defeat Recall

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 5 — In a last-ditch effort to rouse opponents of the California recall, Gov. Gray Davis on Sunday turned to one of his most consistent sources of support during three decades of public life, organized labor, and implored workers to turn out in droves on Tuesday to save his governorship.

In a highly partisan speech frequently interrupted by cheers of approval, Mr. Davis told several hundred union members that the election hung in the balance. He warned of hard times for working people if he was removed from office and the actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, became governor.

“Somebody in this state has got to stand up to George Bush,” Mr. Davis said....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995901/posts

Budweiser for Bustamante!

KausFiles ^ | October 6, 2003 | Mickey Kaus
Posted on 10/06/2003 3:56 AM PDT by dbc1w

I got a taped call from Al Gore last night. There was something strange about it. Here's what it said:

GORE'S VOICE: This is former vice Precident Al Gore calling to urge you to vote no on the recall. Gray Davis has been a solid progressive governor and deserves to finish out his term. We simply cannot let the right wing Republicans roll back the progress California has been making under Governor Davis. It is very important that you vote no on the recall. Also, as insurance against a strong pro-recall turnout, and to keep a Democrat in the governor's office, continue on the ballot and vote "yes" for Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante to keep the governorship in Democratic hands. So remember, vote no on the recall, and then vote for Cruz Bustamante, who is located on your ballot under the letter "B." Thank you.

WOMAN'S VOICE: Paid for by Progressive Democrats and Independents against the recall. Major funding by Anheuser-Busch....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995910/posts

TV host threatens suit over Arnold denial

Washington Times ^ | October 6, 2003 | UPI
Posted on 10/06/2003 5:06 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

LONDON, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- A British television host is threatening to sue Arnold Schwarzenegger for libel unless he confesses to groping her breasts against her will.

Friends of Anna Richardson told The Independent she was furious and may file suit against the California gubernatorial candidate, the Sunday paper reported.

Richardson is one of many women who have come forward with sexual harassment allegations against Schwarzenegger in the waning days of the recall campaign.

After Richardson's charges that Schwarzenegger pulled her into his lap and tweaked her nipple came to light last week, his campaign aides countered Richardson was the one who invited him to examine her breasts.

A Schwarzenegger spokesman said both the actor and the television host were "big flirts." ....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995933/posts

'We Have to Destroy California to Save It': Arnold Opposes AND Supports Illegal Immigration

Toogood Reports ^ | 6 October 2003 | Nicholas Stix
Posted on 10/06/2003 5:26 AM PDT by mrustow

Unlike other politicians today and the media, who routinely refer to illegal immigrants as simply “immigrants,” California gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger — who is favored to win Tuesday's recall election — actually calls them “illegal immigrants.” And unlike so many pols and scribes across the political spectrum, Schwarzenegger clearly declares, “Let me be clear: I do not support an amnesty program.” And unlike Democrat politicians, Schwarzenegger opposes issuing California drivers licenses to illegals.

By contrast, on September 5, in a secret ceremony reserved for Hispanics and the Hispanic media, desperate, Democrat California Gov. Gray Davis signed SB60, giving illegals the right to acquire California drivers licenses. Those California drivers licenses will also function as cards letting their bearers illegally vote, and illegally receive social services, including welfare, Medicaid, and food stamps. At his campaign web site, Schwarzenegger says, “As Governor I will: Work to repeal SB 60 as quickly as possible.” ....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995943/posts

Davis losing among blue-collar base

Fresno Bee ^ | 10-6-03 | Ronald Brownstein, LA Times
Posted on 10/06/2003 5:54 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

Recapturing the loyalty of blue-collar and moderate-income Democrats has emerged as one of Gov. Davis' most pressing problems as the recall election approaches. In both public and private polls, Democrats with less income and education have displayed much higher support for the recall than more affluent and college-educated party members. Even Democrats who belong to labor unions, ordinarily one of the party's most loyal constituencies, have been abandoning the governor in greater numbers than other Democrats, according to the most recent Los Angeles Times poll.

"There's no burning enthusiasm for the governor," acknowledged Miguel Contreras, executive secretary and treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.

The problem has not been that blue-collar Democrats are more strongly drawn to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the leading Republican candidate to replace Davis. In the most recent Times Poll, conducted from Sept. 25 through 29, Schwarzenegger drew the same level of support from Democrats with and without a college degree: 15%....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995956/posts

Frenzied California finale - Mark Steyn

Washington Times ^ | 10/06/03 | Mark Steyn
Posted on 10/06/2003 5:57 AM PDT by kattracks

The Democratic Party may no longer be able to find a California governor mediocre enough to avoid getting recalled or a time-serving hack minimally competent enough to replace him, but by golly it still knows how to spring the ol' weekend-before-polling-day surprise. At the same point in the 2000 presidential election, a story about an ancient drunk-driving conviction by George W Bush hit the headlines and drove just enough still undecided voters into the Gore camp to make it a cliffhanger election.

This time round, instead of DWI, it was GWF (Groping While Famous). On Thursday, The Los Angeles Times ran an exhaustive account of Arnold Schwarzenegger's wandering hands over the last 30 years, as told by six women, four of whom preferred to remain anonymous. One of the remaining two is a British TV "personality." That leaves precisely one named US citizen, who claims Arnold touched her left breast. In 1975. Not a lot to show for months of opposition research.

In early August, on the weekend Arnold entered the race, I wrote in the Sunday Telegraph of London that whatever they had on him had better be good: " 'Womanizing' won't cut it, not for a movie star. If it's oral sex with a starlet in his trailer, the public will shrug. If it's beating up a pre-op transsexual hooker, you're in business."

In the end, they turned up some off-the-record twice-per-decade accounts of boorish grabbing. And Arnold, in contrast to recent noted political gropers, didn't send his aides out to trash the women involved but instead gave a generous if generalized apology. The net result? No change. On Tuesday, Gray Davis will be recalled and Mr. Schwarzenegger will be elected governor. As predicted by yours truly two months ago, "Hasta la vista, Grayby." ....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995960/posts

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