Another Political Earthquake: The Gray Davis recall looks like a Prop 13 replay

The Weekly Standard ^ | 07/21/03 | Fred Barnes

[Bernard Marx]

that includes the California Republican Party leaders whose agenda is something other than defeating the Democrats.

You're so right! They keep calling me for donations because I cut some nice checks to them back in the late 80s before I realized what they were all about. They seem to take delight in alienating their conservative base. When I told one caller I'd donate again if they tried running some real Republicans instead of Brooks Firestone-approved RINOs, they blitzed me with spam phone calls. It was clear they thought they could put one over on a dimwitted paleo. Not a freakin' chance, Brooks and your buddies Michael and Ariana, etc.

[truth_seeker]

"Duf Sundheim, the new Republican state chairman, thinks the recall will help the party, which has been standoffish to the recall effort. "We will work actively to get out the vote," he told reporters last week. Sundheim said he'd try to narrow the Republican field to a single consensus candidate. "If we could agree on one candidate, it would be optimal," he said."

It is refreshing to see the state chairman knows that ONE candidate has the best chance.

Now lets see if he has the political clout and skill to get it narrowed.

[NormsRevenge]

It is refreshing to see the state chairman knows that ONE candidate has the best chance.

---

Unfortunately, Harold Stassen is not returning his calls. ;-)

[dts32041]

Sounds like the Illinois pukkie leaders, the ones with the last name of ryan or daley.

Wonder if they are learning from the ca pukkies.

Use to be if you were a pukkie your were a radical, now it means me to.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Did you (or anyone) hear the tape of Davis all the talk shows were playing this morning? Davis was saying something about driving the stake through the heart of the recall and KILLING it.

Any clues as to how he plans to do that? Appeal to a Judge I suppose!

A California version of Tiannamen Square?

[Political Junkie Too]

I just heard on the local 11:00pm news that the Davis team is going to the courts tomorrow to block the recall on a technical loophole. They are going to charge that the signature gatherers were not "voters" and therefore, the signatures are invalid. They are going to charge that many of the gatherers were out-of-state hired workers.

-PJ

[Thorondir]

Wow! I guess criticism of the gods is not allowed. One of them banned me for one day for "making racist comments" which were nothing more than accurate criticism of a failed culture. Perhaps the annointed cannot tell the difference between a culture and a race.

I'm glad I am not so annointed.

Sheesh!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Very interesting!

The critical defection came in May, when Republican congressman Darrell Issa from the exurbs of southern California signed on, set up a third anti-Davis group called Rescue California, and hired a professional signature-gathering firm. California firms were wary of the recall, so Issa had to recruit a Missouri company. It concentrated on shopping malls, where people, including many Democrats, lined up to sign recall petitions.

I bet the workers were Californians, even if the company was from Missouri!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Here you go:

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See post #26!

And my post #28!

[happygrl]

And the establishment won't know what hit it.

That includes the Republican establishment.

There is much criticism about the direct democracy offered by the referendum process in California. It flies in the face of representative government.

But it afford the opportunity, recommended by Jefferson, to overthrow the established government, albeit through peaceful means. It's good to act on Jefferson's ideas as Californians periodically do.

It sets the rest of the politicos on notice.

[happygrl]

Please elaborate on how that is wrong. Thanks.

[goldstategop]

We're long overdue for another revolt. And this one will be felt across the country!

[backhoe]

-Total Recall- the Gray Davis Soap Opera--

[George W. Bush]

I suspect the California GOP leaders are burning the midnight oil, trying to find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

[kellynla]

Excellent article by Barnes. Thanks for posting, Pokey. I like Tom McClintok although I know it will be a financial uphill fight against the three millionaires, Simon, Arnold and Issa. http://www.tommcclintock.com

[Uncle Hal]

I like Fred Barnes amd I enjoyed the article though it was probably a little optimistic from the GOP side. I heard an Issa ad for Governor on the radio the other day so he is off and running. I guarantee you, if looks like Davis is toast a big name Dem is going to jump in at the last moment. The question is can the GOP settle on one candidate? It is the only way the good guys we can win. It is going to be a interesting summer in the golden state.

[truth_seeker]

"I suspect the California GOP leaders are burning the midnight oil, trying to find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."

It won't surprise me, if they do exactly that.

As it is now, completely OUT of power, the mode of operation is NAME CALLING.

Notice how much bandwidth goes into calling fellow republicans "rino's"?

Still it goes on, even completely out of power. The idea of reasonable compromise, as the price for winning, is almost unthinkable.

I believe Reagan's 11th Commandment was : "...never speak ill of a fellow Republican."

How much times have changed. And now, completely out of power.

A reasonable analysis might conclude there is a corellation between violation of Reagan's 11th Commandment, and losing elections.

But what has reasonable analysis got to do with it, one asks?

[Political Junkie Too]

I know you saw this article the other day, but I think the Davis camp is going to challenge the recall based on the points raised in this article: Registration required--or not?

-PJ

[prognostigaator]

bttt