Top California Democrats Rally Around Bustamante

Los Angeles Times ^ | 9 August 2003

[Hal1950]

California Democrats, still vowing to defeat the recall of Gov. Gray Davis, moved closer on Friday to embracing Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante as their best backup candidate.

Prominent party leaders urged the other high-profile Democrat who has said he intends to run, state Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, to bow out of contention, but Garamendi brushed aside the entreaties.

As Democrats considered strategy in the 59-day race that officially starts Sunday, some of the more prominent candidates seeking to replace Davis began campaigning in advance of today's 5 p.m. filing deadline.

Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared on all three network morning shows and made a roughly one-hour appearance in Bellflower, kicking off the 11th annual Inner City Games, an athletic contest for children from minority neighborhoods that he has long sponsored.

Garamendi worked the crowds at Farmers Market in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles.

Bustamante submitted the paperwork needed to become an official candidate to the secretary of state's office in Sacramento.

"I've been getting a tremendous amount of calls in support saying, 'Thank you for putting your name in,' " Bustamante said.

Peter Ueberroth, the former major league baseball commissioner and head of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, announced his candidacy in a statement released by his office.

Strategists for Ueberroth, a registered Republican who plans to run as an independent, said they believe that the public will tire of Schwarzenegger after a couple of weeks of celebrity overload, leaving an opening for a candidate stressing substance and competence.

In an interview, Ueberroth cited his ability to work with both Democrats and Republicans in putting together the 1984 Olympics and his efforts to bring economic development to riot-scarred parts of Los Angeles in the 1990s. He said he hoped that a similar approach could tone down the often-bitter partisanship in the state capital.

"I don't think a fistfight in Sacramento is going to do anybody any good," he said.

Davis spent much of Friday on the telephone, seeking donations for his campaign and discussing policy issues and pending legislation with aides in his Sacramento office. In an interview taped Friday night for HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher," Davis said a successful recall would open a Pandora's box.

"People don't want constant campaigning, and I guarantee you, Bill, if this recall hypothetically were to suceed, you'd have another recall: you'd have constant campaigns," the governor said.

He and his aides have said they will wait until they learn who all the candidates are today before devising a final strategy to defeat the recall effort.

[Hal1950]

There are two things Liberals want most to see in California at this time, this or any other recall efforts and one of their own Democrats as governor.

But all indicators continue to be that the next governor will be a Republican, Arnold Schwarzenegger. If that continues for the next 4-7 weeks, won't the Liberals be heavily pressuring Gray Davis to resign which would make Bustamante governor and scuttle both the recall and election of a new governor?

[nmh]

I was wondering too ... if Davis resigns isn't the recall off and another Demoncrat takes over? I wouldn't be surprised if this happens.

[Asclepius]

"People don't want constant campaigning, and I guarantee you, Bill, if this recall hypothetically were to suceed, you'd have another recall: you'd have constant campaigns," the governor said.

This sounds like a threat, and probably a real one. Would it not be easy, given the preponderance of registered Democrats in California, to mount recall campaign after recall campaign against a Republican governor? Even if one failed after another, it would still impede anyone's ability to govern.

[papagall]

This will be yet another 'toricelli' where the democrats use some loophole or court ruling to avoid losing the state to an 'R'. I suspect it will happen something like 'Busta' refuses to set the election for October and the state liberal court upholds his decision on some specious grounds that cannot be challenged except by the democrat controlled house and senate of CA. We're all getting too excited about dumping Davis to see the coming shenanigans. The circus is in town ...

[nothingnew]

won't the Liberals be heavily pressuring Gray Davis to resign which would make Bustamante governor and scuttle both the recall and election of a new governor?

Not as I understand it. He would be acting governor only until the Oct. 7 ballot. I don't think that would stop anything.

FMCDH

[Brandon]

I was wondering too ... if Davis resigns isn't the recall off and another Demoncrat takes over? I wouldn't be surprised if this happens.

No. The recall is now on automatic pilot. If Davis resigns, Bustamante becomes acting governor, the vote still happens, and whoever wins the plurality on Part 2 of the ballot becomes governor on October 8. I don't know what happens to Bustamante; I suppose he goes back to being Lt. Gov.

[MineralMan]

"If that continues for the next 4-7 weeks, won't the Liberals be heavily pressuring Gray Davis to resign which would make Bustamante governor and scuttle both the recall and election of a new governor?"

Davis can't resign now. The election would still be held. This has been pointed out in every thread on the subject, again, and again. He would have to have resigned before the recall was certified.

[Hal1950]

There will be two parts to the ballot.

1. Should governor Gray Davis be recalled.

2. If so, which of the following will be the new governor.

If the vote on #1 is no, #2 is not applicable.

[Hal1950]

Davis can't resign now. The election would still be held. This has been pointed out in every thread on the subject, again, and again. He would have to have resigned before the recall was certified.

And your reference sources are?

[witnesstothefall]

This sounds like a threat

It is, and I have no doubt this is the advice he received recently from Bill Clinton. The Poison Pill is just one arrow in the quiver. Democrats care only about Power, as good marxists should.

[I still care]

"California Democrats, still vowing to defeat the recall of Gov. Gray Davis, moved closer on Friday to embracing Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante as their best backup candidate."

No on recall, yes on Bustamante.

Somehow I can't figure that logic out. Is that sort of like we support the troops we just think you're illegally in a country killing innocent Iraqi children?

[MineralMan]

"Davis can't resign now. The election would still be held. This has been pointed out in every thread on the subject, again, and again. He would have to have resigned before the recall was certified.
And your reference sources are?"

Sheesh! It's been in every CA newspaper. It's been in every thread here on FR, complete with quotes from the state's Constitution. Look it up yourself. You're not from CA, right?

[MineralMan]

"No on recall, yes on Bustamante.

Somehow I can't figure that logic out. Is that sort of like we support the troops we just think you're illegally in a country killing innocent Iraqi children? "

Even if you vote NO on the recall, you should vote for a candidate, in case the recall passes. It's pretty simple to figure out. That's how recalls work.

[Veggie Todd]

Davis can't resign now. The election would still be held. This has been pointed out in every thread on the subject, again, and again. He would have to have resigned before the recall was certified. And your reference sources are?

KFI radio (640 AM in Los Angeles) has covered this extensively. Once the recall petition signatures have been certified (and they were), the recall is on, no matter what Dufus does now. Also, you can vote on question #1 yes or no, and your vote on question #2 still counts. You can even skip question one and vote for someone on #2 and it counts. That's why Bustamonte (or however you spell is name) is saying vote no on #1 and Bustamonte on #2.

[shiva]

Yeah! Now they rally around a Hispanic. Remember Miguel Estrada?

[NonZeroSum]

I don't know what happens to Bustamante; I suppose he goes back to being Lt. Gov.

Actually, that's one of the gray areas--no one knows for sure. If it happened a court would probably have to resolve it. But it's at least possible that he would end up being out of of a job.

I'm not sure what the procedure is for replacing a Lieutenant Governor.

[george wythe]

FAQ about the California recall:

How does a recall get on the ballot in California?

• For statewide officials, petitions must be signed by voters equal in number to 12 percent of the last vote for that office. Other states have thresholds as high as 25 percent.

What does the ballot look like?

• There are two questions.

The first asks, "Shall (name of officer) be recalled (removed) from the office of (office held)?"

The second is a simple list of candidates to succeed the officer should he or she be recalled.

What margin is required to pass?

• A simple majority is required on the first question, the recall itself. If that passes, the candidate receiving the most votes on the second question would win the office. There is no run-off.

What does it take to be listed as a candidate on the second question?

• Any registered voter otherwise qualified to run for governor could appear on the ballot by securing at least 65 signatures and paying a filing fee of at most $3,500. The fee is set on a sliding scale based on the number of signatures received; get more signatures, pay a lower fee. There is no primary election. The filing deadline was Saturday.

Can you vote "no" on the recall and still vote for a successor?

• Yes.

Will Davis's name be listed among the successors?

• No, for now. California law doesn't allow the officer being considered for recall to be listed on the ballot, but Davis has filed suit challenging this. The California Supreme Court rejected the suit, but it could be appealed to a federal court.

Sources: California Secretary of State, Recall Watch, University of California-Berkeley

[papagall]

You say Davis can't resign now, but you assume Davis or any democrat has any regard for what the law says. What the recall law in CA says means little to a political criminal enterprise that has proven they will manipulate the system and trash the balance of powers concpet for their own empowerment.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Rush brought up this very point yesterday. Even though it couldn't stop the recall according to California law, Davis could still resign and mess things up. Rush brought up the Dems antics when they ignored state election law New Jersey as a comparison.