Clinton advising Gray Davis
August 10, 2003
BY JULIAN COMAN Advertisement
WASHINGTON--Faced with Arnold Schwarzenegger's bid for his job, California's beleaguered Gov. Gray Davis has turned to perhaps the only man in America who can save his skin.
Former President Bill Clinton has taken a hands-on role in the Democratic governor's campaign to help him try to avoid being recalled by voters. Close aides of Davis said the two men met privately for more than an hour last week in Chicago and are in daily telephone contact.
The former president apparently advised Davis to play the sober politician to Schwarzenegger's brash show business star.
"Davis and Clinton are friends, and Bill is giving him all the help that he can," one prominent California Democrat said. "The Chicago meeting was an important strategy session. They've been discussing the themes that Gray needs to push in his campaign, the problem of fund-raising, and how to get help for the governor at a national level."
Another senior Democrat confirmed: "Clinton has been [to California] a couple of times and is managing the whole deal by phone. If Davis survives, he'll owe it to the Clintons. Then, if Hillary jumps into the presidential race, she'll have the California delegates locked up as well as the ones in New York."
As the unfolding political circus prompts a mixture of amusement and consternation across the country, Clinton has advised the bruised governor to present a businesslike image in the lead-up to the Oct. 7 recall vote. If Davis fails to get a majority vote of confidence on that date, it will trigger a second vote to elect another governor from a field of at least 51 candidates.
Scores of Californians took the once-in-a-lifetime shot to run for governor Saturday as Democrats successfully whittled their own field to one major backup candidate in case Davis is ousted.
Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi dropped out two hours before the filing deadline, leaving Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante as the only prominent Democrat on the ballot. That raised hopes of keeping the governor's office in party hands if the unpopular governor is voted out. If voters turn Davis out, Bustamante will compete against a field that includes last year's gubernatorial runner-up, Bill Simon; actor Arnold Schwarzenegger; former baseball czar Peter Ueberroth--all Republicans--and columnist Arianna Huffington, an independent.
The field also includes former child actor Gary Coleman; comedian Gallagher; porn czar Larry Flynt and Angelyne, a buxom artist whose likeness appears on billboards around Los Angeles.
Despite the onslaught of wannabes aiming to run the state, Davis remained confident Saturday.
''Many people are trying to become the governor. I am the governor,'' Davis said to laughter after a bill signing at a health clinic in Santa Monica. ''Whether the people of the state want me to stay 60 days or 3-1/2 years--as hopefully they will eventually decide--I am going to do my level best to improve their lives every day I have.''
Voter anger has been building since the state's 2000-2001 energy crisis. Since then, Californians have witnessed the decline of the state's technology sector and a record $38 billion budget deficit, which triggered a tripling of the vehicle tax, forced college fees to rise as much as 30 percent and has threatened state employees with layoffs and pay cuts.
Saturday was the deadline for filing candidacy papers. The official number of candidates who will appear on the ballot won't be until released until Wednesday.
Sunday Telegraph, with AP contributing
http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-aside10s1.html