"This guy's full of crap!"
Posted on 08/30/2003 10:08:18 PM PDT by BulletBobCo
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - (KRT) - When it comes to political survival, former President Bill Clinton speaks from experience, and Gov. Gray Davis is all ears.
"There's no more seasoned political leader," said Davis at a recent appearance in San Francisco. "I find his advice useful, and I frequently adopt it."
But will voters do the same?
Clinton, who has consulted frequently with Davis over the last several weeks, is scheduled to visit California on a three-day trip beginning Sept. 14.
The trip relates to work on his Presidential Library and Foundation, said his spokesman, Jim Kennedy. Clinton has yet to publicly state his views on the recall campaign, said Kennedy, and he has no scheduled plan to appear on Davis' behalf. Still, recall opponents hope the former president will put in a few good words for Davis, and a few bad ones for the campaign to recall him.
Clinton wears the partisan mantle well, said Barbara Sinclair, a UCLA political science professor.
"Clinton's very popular with Democrats, still, and he is popular with minority voters. That's probably what he will be emphasizing. Maybe he can stimulate some turnout. It's very clear that this is an election in which turnout is going to make so much difference."
Davis drew liberally from the Clinton playbook in a televised speech last week aimed at the Democratic party faithful. He linked the recall campaign to the Clinton impeachment, the Florida recount and redistricting battles in Texas and Colorado, citing an "ongoing national effort to steal elections Republicans can't win."
The speech may have helped Davis reclaim some momentum; a new Los Angeles Times poll showed that 50 percent of likely voters support the recall, while 45 percent oppose it. An earlier poll showed the No on Recall campaign 20 points behind.
It was a rare sliver of positive news for a governor with a notoriously limp charisma, matched only by his record-low approval ratings.
The same message, from Clinton's mouth, could help tip the scales, said Samuel Popkin, professor of political science at the University of California-San Diego and former Clinton campaign adviser.
Clinton is "the best articulator in the party. He remains incredibly successful as a symbol of good times and good social policies, like him or not."
Popkin said Clinton would lend Davis' no-recall arguments a "personality and charisma" that could galvanize partisan sentiments.
"It's to remind people who hate Republicans and dislike Davis that they hate Republicans more. Half of any campaign is to remind people who they hate more."
A Clinton showing would contrast with the Bush administration's public distance from the recall race. President Bush has said GOP front-runner Arnold Schwarzenegger would make "a good governor," but the administration has been leery of criticism that it is meddling.
Recall backers doubt Clinton's motivations, and his impact.
"Clinton is probably bored being out of office. He's probably interested in discovering what he needs to do to have relevancy," said Howard Kaloogian, chairman of the Recall Gray Davis Committee.
"People in the Democratic party who will respond to him are already voting the partisan line anyway. I don't see him as being someone who changes anybody's mind."
"This guy's full of crap!"
Beat Bill Clinton's Boy
With A Mink-Covered Paddle
Vote Angelyne
California's Next Governor
www.angelynegovernor.com
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