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Davis ad: Riordan fuzzy on abortion
Sacramento Bee ^
| Jan. 26, 2002
| Amy Chance
Posted on 01/26/2002 7:00:57 PM PST by lewislynn
Davis ad: Riordan fuzzy on abortion
By Amy Chance -- Bee Political Editor
Published 5:30 a.m. PST Saturday, Jan. 26, 2002
Gov. Gray Davis, whose campaign aides say he's not going to take it any more, unleashed a new television ad Friday attacking chief Republican rival Richard Riordan's views on abortion.
The 30-second ad, scheduled to air heavily statewide, accuses Riordan of funding anti-abortion efforts and candidates despite his professed support of abortion rights.
Riordan immediately unleashed a televised reply of his own in which he chides Davis for attacking him personally "instead of outlining his plans for the future."
As recently as Tuesday, Riordan told viewers of a televised statewide debate that he believes "a woman has a right to make her own decisions as to her body and to her life," despite his personal opposition to abortion. He said the state Republican Party risks extinction if it holds to its current "pro-life" stance.
On the campaign trail, he has said he believes that government should help fund abortions for low-income women.
The Davis ad seeks to raise doubts about Riordan's position, saying he has "contributed thousands to anti-choice candidates as recently as 2001." It also says that he raised $500,000 in an unsuccessful effort to put conservative jurist Robert Bork on the U.S. Supreme Court and contributed money to Americans United for Life and the Right to Life League.
"He claims he's a different kind of Republican because he's supposedly pro-choice," Davis political consultant Garry South said. "He says he can save the California Republican Party because he's pro-choice. He claims he can bring women flocking back to the Republican Party because he's pro-choice. Given the centrality of this issue to his campaign, we thought people ... needed to know the rest of the story."
Riordan's new ad, clearly prepared in advance in an effort to blunt any Davis attack, takes the Democratic governor to task for his approach.
"It's typical politics, and Californians deserve better," Riordan says in the spot. "We have a huge budget deficit, jobs leaving our state and children under-performing in our schools. I will continue to focus on what needs to be done to turn our state around. I hope Governor Davis does the same."
Riordan spokeswoman Margita Thompson didn't dispute the facts in Davis' ad but said the spot attempts to mislead viewers about the former mayor's current position. She said South ran a similar ad against Riordan in 1993, when South was communications director for the unsuccessful mayoral campaign of former Los Angeles City Councilman Michael Woo.
"What he's trying to do is relive the '93 campaign, whereas we're focusing on the 2002 challenges that are facing California," Thompson said.
South said Riordan appears to have the upper hand in the Republican primary, based on what he called the "limp" campaign of businessman Bill Simon and the relatively unfunded campaign of Secretary of State Bill Jones. He said Riordan has run ads that suggest Davis is guilty of "gross mismanagement" as governor. If a general-election race is under way, he said the Davis campaign is going to participate.
"I've been publicly warning Riordan for weeks that we were not going to allow him to use the governor as a punching bag in the Republican primary without a very aggressive response," South said. "We think it was about time Dick Riordan had to answer for some of his own sins of omission and commission."
About the Writer ---------------------------
The Bee's Amy Chance can be reached at (916) 326-5535 or achance@sacbee.com .
TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: michaeldobbs
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1
posted on
01/26/2002 7:00:57 PM PST
by
lewislynn
To: lewislynn
Good grief! Could it really come down to Davis and Riordan in California?
How pathetic is that?
To: lewislynn
Davis vs. Riordan, LoL!
That would have to produce the lowest election day turnout percentage in history. And whichever one of these mice gets elected, the socialist scumocrats win.
I would say the California GOP better pump up Simon real fast.
To: lewislynn
You know, I wonder why Davis would put out this radio ad now? Why would Davis want to portray Riordan as the frontrunner, and put his name out there for free like this? Unless he wants Riordan as his opponent and is using these ads to give him a push....
To: Lancey Howard
Riordan was a popular mayor. He defined himself, politically, as a "diversity Republican." His words.
Riordan is about as far to the right as California is prepared to elect. It's no longer Reagan Country.
To: lewislynn
I hope it doesn't come down to Davis and Riordan. I can't stand to even entertain that thought. My guess is LA will go to Riordan, not sure what the Bay area will do, and Simon and Jones will share the rest of the state. Will it be enough to counter the LA effect? I don't know, but it's sad and frustrating for the rest of us when LA and San Francisco basically decide our elections for us, primary or general.
To: lewislynn
UGH!
Two CINO's fighting over who is the most pro-abort.
I wish my church had the guts to kick their sorry asses OUT!
To: goldenstateghettostate
In the primary, the Decline to state's & RINOs will vote for Riordan, the dems for Grayout. The pubbies will split between Jones and Simon, giving Riordan the GOP nomination. In the general, it will probably be between Davis and Riordan, with the pubbies going 3rd party or staying home, giving Grayout a second term. I think I'm gonna move out of CA! :-(
To: Lancey Howard
I don't know, it's hard to tell with Riordan's history of sleeping with the enemy. I think they both believe it's a foregone conclusion that he will be the Republican candidate. From watching the debate, Riordan seemed like all he had to do was show up and convince us he's not what we think he is. Maybe he knows he has enough votes in LA to win it and feels he doesn't have to try hard. Pray hard for California everyone. Please.
To: lewislynn
When politicians try to outbid each other on the numbers of babies they'll kill, we have truly entered the Twilight Zone.
To: Aunt Polgara
Oooohh!! Stay and fight Auntie! It's our state, we will get it back someday, we will, we will, we will!! (Clicking my red shoes together 3 times:) So Davis and Riordan both call themselves Catholics? Didn't know Riordan claimed that. Aaahh, the good old days of excommunication........
To: Commie Basher
Riordan is about as far to the right as California is prepared to elect. It's no longer Reagan Country.LOL !!! "...as far to the right", hahaha...! It's really that utterly hopeless?
Ah well, maybe it's time for any decent humans still left in that state to FLEE!
Let the parasites devour each other.
To: lewislynn
California should split into three or four states so that real Americans can be represented as well as the liberals.
WFTR
Bill
13
posted on
01/26/2002 7:38:50 PM PST
by
WFTR
To: Aunt Polgara
In the scenario you describe, it would be better for Gray to win than Riordan. Maybe not for California, but for the rest of the nation. It would set a terribly bad precedent if it is shown that a scumbag RINO like Riordan can ever prevail in a statewide election, particularly in a big state like California. Simon (hopefully!) or Gray. But not Riordan under any circumstance.
To: Lancey Howard
maybe it's time for any decent humans still left in that state to FLEE! Many are fleeing -- to Seattle, and Las Vegas, and Arizona ...
I'd flee, but finances keep me here. It's tough to uproot, leave friends & acquintances, and find new work and housing in a distant land amid strangers. Not impossible, but not easy.
To: *calgov2002
bump
To: WFTR
Seriously, this has been considered. I recall several years back there was a movement to divide the state in two. The problem is, one half still gets LA, the other half the Bay Area. Can't win.
To: Lancey Howard
Pundits have said that if Gray wins, he'd be a strong candidate for Democratic Presidental nomiation in 2004. (1) He brings 54 electoral votes to the table, and (2) He's a Vietnam combat veteran (unlike Bush), so Gray can't easily be called a miltary weakling.
Of course, it's all contingent on him winning -- and winning big -- re-election in 2002.
To: Aunt Polgara
Dickie Pooh is not just pro-abort, he's also pro illegal alien and wants to give them a gravy train of government benefits. Check out the L.A Slimes Jan. 26 California section for details of that stand. You simply won't believe your own eyes. The DIABLA is to the LEFT of Gray "Red" Davis on just about any issue you can name and the GOP bigwigs think he can beat Davis in November??? Suuure and and Republicans can win the Bay Area here hands down too.
To: Lancey Howard
There is no good solution to our problem in CA. If Grayout wins big here, as others have said, he is a prime candidate for the Dims presidential nod.
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