Davis' dereliction: Hugh Hewitt hammers California ungovernor's latest loony tune

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Tuesday, November 6, 2001 | Hugh Hewitt

[JohnHuang2]

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Davis' dereliction

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© 2001 WorldNetDaily.com

California Governor Jacques Clouseau – also known by his stage name Gray Davis – added to an already impressive legacy of incompetence last week when he declared that a credible threat against one or more of four specific bridges in the Golden State had been received from three different agencies. A rush-hour attack had been predicted for sometime between Nov. 2 and Nov. 9. But, the ungovernor added, he wouldn't presume to tell drivers whether or not to use the bridges.

It is hard to know whether to laugh or cry with this guy. The president graciously declined to second guess Davis, but everyone else not on the state payroll did. The New York Times wrote that "the Federal Bureau of Investigation has expressed surprise and annoyance that Mr. Davis had passed on an 'uncorroborated' threat, one that the agency had never intended to become public." None of the other Western governors had gone public with the alert, and despite the specificity of the Davis warning, no particular bridges had been named. In short, he lied. Worse, Davis either panicked or he decided to exploit the situation to bolster his rapidly deteriorating political position. As the Democratic president of the California state Senate put it, why would you issue such a warning and still allow the bridges to stay open? "We have word that terrorists are going to blow up the bridge," said Burton, "but people should keep crossing it?"

"There is no playbook," Davis asserted in his own defense. Actually, there is a playbook. There is just no quarterback.

The Los Angeles Times reliably leapt to the governor's defense with a sub-headline stating that "President, public appear to be on his side." This howler constructs the president's restraint as an endorsement, and reports as hard news that "[O]n Friday, calls to the governor's office ran 10-to-1 in favor of the decision to make the warnings public, said Davis spokesman Steve Maviglio." My radio program airs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and San Diego. The torrent of abuse from callers was nearly uniform. Maviglio must have failed to report that the governor's wife had called frequently that day.

This is a governor who single-handedly turned a small energy issue into a crisis complete with rolling blackouts, and who was rejected repeatedly by his own party on every attempt to cover his incompetence. Davis has recently pulled off a staggering feat, having taken a $10 billion state surplus and with very little effort turned it into a $10 billion deficit. In an attempt to rally confidence in the state, he held a "summit" the day after the bridges fiasco, and he featured John Bryson, the CEO of Southern California Edison and quite likely the least-respected business figure in the state. Davis asking Bryson for advice on the California economy is like Yosemite Sam asking Elmer Fudd for tips on rabbit hunting. Davis sat next to Michael Eisner, who must have thought that his Park had a better grip on reality than Davis.

Do you suppose all those Texans that Davis slandered last spring are in a hurry to help out the Golden State? And how about those tourists? Think they are in a rush to gaze out on the Golden Gate Bridge anytime soon?

It has taken a steady series of almost unbelievable missteps to convince this left-of-center state that the guy in charge is an empty suit, but Thursday's press conference appears to have clinched the image. Davis rose in state politics by being bland and relishing anonymity. But we had all assumed this was a plan on his part, not the product of a total absence of ideas and imagination. "Non-entity" overestimates Davis – and even reliable Dems like Burton have woken up to the fact that a state in the middle of many crises needs leadership.

The good news is that there's an election in less than a year. How much more damage can the fellow do?

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[MeekOneGOP]

"There is no playbook," Davis asserted in his own defense. Actually, there is a playbook. There is just no quarterback.

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There is the jist of this article. Now, where is that picture I was gonna post with this? Hmm? At home, and I ain't there right now. . . ;-(

[RonDog]

It is hard to know whether to laugh or cry with this guy.

The president graciously declined to second guess Davis, but everyone else not on the state payroll did. The New York Times wrote that "the Federal Bureau of Investigation has expressed surprise and annoyance that Mr. Davis had passed on an 'uncorroborated' threat, one that the agency had never intended to become public."
None of the other Western governors had gone public with the alert, and despite the specificity of the Davis warning, no particular bridges had been named. In short, he lied.

Worse, Davis either panicked or he decided to exploit the situation to bolster his rapidly deteriorating political position.
As the Democratic president of the California state Senate put it, why would you issue such a warning and still allow the bridges to stay open? "We have word that terrorists are going to blow up the bridge," said Burton, "but people should keep crossing it?"

Thanks for the great images, folks! What a maroon is our unGovernor!

Now, how about some SERIOUS debate? In this time of war, this incompetent man can cause MAJOR PROBLEMS.

How do we maximize the political damage to "Lights Out!" Gray Davis?
THIS INCIDENT could be as powerful as the "tank photo op" was for Mike Dukakis - a defining moment that reveals his TRUE character. We need to make that image indelible.

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.

I am now indexing this thread for the Hugh Hewitt bump_list.

If anyone finds ANY thread that may be of interest to nationally syndicated talk show host Hugh Hewitt (or his listeners), just post a reply to "Hugh Hewitt," and THAT thread will be marked for retrieval, when that bump_list link is clicked.

Check out the posts ALREADY marked for Hugh's attention at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/involved?group=81, and
on threads marked on the OTHER interesting "bump_lists" on John Robinson's official "Free Republic Bump List Register."

For more about Hugh, read HUGH HEWITT and Free Republic: How should we help him help us? [Who **IS** this guy?]

[Cinnamon Girl]

I certainly agree with Hugh's take on Davis. But I don't have a lot of confidence that most Californians do. For some reason, Democrats don't attach an elected official to his performance unless it suits their needs. Case in point, an equal number of people surveyed feel that Al Gore would have done just as well as President Bush in managing the government during this critical time, thus removing President Bush's unique qualifications from the equation.

[BornOnTheFourth]

RonDog, thanks for the ping. I'll have to read this tonight.

his stage name Gray Davis --ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Calfiornia Madness BUMP!

[socal_parrot]

[DLfromthedesert]

Now illegal immigrants will have valid California drivers' licenses to traverse those endangered bridges, because Davis lacked the cojones to veto the bill. I guess he figures he needs more voters!!!

[habs4ever]

Bang!Another day, another Davis snafu...and the Dems think this guy could run for PRESIDENT!

[MeekOneGOP]

"Prince Albert in a can!"

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LMAO! ! Thanks!

Now to finish what I started earlier on this thread:

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"There is no playbook," Davis asserted in his own defense. Actually, there is a playbook. There is just no quarterback.

Soooooo true! !:

GrayOut Davis in Inaction!

[gc4nra]

Thanks for the bump, RDog. HH is great, hope Mr.B. can get him to speak at ATF Night.

[MeekOneGOP]

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LOL! ! Gray-Out does have the knack for "Spin", doesn't he??? LOL! Thanks for the funnies!. . .

PS: I notice while duplicating your images, the source code appears to have changed??? Do you NOT have to put in the height & width parameters now????

[Sir Gawain]

I don't think so. I always just do img src=

[onedoug]

TFTF, RonDog.

What next from this Davis character?

[ALOHA RONNIE]

...un-Governor GRAY DAVIS =

...China Army-Backed personal LIPPO Bank Account

...per LIPPO Bank's -JAMES RIADY- under oath in court.

[Jim Scott]

Thanks for the ping, RD.

The good news is that there's an election in less than a year. How much more damage can the fellow do?

Famous last words that Californians may live to regret.

[d14truth]

"How much more damage can the fellow do?"

I believe that statement was made about a fellow named Clinton during 'impeachment' discussions.

Pardon me, but I think he did a lot more damage, and a NOW New York junior senator was able to maintain center stage; when as an 'enabler' she deserved no accolades whatsoever.

[blackbart1]

Thanks for including me on HH's ping list.

I heard Hugh talking about the article posted above. It was delicious.

[Angelique]

Well, since I am still fighting a few french-bashing threads, I can assure you that I take great offense that Gray Dimbulb is nommed by Hewitt as 'Jacques Clouseau.' It is the true depth of shock jock stuff, and apparently, Mr. Hewitt doesn't know if he wears boxers or briefs. Well, I take that back...He sounds like he wears Babs Boxer, blowing in the wind!

It does not take a mental giant to know that Davis is a fool, and a sell-out. What Hewitt should have done is nommed Davis for what he is, and I can assure you he is not French! Ooops! I forgot, let's start slamming those we can...of course, the Muslims are off limits....your guy will hear from me!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Early evening BUMP for a dufus of a guberner and a WONDERFUL Hugh Hewitt!!

[goldilucky]

I think Gov. Davis did that for the benefit of earning brownie points by the public for re-election which he'll lose. Like L.A. city mayor Hahn, Gov. Davis is a traitor. Both are unfit to be serving in public office.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Hi Ron,

Here is Davis' dereliction:

More pink panther

Inspector Clouseau

More Clouseau