Vow: No Democrats On Recall Ballot (Arrogant McAuliffe Makes This Vow)

Associated Press via KCAL TV ^ | July 17, 2003

[PJ-Comix]

LOS ANGELES (AP) The chairman of the Democratic National Committee vowed Thursday that no Democrat will run to replace Gov. Gray Davis if the recall drive reaches the ballot.

"I want the folks here in California to know that we are not going to have another Democrat on the ballot. I think that is the single biggest message I can give today," Terry McAuliffe told a downtown news conference.

"So if you're a California voter and you want to vote to recall Gray Davis, you are not going to have an option but a bunch of right-wing conservatives on the ballot," McAuliffe said.

Proponents of the Republican-led recall hope the secretary of state will certify the effort as early as Wednesday, which is the next deadline for counties to report signature totals to the state. Backers say they've turned in more than 1.6 million signatures, nearly twice the number of valid signatures needed for the measure to reach the ballot.

In a recall, voters would be asked first whether to oust Davis and then to choose a replacement from a list of candidates.

Strategists from both parties believe the unpopular governor's chances of survival would be greater if no Democrats appear on the ballot.

However, some California Democratic lawmakers and party members in Washington have discussed uniting behind another Democrat if it appears Davis would lose a recall vote, as recent polls indicate he might.

McAuliffe sought to discount that scenario.

"I'm telling you here today that there will not be a Democrat on that ballot" McAuliffe said when asked if Democrats would stay off the ballot even if it appeared Davis would lose office.

"I think Republicans are trying to push all this stuff out, that this one's going to run and this one's going to run," McAuliffe said. "And to a voter's mind out there, they think they're going to have options."

"They're not going to have options," McAuliffe said.

McAuliffe pledged party backing to help Davis. He said he participated in a conference call Wednesday with Democratic activists throughout the country to update them on the recall situation. He said there would be daily calls on the recall.

"This is what we did, obviously, with the debacle in Florida to keep everybody informed of what's going on," he said, referring to the 2000 presidential vote recount in Florida.

[Weimdog]

Never underestimate the power of grey.

Gray Davis still has money left over from the last election in November. The cash he can raise from Striesand and the rest of Hollywood is enough to air attack ads for months on end, and if the DNC gets involved, Davis will have a huge war chest. The Dems can't afford to loose California.

Just because there is a recall question on the ballot, doesn't mean we'll have a Republican governor. If enough people are afraid of the "Scarry Republicans" and answer NO on the recall question, Davis stays in office.

The only advantage the Republicans have is that Davis will have to run against 3 or more candidates at the same time.

[onyx]

McAwful's internal polls must tell him that every democrat will lose. Otherwise, why the statement?

[Ronin]

Obviously...

If the fiasco in Florida when Jeb wiped the floor with the Dems didn't blast him out of his position, nothing will.

But that puzzles me. You would think that by now the Dims would have figured McAwful is a total idiot as well as a Clinton toad -- and would have thought long-term regarding the consequences of allowing Bubba and Shillery total veto power over the party machinery -- but I guess he suits them just fine.

I shouldn't complain -- he is doing a wonderful job for us and I hope they keep him forever.

[onyx]

Bombshell ping.

[thoughtomator]

If a Demmycrat wants to run he can just run. He doesn't need permission from that shmuck, McAwful.

But he does need to swear off light aircraft travel.

[South40]

McAuliffe =

[FairOpinion]

"The chairman of the Democratic National Committee vowed Thursday that no Democrat will run to replace Gov. Gray Davis if the recall drive reaches the ballot. "
---

I hope he can keep his word. But how is he going to stop Feinstein, if she decides to run? Does McAuliffe think he is the Dictator of Democrats?

[Poohbah]

The cash he can raise from Striesand and the rest of Hollywood is enough to air attack ads for months on end

But there's no ONE person to attack.

Only "those evil Republicans."

That gets old after a while, and it depresses turnout. But the folks likely to vote to keep Gray are the people least likely to show up after months of attack ads.

[Carry_Okie]

Cool!

[justanotherfreeper]

Just because there is a recall question on the ballot, doesn't mean we'll have a Republican governor. If enough people are afraid of the "Scarry Republicans" and answer NO on the recall question, Davis stays in office.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner! Several surveys show Californians are much less likely to support a recall if they don't have a Democrat alternative to vote for. Admitedly these were surveys for newspapers (one in the LA Times and the other in some San Francisco area paper, if I remember right) so they have a leftward tilt, but it explains the strategy.There's a reason California is circling the bowl -- their voters would support Satan if he had a "D" after his name.

[CyberAnt]

Not only did he say Jeb was "toast", just a week or so ago when he appeared on FOX, he yelled at Tony Snow as he left the lobby - "BUSH IS DONE".

Yeah, right, McAwful - and after 2004 - the dems will be out of power for 40 years. Good luck baby - you're gonna need it!!

[Cultural Jihad]

Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe answers a question from the media Thursday regarding the effort to recall California Gov. Gray Davis.

[Weimdog]

I don't know...

If the left leaning electorate are "alarmed" enough that the "evil republicans" are going to deport every Mexican, make abortion illegal, close hospitals, close kindergartens, raise tuition for college students, roll back civil rights, and throw old folks out on the streets, that will bring the Democrats and Socialists out in force.

McAullife is laying out the stakes...

THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY vs. Conservative minority in California.

[Poohbah]

If the left leaning electorate are "alarmed" enough that the "evil republicans" are going to deport every Mexican, make abortion illegal, close hospitals, close kindergartens, raise tuition for college students, roll back civil rights, and throw old folks out on the streets, that will bring the Democrats and Socialists out in force.

Actually, it probably won't. Remember the boy who cried wolf.

[Weimdog]

I hope you're right.

It's going to be fun to watch.

[river rat]

Lets not get too cocky, folks..

Davis has enough money to pickup, bus to the polls and give a free meal to every welfare dependent, homeless, illegal, leftist, socialist bum in the state....

I doubt there is a state in the union, more saturated with worthless blood sucking "democrats" than Kalifornicate....

Don't sell Davis the weasle short...
Just because he looks and acts like an asshole, doesn't mean he'll not put up a fight...
He has worked his entire life for political power - he even had his eye on the White House until his mismanagement of Kaliforincate's finances caught up with him...


Semper Fi

[Chairman Fred]

There's nothing to stop the Greens from putting their creature on the ballot, and then the Left will have Its candidate. A split vote on the center-right means a Green governor.

[barkeep]

But how is he going to stop Fienstien.. Seriously doubt he will have to. She has more sense than to want the job. There will be Dems on the ballot, but I really doubt the Senator will give up her day job.

[FairOpinion]

She doesn't have to give up her seat to run, Feinstein always wanted to be governor of CA.

[FairOpinion]

No, he didn't. He just counted the dead people in CA, and figured there will be enough of them "voting" to keep Davis in office.