Posted on 08/09/2003 6:03:58 PM PDT by Pokey78
Faced with Arnold Schwarzenegger's relentless drive towards political office, California's beleaguered governor Gray Davis has turned to perhaps the only man in America who can save his skin.
His old friend, Bill Clinton, has taken a hands-on role in the Democratic governor's campaign to avoid the electoral recall that could see his job handed to Schwarzenegger in October. According to close aides of Mr Davis, the two men met privately for over an hour in Chicago last week and are in daily telephone contact.
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The former president apparently advised Mr Davis to play the sober politician to Schwarzenegger's brash "Governator" showbusiness star. "Davis and Clinton are friends and Bill is giving him all the help that he can," one prominent California Democrat told The Telegraph.
"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 fundraising, and how to get help for the governor at a national level. Hillary also came out west to speak in his support."
A second senior Democrat confirmed: "Clinton has been out there [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 political circus unfolding in California prompts a mixture of amusement and consternation elsewhere in the United States, Mr Clinton has advised the bruised governor to present a businesslike image in the lead-up to the October 7 recall vote. If Mr 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.
"The Clinton idea is for Davis to keep being the responsible governor getting on with the job," the Democrat official said. "And hopefully all the publicity and scrutiny will just get too hot for Schwarzenegger."
Yesterday, as Schwarzenegger promised to "go from school to school, knock on doors and meet with business leaders", Mr Davis steered clear of the increasingly intense political debate in the state. Following the advice of his new political mentor, he stuck to signing a piece of environmental legislation in a Los Angeles health centre.
Mr Davis, who is being blamed for ballooning deficits in California's budget and is losing support from fellow Democrats, will need all the help he can get from the former President. Schwarzenegger is also receiving the benefit of Washington wisdom, and unexpectedly open support from the White House, where he once acted as fitness tsar to the first President Bush.
Like the Democrats, senior Republicans are only too aware of California's crucial electoral importance. The state carries more voting weight than any other in presidential elections and was lost decisively by President Bush to Al Gore in 2000.
The Schwarzenegger candidacy is seen by many Republicans in Washington as the first step towards winning back California in 2004.
As one senior Republican strategist said: "The Democrats are going to come unglued in California, and it's going to bleed over into the presidential race." On Friday, in a statement that took his own staff by surprise, President Bush said that the Hollywood star "would make a good governor", ignoring the White House's officially neutral stance on the race.
"Arnold got what he needed out of that," said a White House official. "He got a blessing from Bush."
California's Democrats now fear that the vast resources of the Bush political machine are to be deployed on behalf of Schwarzenegger, who already has the support of one in four Californians, according to the latest poll.
Bill Mullholland, a senior campaign adviser for the Democrats in California, said: "Karl Rove, the President's senior political adviser, met Schwarzenegger in April," said Mr Mullholland. "Laura Bush's press secretary has been spending time here advising the Republicans.
Hours before Schwarzenegger announces that he's running for governor, his main Republican rival mysteriously pulls out. Who does the White House think it's kidding when it says it's not involved?"
In another ominous sign for Mr Davis' supporters, President Bush will visit California next Thursday and Friday, although he is not scheduled to meet Schwarzenegger. The President will be able to observe at first-hand what is the most bizarre electoral campaign in the state's history. Two Californian Democrats, lieutenant governor, Cruz Bustamante, and the state insurance commissioner, John Garamendi, entered the gubernatorial race on Friday, weakening Mr Davis's position still further.
Peter Uberoth, a former baseball commissioner and the the head of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, has also thrown his hat into the ring alongside Larry Flynt, the pornography magnate, and Ariana Huffington, the Greek-born socialite. Gary Coleman, the former child star who played the character of Arnold in the 1970s hit series Diff'rent Strokes, has withdrawn his candidacy and is backing Schwarzenegger.
Aides have refused to rule out the possibility of President Bush campaigning on behalf of the 'Governator' towards the end of the race.
Eeeeeeeewwwwwwwww!!!!!! You just had to go there.
Monica's view.
What???? He never has been, thus the recall! P.U.
I don't think Janet Reno would've gone to California.
That's Bob Mulholland, for those of you at home keeping score.
-PJ
LOL! I think that if you zoom in, you'll see that it says 'Hoover' along the septum.
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