Post-mortem

Davis
I have made no secret about my dislike of Davis, and nothing over the past several months changed that. The guy was sleaze, the worst that the Democratic Party could offer.

Too bad he was replaced by Republican sleaze.

But just to remind everyone -- Davis could've put an end to this charade before it got off the ground. Once the recall petitions were close to being certified, he could've resigned, effectively stopping the recall on its tracks. That would've made Bustamante governor, and kept the state in the hands of Democrats. Not to mention spared the state $50+ million.

But whether from egotism, or dislike of Bustamante, or whatever, he chose to fight even as the polls had him in the 20-something range.

I feel terrible that Bustamante lost. But as for Davis, good riddance.

Bustamante
Who ran the worst campaign -- Bustamante, Townsend (MD), O'Brien (MA), or Simon (CA)? Discuss.

Arnold
After over a decade of ranting about Clinton's sexual picadillos, how can the GOP stand behind Arnold? I could've respected a McClintock victory. But Arnold? The Clenis is officially dead.

Recall Arnold
The law stipulates 90 days before any recall petitions can be filed. That's okay. We don't want to file any recall petition until we're within 80 days of the early March primary.

It looks like we'll need about 1 million signatures to get the recall on the ballot -- not a difficult task. The recall provisions of the California constitution are ridiculously easy to meet.

If timed to coincide with the March primaries, the new recall effort will cost the state little. The reason this recall cost so much is because the state had to create an entire election from scratch. In March, we're already having an election -- the presidential primaries (both Democratic and Republican).

And given the fact we'll have a contested Democratic Party (as opposed to the sleeper on the GOP side), turnout will clearly favor the recall Arnold forces.

At the time, Arnold will have had six months to prove himself. If he survives sexual harrassment lawsuits and a hostile California legislature, and then garners 50 percent of the vote, then great.

But he should have to prove himself the same way the GOoPers forced Davis to prove himself -- 50 percent plus one.

And once the Republicans have been bitten by a recall, then maybe both parties can sit down and amend the constitution to make recalls a much fairer process and difficult proposition.

The GOoPers will cry "get over it" and "SoreLoserman". Let them. Davis was reelected a mere 11 months ago, and they couldn't "get over it".

It'll now be our turn.

Stupid People
There are close to 10,652 of them in California -- those that voted for George B. Schwartzman probably thinking they were voting for Arnold.

Posted October 08, 2003 07:48 AM | Comments (171)