Riodan in. Dems have to respond!

[Perky]

Arnold willnot run so Dick Riordon will run.

The problem is that he is a moderatate and is a somewhat tolerable. He is an acceptable alternative to Issa and Simon and McClintock.

Moderate Repukes will jump on his bandwagon and Dems who do not like Davis will feel comfortable enough with Riordan to actually recall Davis.

Bottom Line is that if Riordan is in Dems will likely lose the Governorship. Loyalty has its limits! A Dem had to jump in at this point.

[GregW]

1. What makes you think the Bush junta will 'let' him run?

Didn't happen last time ... their poster boy Simon was whipped by Davis.

[TheBigGuy]

12. I think Riordan was the Bush choice back during the primary...

...but the GOP conervatives ran w. Simon, and also Gray Davis was pushing for Simon to win as he thought it would be a good thing for Davis...an easier win.

I really didnt like that strategy at all...If a GOP is going to win in a primary I hope its the moderate GOPer, not some wingnut. The wingnuts have enough power in the Republican power already.

[Bandit]

2. Bullshit a Democrat is running ~ Davis

If any other Democrats step in it gives legitimacy to the coup

[whoYaCallinAlib]

3. Agree . . . Davis is just gonna have to step up and win this thing.

I believe he can do it.

[Terwilliger]

6. yes, and that's not a sure winner

will Democrats gamble with the threat of total and utter fascism?

[David__77]

7. There is ALWAYS a risk in elections...

this one is no different. Davis is the governor. He won the Democratic parimary twice, and just because some millionaire bankrolled a petition campaign (enough money will qualify anything for the ballot) doesn't mean that we have to dump our governor. As has been said, if a rightist wins with a small number of votes, we'll recall him too, with a vote for 11/2004.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. The Folly of the Democratic Strategy

Davis is going to be vary hard pressed to portray the entire field of replacement candidates as a monsters' ball. The typical voter, regardless of how he votes on the recall question, will view at least one replacement candidate more favorably than others. Moreover, in spite of the Democrats' failure to field a candidate, it will be a varied group both in terms of ideology and ability. The present strategy is doomed to fail.

Whom the voters choose to replace Davis should be of less immediate concern to him than what the voters do on the recall question. Davis should concentrate on making the election a civics lesson. The message he needs to get out is that the Recall is for removing officers guilty of serious wrongdoing when the state legislature does not; that it is not for redoing an election held less than a year ago; that, regardless of whether one agrees with him or even likes him or not, he is guilty of no malfeasance and therefore should not be recalled.

Reference:
Recall in California, Part One by Jack Rabbit

[Pab Sungenis]

5. If a Republican wins....

...the new recall effort will start on day one. The reason Issa wanted to run for Governor in a special election instead of the general (other than the fact that he would force Davis to spend all his money on the general, then attack him when his coffers were dry) is because voter turnout is always lower and his odds are better.

Low turnout = fewer signatures needed. Fewer signatures = easier to recall.

And if the Republicans claim that our attempts to recall the usurper (whomever he or she may be) are underhanded, just remind them that if you're gonna piss in the well, don't complain when it's your turn to drink.

[David__77]

8. That's right...

I see it now:

"Anti-choice, anti-worker extremists knew they couldn't win a regular election in California, so millionaire Darrell Issa bankrolled an election they knew they might win with as little as 10% of the vote. More Californians supported the governor than supported (right-winger) last October. This November, we have the chance to make it right."

[Adjoran]

9. since Riordan gave Davis over $20,000

including as recently as early 2001, I can't see him being taken too seriously. He couldn't even beat Simon for the Repub nomination last year.

But I agree that Davis should concentrate on beating the recall issue, and not worry too much about the replacement candidates.

[Democat]

10. Riordon can win with 15% of the vote, Davis needs 51%

The problem with not having a Democrat on the ballot is that it means that all Democratic votes are wasted if we don't get at least 51% to say no to the recall.

By having one strong Democrat on the ballot we can win whether the recall is successful or not. The goal should not be to save Davis at all cost, but to retain the state of California for the 2004 presidential election.

[Brian Sweat]

11. Screw that

Vote against the recall and then vote for the Green candidate. If they have a bunch of right wing candidates running against one Liberal candidate, the liberal candidate will get more votes than anyone else. That way, if Grey loses the recall vote, the thugs are stuck with their worse nightmare.