Do you recall Davis? No, me neither.
July 23, 2003 9:31 PM   Subscribe

Davis to face recall
posted by raaka (46 comments total)
 
The widely expected announcement touched off a flurry of activity among potential Republican candidates on Wednesday. Businessman Bill Simon, who lost to Davis in November, said he would announce his plans on Saturday and state Sen. Tom McClintock formed an exploratory committee.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's spokesman said the actor has not decided if he will run.

The only declared major-party candidate so far is Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who bankrolled the recall drive. He planned to return from Washington on Thursday or Friday, earlier than expected, to formally enter the race, his spokesman said.
posted by raaka at 9:32 PM on July 23, 2003


WHAT? This is an outrage! I refuse to stand for this!

*reads link*

Never mind.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:37 PM on July 23, 2003


Arnold had an excellent line in one of his speeches, so excellent it was even reported up here in Seattle. "I can't quite remember who the current governor is, perhaps you can help me recall him."

He should use the Total Recall movie poster in his campaign.
posted by kindall at 9:42 PM on July 23, 2003


That's good, but what other lines did Arnold come up with? Upon closing his remarks, did he say, "Hasta la vista" or "I'll be bock"? Enquiring minds want to know.
posted by msacheson at 10:02 PM on July 23, 2003


I'm a cop you idiot!
posted by mildred-pitt at 10:09 PM on July 23, 2003


Vote for me if you want to live.
posted by Dirjy at 10:12 PM on July 23, 2003


It's not a tumor!
posted by zpousman at 12:58 AM on July 24, 2003


Interesting how many who complained about Hollywood personalities speaking out about politics just a few months ago now have no problems with a Hollywood personality possibly becoming governor of politically important state.
posted by herc at 1:23 AM on July 24, 2003


Thirty-five years from now you reprogrammed me to be your governor here - in this time
posted by gatorae at 1:23 AM on July 24, 2003


Good. And Good Riddance to Davis, that milquetoast.

Time to clean house. Glad I'm living in a state where I have the opportunity to use my vote to change things, instead of hoping the lunks who got votes four years ago do what was asked of them.
posted by salsamander at 1:31 AM on July 24, 2003



Interesting how many who complained about Hollywood personalities speaking out about politics just a few months ago now have no problems with a Hollywood personality possibly becoming governor of politically important state.


Why? There's a difference between yapping one's mouth off and actually trying to do something to make a difference.
posted by gyc at 2:09 AM on July 24, 2003


The Terminator may not be another Ronald Reagan who almost did it on his own but Davis has given him a good head start at bankrupting thhe state. Maybe the Bush deficit will inspire him to greater works.
posted by donfactor at 3:21 AM on July 24, 2003


I'm glad I live in a state where anyone who is rich enough can bankroll a bunch of out-of-state consultants and hired petitioneers to force another election at the taxpayer's expense!

After all, if our leaders in Washington didn't bankrupt our country, if companies like Enron didn't intentionally conspire to form an energy crisis, if those same companies weren't practically cheered on by the powers that be, and if the dotcoms didn't crash... hey, it just might be possible to perhaps blame it all on Davis.
posted by insomnia_lj at 4:11 AM on July 24, 2003


Forget the recall, what about his head on a pike?
posted by m@ at 6:51 AM on July 24, 2003



This is the switchboard at the Gator Lodge.

I don't stop nothing you idiot.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 6:58 AM on July 24, 2003


instead of hoping the lunks who got votes four years ago do what was asked of them

One year ago. Davis was re-elected one year ago.

He's a putz, yes. Did he screw the state? Certainly. This is still just a ploy by Issa to buy the office. What's the Governor's office worth in CA? Apparently $1 million.

So what will CA's choices for new Governor be? Weasel-boy Issa, who wants to purchase the seat, or Arnie? There is talk that former LA mayor Richard Riordan is interested in running. As Republicans go, he's the only one of the three I'd vote for.

As for the Democrats, the talk at the moment is that they plan to stand behind Davis. Which is too bad because that boy's job, Bengali tiger suit and all, is finished and this state needs a selection of Dems to choose from when the election comes.
posted by eyeballkid at 8:11 AM on July 24, 2003


The whole thing is just shameful.

I voted against Simon cuz he's a dumb criminal punk.

It pisses me off that just a year later Mr. Issa has decided that my vote last year wasn't good enough.

Issa's a venal shithead.
posted by filchyboy at 8:54 AM on July 24, 2003


Hey, this is neat. Can we do it with Bush, too?
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:24 AM on July 24, 2003


Good gravy, but this honks me off. All the talk of "democracy in action" and "the people taking back the state"; bull and shit. As many of you have pointed out, this is Darrell Issa's play at grabbing the reins of power and pushing his narrow-minded agenda through Sacramento. I am so pissed off at anyone who signed the recall; the state's already broke, and now we're going to have to shell out a few more million to pay for this election. Issa should pony up for that, too, if he wants to be in the Statehouse that badly.

Davis is a weasel, and a schmuck, and worthless. And I voted for him twice because the alternatives (anyone remember Dan Lundgren? *shudder*) were worse. California politics has been a mess for years, and the thing is the Dems in the Assembly and Senate are just going to dig in even deeper to keep the legislative deadlock going. Issa may be governor, but I doubt he's going to have any bills to sign into law seeing how the reps can't get anything done.

Arnold as governor? Go for it, California! Elect us up another actor! The first one did so well...

Maybe I can just get Santa Monica to secede from the rest of the state...
posted by RakDaddy at 9:42 AM on July 24, 2003


Eyeball-

I saw Diane Feinstein's name batted around as a possible candidate.

I'm gonna just write in INSECT OVERLORDS on my ballot.
posted by RakDaddy at 9:46 AM on July 24, 2003


Yeah, I saw that too, but her people are keeping tight-lipped until Davis loses the office.

At the moment, the Issa camp is trying to push for a new election and skip the recall (yes / no) ballot. (Instead of allowing for a recall first and then a later election to take the office (while the Lt Gov takes over), they want one ballot to decide then and there.)

They want to get it done in one day because they know that the Dems, with their misguided, at this point, backing of supremely unpopular Davis, won't be mobilized and ready with any alternative choices.
posted by eyeballkid at 10:00 AM on July 24, 2003


Why? There's a difference between yapping one's mouth off and actually trying to do something to make a difference.

Does this imply that speaking out against something isn't trying to make a difference? What, then, were the Vietnam protesters trying to do? Or the Republicans bussed into Florida to protest Gore's attempt at a recount? That just "yapping?"

Yeah, Davis has been terrible. But, like filchyboy said, it sucks that -- in the end -- my vote doesn't count. Like the majority of Californians, voted against Simon. Now, some guy has decided to increase my state's deficit by another 30 million dollars so that I have to take time out of my day to go out and do it again.
posted by herc at 10:04 AM on July 24, 2003


Well, isn't that up to the Lt. Gov to decide? It seems that it's his responsibility to set up elections (according to his site).
posted by RakDaddy at 10:12 AM on July 24, 2003


Should be darkly amusing to see how the cons spin this one. After all, according to them, Gore was a sore loser and shouldn't have been trying to claim the presidency; he should've been honorable, conceded defeat, and waited for the next election. Ergo, Gore was a Bad Guy™. But now that their party won't concede defeat and wait for the next election, it's going to be some banal garbage about freedom and democracy in action. Should be a veritable puke fest.
posted by ehintz at 10:30 AM on July 24, 2003


I have a (possibly stupid) question about the recall election process. My understanding is that the ballot basically asks 2 questions: 1) "Do you want to recall Davis?" 2) "Whom do you want to replace him?" If >50% say yes to question 1, the plurality on question 2 immediately becomes governor. My question is this:

Is Davis listed as one of the names under question 2? In other words, can he be recalled but replace himself?

It sounds stupid, but it seems like, with as many candidates as there are likely to be in this election, the plurality on question 2 could easily be in the teens. It would seem to put Davis at a severe disadvantage if he needs to get above 50% to stay in. Such a disadvantage, in fact, that were he to lose, why wouldn't he just (the very next day) begin the process to recall whomever the new governor is? It seems like as long as neither has 50% support, the two top candidates could go back and forth ad infinitum.
posted by originalname37 at 10:56 AM on July 24, 2003


I think he'd have to re-declare his candidacy and either 1) collect a few hundred signatures and lay out a few thousand dollars in filing fees or 2) collect 10,000 signatures and waive the filing fee.

Of course, that means *anyone* can be put on the ballot if they meet those criteria. So, who's up for sponsoring a MetaCandidate?
posted by RakDaddy at 11:10 AM on July 24, 2003


OK, I don't like Davis, but I don't like the recall either, since it's not based on any startling new revelations that have surfaced since he was elected a year ago. If he's a screwup, we already have a remedy; we don't re-elect him.

That said, I think having Governor Terminator would be cool. Besides, if we can have Jesse "The Body Governor" Ventura, we can have Governor Arnold. And while we're working our way through Predator co-stars, how about making Carl Weathers a governor?
posted by kirkaracha at 11:14 AM on July 24, 2003


The Governator
posted by inpHilltr8r at 11:31 AM on July 24, 2003


It only takes $3500 plus 65 signatures to get on the ballot.

So who should be the MeFi candidate?
posted by cell divide at 11:37 AM on July 24, 2003


"...who should be the MeFi candidate?"

Matt, of course. He's a resident and he has a nice "hands-off" governance style.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:41 AM on July 24, 2003


I'd kick in $20.
posted by originalname37 at 11:49 AM on July 24, 2003


The official spiel is here.

As long as Matt's still registered to vote in California, I think he's legal. Matt, whaddaya say? Wanna be the next governor of the great state of California?
posted by RakDaddy at 12:03 PM on July 24, 2003


I mean, come on people. Garry Trudeau said it best about Ventura's election: you're not supposed to vote for someone because you're bored and it'll be like free cable.

Ventura only won partly because of the "haw-haw, that's cool" facot. He benefitted from actually answering questions in debates, and it didn't hurt that the two mainstream parties ran complete stiffs (one of whom, *sigh*, is now a fucking US Senator, but still a stiff) against him. He was at least as much an Anti-Establishment candidate as he was a Pro Wrasslin candidate.

None of which would apply to Arnold, at least from where I sit.
posted by COBRA! at 12:27 PM on July 24, 2003


As long as Matt's still registered to vote in California, I think he's legal. Matt, whaddaya say? Wanna be the next governor of the great state of California?

So I just moved out of California for the first time in my life, and when I saw the headline about the recall, I thought "oh my god, that's crazy!" then I thought "what the fuck do I care, I'm no longer a resident, let them be as nutty as they want to."

It was at that exact moment I realized I've fully converted to being a non-Californian.
posted by mathowie at 12:37 PM on July 24, 2003


Besides, if we can have Jesse "The Body Governor" Ventura, we can have Governor Arnold.

There's a worthy precedent to follow.
posted by jpoulos at 12:39 PM on July 24, 2003


"facot"= factor


damn.
posted by COBRA! at 12:41 PM on July 24, 2003


Matt, is being Californian something that just sort of falls off you when you leave the state?
posted by tommasz at 1:02 PM on July 24, 2003


Three ideas:
-Greg Knauss
-Wil Wheaton
-Bob Cringely

All geeks, all have audiences (small, true, but we just want to put someone on the ballot, right?), all have some minor name recognition.

All in the name of Goofy Shit, of course.
posted by RakDaddy at 2:07 PM on July 24, 2003


Matt, is being Californian something that just sort of falls off you when you leave the state?

After the training seminars and the week at deprogramming camp, yes.

Oh man, Rak, you should float the idea to Wil Wheaton, I'm sure he'd do it (probably front the ballot cash himself)
posted by mathowie at 2:13 PM on July 24, 2003


Hell, why not? I'll keep you posted.
posted by RakDaddy at 2:54 PM on July 24, 2003


I'll vote for Wil. I normally go libertarian on principle, but if Wil's on there I'll do it (unless he runs as a repub or dem-I won't vote for either party since they both suck eggs).
posted by ehintz at 4:32 PM on July 24, 2003


Who's paying for all this recall business?
posted by quadog at 12:15 AM on July 25, 2003


Who's paying for all this recall business?

I'd guess the taxpayers are.
Which is funny in a way.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:12 AM on July 25, 2003


Wil would be fun.
For now, though, I'm standing by my original nomination of Ernie Hsiung.
posted by Jako at 6:11 AM on July 25, 2003


Is Davis listed as one of the names under question 2? In other words, can he be recalled but replace himself?

According to this WP article, no: "The subject of the recall cannot run."
posted by jennak at 7:21 AM on July 25, 2003


Article 2, Section 15(c) of the California Constitution, states in pertinent part: "The [recalled] officer may not be a candidate" in the replacement election.
posted by mikewas at 10:12 AM on July 28, 2003


« Older I'm flyyyyyyyyinnnnng....   |   Seventeen Syllables of TERROR! Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments