WP: Davis' Party Support Fading – Dems criticize governor, join race

Support for California Gov. Gray Davis (D), who faces a recall election on Oct. 7, eroded dramatically yesterday as the wall of Democratic Party solidarity he had hoped would protect him collapsed in the wake of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger's decision to enter the recall fray as a Republican.

A trio of powerful San Francisco Democrats -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Mayor Willie Brown -- all either criticized Davis or went frosty in their support. California Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante (D) and Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi (D), both proven statewide vote-getters, put their names on the ballot to replace Davis should he lose the recall, foiling Davis's plan to survive by giving Democratic voters no alternative to keeping him in office.

Another of Davis's survival strategies -- to demonize Rep. Darrell Issa (R) for bankrolling the recall effort -- went flat when Issa took himself out of the race.

(snip)

But leading Democrats expressed doubts that the party can unify around an alternative to Davis. The strongest shot as a white knight, in the view of party strategists, was Feinstein, who decided Wednesday to stay out of the fray and fight the recall. Another widely mentioned rescuer, former California congressman Leon E. Panetta, said yesterday evening that he will not run and that he does not expect any other senior Democrats to enter the race.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31574-2003Aug7.html

at the last minute! I realize she has opposed the recall. She has repeatedly declined to run. But, I have a feeling she just might decide to run at the last minute. She would then appoint Willie Brown to fill her Senate seat (If the recall went through...and, she was 'elected' governor).

If Dianne were to do this, she would be viewed as the saviour of the Democratic party in California. Plus, she can easily commute to her San Francisco home on weekends. Who knows, she might even join the national ticket as VP...with Howard Dean? They're both moderates! Stranger things have happened.

Stay tuned!

:-)

that they don't think he would pick a supporter of the attack on all those Iraqis. And I would hope he wouldn't either! :kick:

over the the SOTU 16 words. I saw her in an interview on CNN or MSNBC about 2 weeks ago when she said she would not have voted to go to war for any other reason than 'imminent threat...WMD', etc. She said that she would not have voted simply to oust Saddam Hussein. And, she was very disturbed with Bush's 16 words in the SOTU!

Believe me, I'm not making excuses for her. I implored her several times via email to vote against this resolution! And, I chided and criticised her severely for doing so!

My post here is purely speculation. Who knows what will happen?

How does she explain voting for war prior to hearing the 16 words?
Sounds like she is trying to wiggle out of her initial support, I'm not buying it!

Senator Willie Brown :bounce: that'll hit * right between the yes LMAO :evilgrin:

Bustamonte just filed for insurance. Bush is behind the recall. See the thread in the political group.

The Dem machinery is in place and Dems are voting no on recall, with a vote below the line for Cruz. The pundits need to fill up airtime and columns and they don't seem to be filling it right now with Arnold's past history.