Could a Riordan candidacy sink Davis?

The folly of the Democratic Party's strategy in the recall election is myriad. One of the problems with it is that it assumes that voters will perceive the candidates running against Davis collectively as a monsters' ball.

That works best if the candidates are a bunch of rightwing kooks like Issa and Simon, and even then, given Davis' unpopularity in California, it isn't a sure thing. All it would take is one candidate that the voters could perceive as being palatable and the whole strategy is out the window. Davis would either have to convince voters that such a candidate is not as good as they believe him to be or convince voters that he is not as bad as they believe him to be, or the Democrats may have to go to Plan B and run a candidate of their own.

Richard Riordan, the former mayor of Los Angeles and a Republican, may be the bull that runs through the china shop of the Democrats' suicide pact strategy.

From the San Jose Mercury News
Dated Sunday August 3

GOP turning to moderate Riordan
But 2002 implosion is a warning
By Dion Nissenbaum
Mercury News Sacramento Bureau

After pinning their hopes of toppling Gov. Gray Davis on a Hollywood leading man who appears ready to pass on this unfinished script, California Republicans are turning to a 73-year-old former Los Angeles mayor some Democrats fear more than Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Schwarzenegger has the buzz, but Richard Riordan may have the chops.
With approval ratings higher than Schwarzenegger's, moderate views with bipartisan appeal and folksy charm, Riordan may enter the recall race this week as the GOP's best chance of defeating the Democratic governor in the historic Oct. 7 election.
"Even more so than last year, Richard Riordan's strong record in Los Angeles is in strong contrast to Davis's record," said Riordan consultant Kevin Spillane. "Riordan has strong name ID, an impressive record as mayor, a statewide donor base and proven appeal to Democrats and independents."
All that may stand in Riordan's way is Riordan himself.

Read more.

From the San Francisco Chronicle
Dated Sunday August 3

California's Political Turmoil
Democrats not united on Davis -- and not on Feinstein, either
By Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross

State Attorney General Bill Lockyer's comments to the Sacramento Bee that prominent Democrats might "jump ship" if Davis resorts to his old slash- and-burn tactics against Richard Riordan, assuming the former Los Angeles mayor gets into the race.
As one Democratic pollster told us, when Davis was matched against conservatives such as GOP Rep. Darrell Issa and last year's Republican gubernatorial candidate, Bill Simon, support for firing the governor dropped a few points to about 45 percent.
However, when Riordan -- who is both liberal and well-known down south -- is added to the mix, "just the opposite happens," the pollster said, with support for the recall going up to 55 percent.
"The problem is Riordan takes his biggest chunk out of Los Angeles -- an area vital to Davis and an area where Davis is already hurting among Democratic voters," the pollster said.
Put it all together and you have the talk of "Democratic unity" looking more like a ferret family dinner -- with the governor being served up as the main course of everyone's discontent.

Read more.
While Matier and Ross seem to enjoy bashing Democrats, they usually get their facts right.

However, I think that Dianne would be our best candidate (though I'm not in favor of school vouchers). Otherwise, we should back Arianna.

Riordan's party affiliation means nothing. Neither does anybody else's. I can run if I can gother 60 signatues (or is it 65?) and lay down $3500.

I've got better things to do than be governor of California.

The right wing is in control , firm control. They are responsible for Riordan's defeat at the primaries last go-round. They will NOT usck it up to unite behind a liberal republican; and Riordan and Scwartzenegger both qualify.

It is always amusing to watch this little tableau unfold, they just destroy anyone who isn't a wingnut. Then go down to defeat. Witness the state offices; 100% Democratic.

So,while it hasn't happened yet, look for a wingnut like Bill Simon to run again.......

If no Democrats run in the replacement election, for whom do you vote? Your choices are:

• Richard Riordan, moderate Republican who may be a ticket-splitting voter and whose wife is a registered Democrat;
• Peter Camejo, a Green Party leader who might actually make a capable governor in spite of the fact his political views are hardly mainstream;
• Arianna Huffington, journalist and political independent whose views are partly conservative and partly progressive;
• None of the above, and just hope that a governor with an approval rating in the mid-twenties hangs on (if he doesn't, you just let everybody else choose for you).

You don't have to answer right away.

That's what I think.