Davis insists Demos united

[jamesinca]

He plays down calls for Feinstein candidacy in recall

Carla Marinucci and Mark Simon, Chronicle Political Writers Thursday, July 31, 2003

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Gov. Gray Davis insisted Wednesday that "no prominent Democrats" will become candidates in the Oct. 7 recall election and that his party remains united behind him, even as another Democratic House member joined those urging Sen. Dianne Feinstein to enter the campaign.

"I am very proud of all the Democrats that have stood by my side," he told reporters at a women's shelter in San Francisco's Chinatown, where he appeared to mark the Legislature's passage of the $100 billion state budget.

Davis downplayed the first cracks in the Democratic Party strategy to fight the recall as a GOP-backed effort, in part, by keeping Democrats off the ballot as alternatives to the governor.


Voters will have two questions in the unprecedented recall election: "yes" or "no" on whether Davis should be removed from office; and who should replace him if he is removed.

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TURNOUT CRUCIAL
"The recall election will be determined by turnout," Sherman said in a telephone interview, becoming the third House Democrat to publicly urge Feinstein to run. "The thing that turns people out is a face on the ballot that they really like. . . . The Republicans have faces. Every Republican who goes to vote will have a face on the ballot they like."

Sherman joined Democratic Reps. Cal Dooley, D-Hanford (Kings County), and Loretta Sanchez, D-Garden Grove, who suggested Tuesday that the unpopular Davis may not survive the October election -- and called on Feinstein to put her name on the ballot. Sanchez also suggested that she might run if Feinstein doesn't.

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Other members of the Democratic congressional delegation surveyed Wednesday by The Chronicle supported Davis, calling the recall among other things a destructive, radical, costly Republican power grab. But some also indicated they were keeping their options open about a possible major Democratic candidate on the replacement ballot.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/07/31/RECALL.TMP

[joeybee12]

1. Sanchez, Dooley and Sherman are twits!

Nice strategy, nimwits, act like the recall is legitimate and you play by the Republican thugs' rules. The ONLY way to win is to take a united front and call this recall the Nzai power grab that it is. No wonder we can't hold the House or the Senate with these three so politically illiterate!

[jamesinca]

2. Don't forget Dooley is in a strong Repug area

he has to really walk a fine line to keep his office. I am torn on the issue myself. I know the importance of a united front, but I hate the thought of not having a security net if Davis were to lose the recall.

[joeybee12]

3. As soon as another Democrat runs...

...it's over. The Dems have to keep a united front to win! I really think it's not simply the best way, it's the only way! If davis goes down, it's not the end of the world. The winner will have gotten 20% of the vote--puts the Dems in a good position to knock off the Fraud in 2006. Besides, the way the Dems are acting now, the Repukes can see the fear in their eyes--NEVER let that happen!

[David__77]

4. poor self-disipline

Sometimes a little discipline is required. These discussions involve many people, but are not public at this point, nor should they be. That's my main point. Sanchez and Dooley and Sherman need to take this up within the party, not go running to the media eager for such divisiveness.