Davis, Fighting Recall, Is Ready to Stump Against "Right Wing" [View All]

[kskiska]

LOS ANGELES, July 25 — Gov. Gray Davis of California has 74 days to defeat the movement to recall him or face being only the second governor in American history to be removed from office by referendum. His strategy for survival, aides say, is to make the vote about anything but Gray Davis.

The governor's advisers say they intend to shift the focus away from Mr. Davis's personality and his record to what they characterize as the "right wing" agenda of the recall proponents and the high cost of the election at a time when the state faces a $38 billion deficit.

His aides say they will use television advertising, telephone banks and mass mailings supported by liberal interest groups and unions to send a message that the state cannot afford the risk of overturning an election and putting the state in the hands of a novice politician with views out of step with those of most Californians. The national Democratic Party has pledged its full support to defeating the recall.

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And instead of using Mr. Davis as the principal carrier of the antirecall message, his aides say they intend to bring in prominent surrogates. The cast includes former President Bill Clinton — who lavished attention on California while in office — and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the recall effort and energize Democratic voters.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/26/national/26DAVI.html?hp