Top Democrats Rally Around Bustamante

[Nambe]

LA Times

Party leaders still want to defeat the recall, but many see the lieutenant governor as the best on the ballot. Garamendi rejects calls to drop out.

California Democrats, still vowing to defeat the recall of Gov. Gray Davis, moved closer on Friday to embracing Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante as their best backup candidate.

Prominent party leaders urged the other high-profile Democrat who has said he intends to run, state Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, to bow out of contention, but Garamendi brushed aside the entreaties.

As Democrats considered strategy in the 59-day race that officially starts Sunday, some of the more prominent candidates seeking to replace Davis began campaigning in advance of today's 5 p.m. filing deadline. ---

[sujan]

1. he is their best bet

with medio strumpeting for Ah-nold 24/7, I only hope........

[Ediacara]

2. Has Davis said anything about Bustamante running?

I am curious if he's relieved or furious.

[IndianaGreen]

3. Bustamante is the only legitimate choice

and the only way he can win is by having no other Democrats to compete against (Davis is going down no matter what!).

The anti-Davis vote will be split between Arnold, Arianna, Bill Simon and perhaps a hard core rightwinger such as McClintock.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

4. Bustamante...

is the best backup candidate and we SHOULD HAVE ONE!!!!!!!
We don't want the Repug's, especially Arnold (a.k.a Repthuglikan mouth piece) to defeat Davis!

[jiacinto]

11. But see

Some people here want Democrats to lose elections.

[twilight]

5. Those true to the great Democratic party

True Democrats that voted for DAVIS like myself, should vote only for Davis.

Bustamante is holy Joe's pimp. Good luck sucker!

:kick:

[jiacinto]

9. Let's elect a Republican to the Governorship!

What a great idea!

Yes, because Bustamente is connected to Lieberman, that must him a spawn of Satan.

Whatever. I guess that letting Republicans win is more important to you.

[dansolo]

40. They can't vote for Davis

If Davis is recalled, someone else would be governor. Wouldn't you rather it be a Democrat? There is nothing preventing then from voting "NO" on the recall and "YES" for Bustamonte. What are you suggesting they do? With so many people in the race, every vote is critical.

[UnapologeticLiberal]

44. Isn't Davis a pretty conservative Democrat?

I know before the recall thing gained traction a lot of people here were pissed at Davis for opposing more school funding and supporting three-strikes laws. I do not know much else but I believe I remember a fair amount of animosity from the left toward him as well as from the right. I guess this is an example of the saying "the enemy of the enemy is my friend"...now that he is under attack we are angry at the right for what they are doing and forget whether we liked him that much to begin with. I don't remember that well but I think it was sort of that way when the GOP started their witchhunt to impeach Clinton...a lot of liberals forgot that they were pissed off at him for not being far enough to the left and rallied around him because they were pissed off at the GOP for trying to impeach him.

[onehandle]

6. Swell...

I feel so damn united.

[shance]

7. Isnt Bustamante a Lieberman DLC type?

This doesnt look good. Bustamante is a back stabber and an opportunist. With Democrats like him, who needs Republicans?

[jiacinto]

10. Oh yes let's elect Arnold instead

because--heaven forbid--Bustamente likes Lieberman? Talk about an unfair standard of guilt by association.

[LauraK]

49. Any Dem would do IMO

[twilight]

12. I am voting for Davis and that is it

I am not writing ANYONE in, that is IF I am allowed to vote being I am a permanent absentee voter! This will only occur IF Davis lives to see the election - seems his plane had engine problems the other day.

I am voting FOR DAVIS by voting AGAINST the recall. That IS a vote FOR Davis who already won anyway.

What a trap! Why can people not see this?

:kick:

[StandWatie]

13. you can't vote davis

you are shooting yourself in the ass if you don't pick someone to vote for after you vote no on recall.

[Piperay]

29. I don't think you can do that

my understanding is that if you vote "NO" on the recall than THAT is a vote for Davis and you don't get to choose anyone else. If you vote "YES" to recall than you can pick another name like Bustamante or whoever.

[Democat]

30. No, that's not right, please don't say that

We need people to understand.

You can vote on a candidate no matter whether you are for or against the recall.

The Democratic strategy is, "No on the recall, yes on Cruz."

That is how the law works and that is our best chance for stoping this corrupt recall.

[Piperay]

31. OK, that is TERRIFIC...

I'm SORRY that was my misunderstanding and I am VERY glad to know that I was wrong. THANKS for straightening me out. :thumbsup: :-)

[Democat]

32. It's good that people actually have a right to vote on both

In this election, Davis could get 49% of the people voting against the recall, and Simon could get 12% of the vote, and Simon could still win.

It's a horrible law that allowed some rich right winger to nullify the previous election for no reason other than pure partisanship.

[IndianaGreen]

38. Will voting "No" on recall, invalidate a vote for Bustamante?

Your post made me think so I did a quick search and found this article. Does this mean that if one votes "No" on recall, the vote on Bustamante will not count? Does this mean that one has to vote "Yes" on recall to get Bustamante's vote to count?

I am confused now!

Law profs challenge validity of recall rules

By Eleanor Yang
STAFF WRITER

July 29, 2003


Martin, Rierson and the lead plaintiff on the case, Frank Partnoy, who also is a University of San Diego professor, say that because of an outdated and unconstitutional statute, a significant number of votes will not be counted in the recall election.

That's because the 1911 statute states that in recall elections, votes for successors are only counted for those who also vote on whether the officer should be recalled.

If the statute is struck down and all votes are counted, Martin said, the impact could be significant.

Historically, 4 percent to 8 percent of recall voters don't answer the first question whether the officer should be recalled. In elections with many candidates, as is expected in California's gubernatorial recall, those votes could play a pivotal role.

Martin, who declined to state his political affiliation, says he is simply trying to serve the public interest.

"It was our strong belief that everyone should be entitled to vote, and someone should file a lawsuit to vindicate their interests," he said yesterday.

San Diego Union-Tribune

[IndianaGreen]

39. Answering my own post, a federal judge ruled otherwise

I dont' know if this decision has been appealed.

Wednesday, July 30, 2003, 12:00 A.M.
Judge rules California recall ballot open to all voters

By Seth Hettena
The Associated Press

SAN DIEGO — California voters will be allowed to cast a ballot for a potential successor to Gov. Gray Davis even if they do not vote on whether he should be removed from office, a federal judge ruled yesterday in striking down part of California's recall law.

Under state law, voters could choose "yes" or "no" on whether Davis should be recalled. Only voters who cast a "yes" or a "no" could then choose a potential successor from a list on the same ballot. The recall election is scheduled for Oct. 7.

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Barry Moskowitz shot down the part of the law that said voters who did not answer the first question would not have their votes on the second question tallied. He sided with plaintiffs who said the process unconstitutionally compels voters to choose on one matter to gain eligibility for another.

"Every voter, whether they voted for or against that recall, has a paramount interest in choosing the person who will govern them," Moskowitz said.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2001313052_recall30.html

[Emboldened Chimp]

34. Vote No on recall, Yes for Cruz

You can do both. Don't waste the opportunity to keep it Dem.

[Judi Lynn]

45. His plane had engine problems?

Why does that remind one of Missouri's beloved Democratic Governor, the late Mel Carnahan?

I had heard all the way to the Midwest that Bustamante is publically telling people to vote "no" on recall. Is this correct?

[dansolo]

41. Davis is DLC also

How is Davis any better than Cruz?

[jiacinto]

8. Why does it surprise me

People are trying to undercut the Democrat so that the Republican can be elected?

Why don't we change the name of this seat to:

WewantDemocratstolose.com

[Mz Pip]

14. Kind of seems that way

doesn't it. Bustamante isn't good enough becase he's for Lieberman? Geez, that is just silly.

We should be focusing on getting EVERYONE to vote NO on the Recall and defeat it in its tracks.- then whoever gets the most "replacement votes" won't be an issue.

What message should be promoted is how awful Ahhnold would be. This is the guy who said deciding to run for Governor was the scariest decision he ever made next to having a bikini wax. This is the guy who wants to be in charge of the 5th largest economy in the world?????

MzPip
:dem:

[jiacinto]

15. It sure does

But that is what you see all too much on this board.

[w4rma]

16. Deleted

[robbedvoter]

17. No on recall, Bustamante on second question

He is from all I read a progressive and by far the best case scenario is the recall passes. To not pick him (after opposing recall) is stupid. He, BTW tells his supporters to vore No on recall. (showing more sense than some on this board)

[joeybee12]

18. Calif Dem Leaders are hapless Twits

Their only hope is that the Repukes are even more dimwitted--they might overplay their card. So far, though, they have the upper hand. Bustamente is not the Dems savior--he is an opportunist who wants to be elected Governor, legitimate elections be dammed. As soon as he entered the race, the Dems began playing by the Rethugs' rules, the first step in losing an election.

[dogpatch]

19. could Davis resign?

It's a gross thought, but could he do that at the last minute if things look really bad for him, and hand things over to Bustamante?

[Catt03]

20. My question too....

Davis resigns and Bushamante steps in......

Will that work?

[On the Road]

22. It's Too Late for Davis to Resign

at least, it won't stop the recall. Bustamente could get an edge by being the incumbent, but that's about it.

[shanti]

23. no, it won't work

the recall will go on whether davis steps down or not. i'm voting no on the recall and yes on bustamante. :shrug: he will be running for the job in 2006 and i was planning to vote for him then anyway.

[mix68]

25. that is a bloody brilliant strategy, Davis should asap

that would be much more dignified that losing, which could happen

[Democat]

27. The Dem strategy was wrong for the opposite reason you say

They should have put Bustamante in the race a week earlier so he would have got some media attention before Arnold announced.

To say that we should give the governor's office away on principle, is saying Democrats should be losers.

The Republicans pulled a dirty trick to nullify part of the last election in California. We can either pretend it didn't happen or fight in the way that gives us the best chance of winning.

Not running a candidate is accepting defeat. With Cruz running, we have a chance.

[dansolo]

43. The Dems are playing by the California laws

The Democrats have no choice in how the recall is run. Once it is underway, they are stuck seeing it through. If their only startegy is that they cross their fingers and hope that Davis beats the recall, then they deserve to lose the governorship. That is the most idiotic decision since the Democrats decided that supporting Bush on the war will give them an opportunity to shift public debate to the economy. We saw how well that worked.

[mix68]

21. i hope he takes that poser

arnold, a fucking nobody if there ever was one, to the mat

welcome to the big leagues, you b-movie fraud

Bustamente is a great alternative to Davis too

i really hope this is the line in the sand for the Dems

stop this anti-democratic republican juggernaut now please

[JoFerret]

24. and failing all of that

Willie Brown has to bring Arnie down with a recall and then put an end to this anti-democratic charade. Republicans will do ANYTHING to win elections EXCEPT get the most votes.

[IndianaGreen]

26. CNN just reported that Garamendi will not run, will endorse Bustamante

CNN just said that State Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi will not run and will endorse Cruz Bustamante.

This is very good!

[Terran]

37. Wow, that's a relief

I think Bustamante should take it easily if Davis doesn't survive. Almost every Latino in the state will vote for him, even a lot of the Republican Latinos. This is something they've been hungering for for a long time.

Dirk

[NewYorkerfromMass]

46. Garamendi NOT running

this is huge. Shows the Dems have their shit together a lot more than the pubes.

[Democat]

28. The entire media is rallying around Arnold

We need Bill Clinton and some major celebrities to fly in and get some press for Cruz.

This race is all about celebrity now, Cruz is going to need some support to get on TV.

[warrior1]

33. What a stand up guy.

This is great for our party.

[Emboldened Chimp]

35. Exactly! We need Big Dog out there!

He'd steal the headlines right out from underneath Ah-nuld. Supposedly, he's working the connections behind the scenes, but he needs to get out in public. My guess is he'll do it when the time is right. Clinton will wait for Ah-nuld to bumble along, the step in and put his arm around Cruz.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

36. If he is Judicious...

then Cruz Bustamante will "CRUZ" to victory in the fall!

I agree with you, Clinton should come out for him but he must do it at the right time. Get him (Ar-nuld) while he's down and squash his ass like a bug!

[Undemcided]

47. Arnie is in for a tough ride

He's getting whacked from both sides and from what I've seen of him seems to have not done his homework on Cali at all.

[JCMach1]

42. Dems focus on saving Davis, but having Bustamante as backup

Not only is this a good strategy... there is something Constitutionally satisfying about this as well.

I think Ahhhnull will stumble and he won't be back.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

48. HUGE: Garamendi NOT running

Shows the Dems are bearing down for the fight. They have their shit together.