Schwarzenegger running in Calif (BREAKING: Bustamante is running)

[IndianaGreen]

To comply with LBN rules I had to post the title to the story. MSNBC has updated the story with this:

FEINSTEIN OUT; BUSTAMANTE IN

Late Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, breaking ranks with fellow prominent Democrats, announced he too would take out papers Thursday to put his name on the ballot as a replacement for Davis. “He will get his papers and file them tomorrow,” said Lynn Montgomery, spokeswoman for Bustamante.

A spokesman for Davis declined comment.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/945950.asp?0cv=CA00

[IndianaGreen]

1. LA Times story on Bustamante running in the recall

As the day wore on, several state officeholders were weighing a jump into the race. Chief among them was Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, who as late as Tuesday had insisted he would not be on the ballot.

Richie Ross, Bustamante's political consultant, confirmed that the lieutenant governor is poised to announce his candidacy.

"I think he's going to do it," Ross said.

He said Bustamante has scheduled a news conference for Thursday morning.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-recall7aug07,1,5633864.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[L.A.dweller]

2. Why doesn't the Lt. governor replace

Davis in the first place. That is the move that would make the most sense to me.
That pic of Jay Leno and Ahhnuld looks so lame I want to :puke:

edited spllng.

[IndianaGreen]

3. The way the law is written, one has to run in order to replace Davis

I think that Arnold's entering the race has made many Democrats realize that they better put someone to run or else lose the Governorship by default. Davis will not win!

I am happy to see Bustamante decide to ignore Terry MacCauliff's stupid advice and decide to announce his candidacy.

[tlb]

4. Too little, Too late.

Thanks to the stupidity and arrogance of Gray Davis and Maculiffe, any move now by Bustamante or any other seious democratic contender just looks like a paniced resposne to Arnold. Which it seems to be after all.

The time to be offering the voters of California a democrat alternative came and went while Davis' " yes men " , contributors, and PR flacks were pretending a 20 % approval rating amounted to a mandate to ignore the consequences of recall. What would have been a strong move a week ago now has a blood in the water feel to it.


edited for the inevitible typos

[Pale_Rider]

5. Bustamante is an alternative ...

... afterall he does have experience in California government.

[tedoll78]

6. Alright. I'm now ready for a prediction:

Bustamante all the way. NPR says he's very popular.

[IndianaGreen]

7. Davis will lose. Bustamante is the only viable alternative.

I can't imagine California electing a gnome like Issa.

[Pale_Rider]

10. Maybe he will, maybe he won't ...

... anyway Cruz can step in.

[dansolo]

35. Bustamante should have been there from the start

The best strategy should have been to have Bustamante in there once the recall was certain. I suspect that most people who are against the recall would view Bustamante as the obvious successor. It is only the screwed up laws in California that led to this situation. The recall would have never happened if it didn't open up an opportunity for the Republicans to steal the Governorship.

[Pale_Rider]

8. I voted for him as Lt. Gov ....

http://www.ltg.ca.gov/

Sponsored legislation ... Cruz has a track record.
http://www.ltg.ca.gov/legislation/default.asp

Some highlights ....

SB 1825 (Ortiz) - California Student Aid Commission Work Studies Programs
Expands the California Student Aid Commission work studies program by 250 new positions. These jobs entail collaboration with high school educators to better promote the Cal Grant application process.

SB 2000 (Dunn) - Energy Penalties
Institutes civil penalties for energy companies that use abusive and illegal market power practices to create false shortages or participate in collaborations to raise energy prices.

SB 1916 (Figueroa) - Coastal Water Protection
Requires that local "coastal plans for development" include regulations addressing nonpoint pollution that cannot be traced to a specific source. Controlling this type of contamination is critical to the reduction of water pollution.

SB 1758 (Figueroa) - Health Care Benefits
Requires pharmaceutical companies to pass on rebates to consumers in the form of reduced co-payments and premiums. This legislation discourages agreements between pharmaceutical producers and vendors, which allow pharmaceutical companies to profit by encouraging the purchase of brand name drugs.

SB 1227 (Burton) - Housing Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act
Places on the November 2002 ballot $2.1 billion in bonds to be used for various housing programs, thus enacting the Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2002. Establishes the "Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program of 2002."

SB 911 (Alarcon) - Tribal Lands
Authorizes tribal officers to carry nightsticks and firearms while on duty, thus recognizing their authority on and off of tribal land. Also creates a division of Indian Affairs within the Department of Justice to advise and oversee issues pertaining to tribal law enforcement.

AB 2501 (Diaz) - Community Technology Centers
Provides access to technology for underserved communities, develops and administers a grant program for nonprofit, community technology centers.

... and fecking-A bubba ...

AB 748 (Chavez) - Veterans Affairs Studies
Establishes the Homeless Veterans Housing Assistance Program and creates the Homeless Veterans Housing Assistance Fund to provide transitional and long-term housing for homeless veterans.

[Wonder]

11. Riordon NO! Bustamante --- well

I am a bit confused by boxer's statement in the lead post

"The state's representatives in Washington also applied pressure on Democrats here to enter the race. U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer told Bustamante that he "should be among the people considering" running on the recall ballot as a fallback to Davis, said Boxer strategist Roy Behr."

Is it that boxer feels davis should not be recalled? I guess I am coming in late on this. if that is the case... nix on what I said in the miscalculated post in GD regarding boxer.

[deandem215]

31. And....

He's a latino! Viva Bustamante

[inthecorneroverhere]

9. Thank you, Lt. Gov. Bustamante

It's very important for 2004 that the governorship of Calif. remain in Dem hands. The reason is that the Dem candidate, whoever the nominee will be, needs to be spending time in close-call states, rather than in California.

The last thing we need is another Repuke California movie-actor politician, after Ray-gun and Sonny-Boy Bono.

Thank you, Lt. Gov. Bustamante, for stepping in. :dem:

[Wonder]

13. An Aye on Calif. Staying in Democratic Hands

even though... I am as of yet not stoked by the rising campaign fever...

[DeathvadeR]

22. Damn Skippy....Control is the issue at hand

The repukes had to pull out a big gun like the terminator in hopes of gaining control. The GOP has literally spent millions trying to oust Davis... And what is Davis?? He is a pawn from a chessboard containing Enron Charactatures.....You don't think the GOP is attempting to ride the skirt tails of the famous and rich again do you????? Whats really really sad, is that it might actually work. Do not underestimate the stupidity of the human race. "Besides isn't being a governer all poker face anyway? Isn't it just a big acting assignment?,Isn't it a game/A sitcom of images and words played out in your daily paper?" This is what is all ready imbededed into the minds of many. When really the role requires dman near a mastermind to do correctly....The governmental system itself is lacking an Academy to educate and nurture the mechanics of such a system/structure/institution of dollars and people.

If the repukes control the 6th largest economy in the world. THe most populous state in the entire US, How many electorial votes in Cali?? ahh huh........... then we might as well get the crown out and inaugurate our king george now.....

Maybe a shwarzenager win will ease the primary abomenation that is going to occur. <http://www.ericblumrich.com/dlc.html>

The real question lies in how many people are not going to stand for another 4 more years? How many would not be willing to Throw those Dice? How many of us are going to getup and standup and pronounce NO to an obvious set of individuals that are a clear risk to human existance?? o ya I forgot there are like 10 of us. Well at least Canadas warm in the summer :).... Cuzz I ain't sticken around to eat blocks of government cheese again.....

[Pale_Rider]

12. Weird cookie ... http.edge.vru4.com

Lads! Turn on your cookie filters!!!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

14. Arnold is not such a bad thing

he seems half way sane compared to most any GOP politician nowadays.

[Le Taz Hot]

15. And he has asolutely NO experience.

Running a state of 38+ million people with the 5th largest economy in the world is NOT a position in which one gets on-the-job training. He's going to get a LOT of votes because of his so-called "pretty boy" image and name recognition. Cruz is known within the state and is a Latino from Central California who will be the ONLY person who can beat out "Ahnold." I'm not a big fan of Bustamonte, but he's all we've got at the moment.

[Muddleoftheroad]

17. Half of California

Is running for this job. I think Ahnold will win in a walk because the totals will be so divided.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

19. Can Ahhnold hable espanol?

Sounds like that's worth a few votes.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

16. Four words

Good cop, bad cop.

Although Arnie as good cop is new. :wtf:

[PROGRESSIVE1]

18. All Democrats, a.k.a, People of Reason...

should back Mr. Bustamonte to insure that the Damn Republiklansmen do not get in.
It is crucial for the Governorship to be in the Dem's hands next year. A Repug like Ar-nuld will make the state close by using his name to prop up Bush. We can't afford to spend time there next fall. We need to be in the true swing states!

[Emboldened Chimp]

20. Bustamante will win, Arnold is toast

Bustamante is very popular and very well respected here. He is second in line, so it makes the most sense that he becomes governor in the event Davis is recalled. And he will capture the Latino vote hands down. Like I said, Arnold is now toast.

[IndianaGreen]

21. No thanks to Terry MacCauliff

If you remember, MacCauliff told California Democrats to put all of their eggs in the Davis basket. Feinstein announced she wasn't running partly in deference to MaCauliff's suicidal call for party loyalty, which is another proof of Feinstein's Beltway mentality.

What Arnold did was to embolden those Democrats that are unhappy with the way Davis has handled the problems in California. While it is true that the GOP (and Divk Cheney) bear responsibility for many of those problems, it ultimately falls on the governor to resolve them. Davis has failed!

Everything I have read about Bustamante is that he is very capable and that he will make a fine governor. I am happy that Bustamante has thrown his hat into the ring, now it is up to Davis to step aside.

[Emboldened Chimp]

27. Davis can't step aside now

The recall would still happen. He had his chance before, and if he did, then Bustamante could just fill the vacancy, per the state constitution.

[David__77]

23. we need to make that happen...

Bustamante can definitely beat the others in the recall. Especially with the anti-civil rights initiative on the ballot, Latino and Black organizations will be mobilizing. Now, I do hope that it can be delayed until March, which is possible. But even if not, we can win pretty easily.

We should still argue against the recall as a rightwing power grab, but support Bustamante as well...

[DeathvadeR]

24. Care to wager? n/t

[PROGRESSIVE1]

30. MANCO:

I believe that you are right. However this task has been made very difficult by Gray Davis. Maybe he should have stepped aside before the recall petitions were certified!
Now we are never going to her the end of how great Ar-nuld is. This is such B.S!!!

[hippiechick]

25. MSNBC last week

... talked about it - Buchanan and Press, I think - and essentially Arnold would be a nightmare for the Right Wing.

He's pro-choice, pro-separation of church/state and I think he has a sorta 'left leaning' position on gun control. So he might not be all that bad, from our perspective.

OTOH, he's got absolutely NO governing experience, NO budget management experience (and CA is in a MESS!) ... so if he were to win and the state tanked even worse, it could ultimately be a fiasco for the state's finances, and for the GOP.


:hippie:

[DeathvadeR]

28. You are so right........

I say let Kindergarten Cop ruin California.... Just for the sure joy of it. Just for the sure obsurdity about it. No way he can handle a sinking ship.

[IndianaGreen]

32. Clinton had no governing experience before he ran for Governor

And neither did Reagan, Bush, and George Murphy.

The winner is the candidate that best connects with the electorate!

[Alexander]

34. But Clinton was Attorney General of Arkansas....

and he was an accomplished lawyer from Yale who ran for a seat in Congress before that.

Reagan never had political experience - hence why he screwed up California so badly.

Same with Bush.

I think Bustamante is our best shot here - as long as he remains the ONLY candidate on the Democratic ticket.

Although I am hoping that most of the California electorate will vote "yes" on the recall, see the enormous list of candidates, and then decide "Never mind, I'm going to vote 'no' instead".

[Emillereid]

26. Where does Gore live -- didn't he have a house in California?

This Californian is getting nervous -- the courts should throw this recall election out because it was done illegally. Failing that I wish a sure fire winner would run like Feinstein or Gore. Or that Davis would just resign and totally take the wind out of the repukes sails and let Bustamonte take over. I want someone strong and bold enough to take the Bushits and the energy moguls on for raping and pillaging California. Actually on every third day I want California to join Oregon and Washington and secede from the union and start a progressive, dynamic country of our own.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

29. List of Candidates running as of 08/08:

See this link:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030807/ap_on_el_gu/davis_recall_candidates_2

[Sheet22]

33. I'm stumped

I simply don't get this whole thing with California thinking that actors make good governors. Then again, there are those stupid people, I won't mention any names or groups (wink, wink), that thought Reagan was not only a great governor but good president. Scary.

Glad I live in Michigan, at least now that we've finally gotten our fat, worthless, right wing nightmare out of office (for once, thank goodness for term limits). Yahoo again for our lovely Governor Granholm!

[nolabels]

37. Frankly , I don't believe most Californians do think celebs are all that..

I hope this ill conceived kangaroo election is the death nil to them freaking Repubs in California.

I am so sick of them Repubs trying to insert their agenda over here; that would be sweet and just deserts for that pond scum. Surly most don't want or think a recall is needed and if it goes badly or worse there is only one place to point the finger at.

[DeathvadeR]

40. The whole race is like a freak show......

Seriously......Wrestlers and Pornstars, a Midget <---"What chu talkin about willis?" Too wierd and sad to see..It's a mockery...I think they have done it on purpose to make Amercia look more democratic or something??? It getting Airtime everywhere.....

A Right-Wing COup that took a left?...OK then?....... now dumbo is saying he will help out Cali with my robot Ahnold? Didn't he damn near abandon California When they had a few electrical problems? Hmmmmm...... THe guys done great with the NAtional Economy So far, what could it hurt to play some dynasty style shit in cali too.......My advice don't touch it.....Touch yourself, Don't touch Cali..........

[Jack Rabbit]

38. Well, think of it as a democratic principle

In American democracy, it is often said that anybody can be President.

And if Ronald Reagan or G. W. Bush can be President, then that is indeed true.

[Sheet22]

39. True,

if not also somewhat unfortunate at times. Just like with anything, things can always come back to bite you in the butt at inopportune moments-even Democracy.

'Sigh'

[Jack Rabbit]

36. Related story: Riordan endorses Swarzenegger

From the Associated Press via the San Francisco Chronicle
Dated Thursday August 7

Riordan takes himself out of running for Calif. governor

Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan took himself out of the running for governor late Thursday and endorsed Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"I have decided not to enter the race for governor," Riordan said in a three-paragraph statement.
"This recall election offers us a choice: We can either continue with politics as usual in California, or we can elect someone who works on behalf of every Californian, not just the special interests," he said. "As I have said many times, I believe Arnold Schwarzenegger is a very talented man who would make an excellent governor."
Riordan had been considering running if Schwarzenegger did not. The two men are friends and both are moderate Republicans.

Read more.