WP: Davis Turns on a Charm Offensive

[kskiska]

Governor Reintroducing Himself to Key Calif. Voters

Monday, August 18, 2003; Page A01

CARSON, Calif. -- The politically cautious, often aloof governor of California has gone missing. Or at least the newly reinvented Gray Davis (D), fighting to save his political life, no longer resembles him.

(snip)

Forsaking safe, poll-tested campaigning, Davis is staging almost daily public events to sign or promote legislation that liberal groups cherish. On Saturday, he pledged to sign a bill that would give gay couples many of the same rights and benefits as married couples.

He is reversing position on other divisive issues -- saying, for example, that he now supports giving driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants, which delights Latino leaders. He is virtually camped out in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the state's largest media markets and Democratic strongholds. And he is trying desperately at public gatherings to shed his image as a bland manager and political loner.

In an appearance at a college campus in this Los Angeles suburb a few days ago, Davis signed a bill establishing an institute for African American studies. But he spent more time telling his largely black and Latino audience that he had decided to enter politics while serving in Vietnam and noticing that the sons of few wealthy white families had been sent to fight. He also said that the "proudest moment of my life" was working three decades ago on the campaign in which the late Tom Bradley became the first black mayor of Los Angeles.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7161-2003Aug17.html

[cprise]

1. Wrong link

Here is the correct one:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7163-2003Aug17.html

[kskiska]

2. Thanks, cprise

Too late for me to edit.

[neomonkey]

3. Pigs with wings

Sorry, but Gray Davis going on a "charm offensive" is akin to George W. Bush re-inventing his intellect. I think Gray will need more than a couple of months to turn this around, in more ways than one.