Politics

Davis: Recall A GOP 'Power Grab'

August 20, 2003 / 3:43 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Gov. Gray Davis, taking a combative stance Tuesday in the first major address since the recall qualified for the statewide ballot, denounced the Oct. 7 vote facing him as a Republican power grab.

The Democratic governor acknowledged he was slow to act on California's energy crisis and that no one was happy with the budget he just signed.

But he sought to place the state's troubles in the perspective of an American economy that has "tanked" and proudly pointed to his funding of schools and health care.

"The Republicans behind the recall say they want you to vote me out because of past mistakes," he said. "But they don't give a rip about past mistakes — they want power for the future, and with so many candidates, they think they can get it with the support of a tiny fraction of California voters."

Davis sought to reassert himself in a campaign that has largely focused on Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger and more than 130 other candidates seeking to replace him on Oct. 7.

In other developments:

A federal judge in Los Angeles said he would rule Wednesday on separate arguments to postpone the election because some counties will use old punch-card voting machines. The American Civil Liberties Union claims the machines used in six counties have error rates up to 3 percent.

Also Wednesday, moderate Republican Peter Ueberroth, the former baseball commissioner, plans to make his first campaign appearances.

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the most prominent Democrat on the recall ballot, on Tuesday released his own plan to turn around the state's economy, further complicating Davis' fight to remain in office. Davis had sought to keep other Democrats off the ballot so he could focus on defeating the recall. Bustamante, who says he opposes the recall but wants to replace Davis if the governor is ousted, proposed nearly $8 billion in new taxes or fees and $4.5 billion in cuts or savings.

The man who's perhaps the highest-profile candidate, Schwarzenegger, plans to talk about his economic policies on Wednesday. The actor-turned-politician is also set to start airing TV ads. Schwarzenegger has been criticized for not offering a specific agenda.

Meanwhile, campaign correspondents noted that Schwarzenegger has promoted several products on the campaign trail: his movie, "Terminator 3," his Lifecycle exerciser, Indian Chief motorcycles and Hummer sport utility vehicles.

Porn star candidate Mary Carey pledged a dinner date with any donor contributing $5,000 or more to her campaign. The adult entertainer promised to talk about whatever is important to the contributor, and said she needs the money for advertising, political rallies and momentum.

Davis is the first California governor to face a recall election and if the recall is successful he would be only the second governor in the nation to be removed from office.

"For the next seven weeks, my highest priority is to do the job you elected me to do, but make no mistake ... I will fight this recall and the right-wing forces behind it," Davis said.

"This recall is bigger than California," Davis said. "What's happening here is part of an ongoing national effort by Republicans to steal elections they cannot win."

Last week, a slate of 135 candidates was certified by the secretary of state, and the Oct. 7 recall election is just seven weeks away.

On Monday, the Justice Department said the compressed schedule of the special election would not violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The issue has been raised by civil rights lawsuits seeking to postpone the election.

In more bad news for Davis, a number of labor unions announced they were backing Bustamante on Monday.

The California State Employees Association, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen and the California Conference of Carpenters were all rallying behind Bustamante's mixed message campaign intended to keep a Democrat in the governor's office if Davis is recalled.

And the influential Latino Legislative Caucus — which includes 15 members of the state Assembly and nine state senators — voted unanimously against the recall but in support of Bustamante, the state's highest ranking Hispanic official. The vote came after two of Davis' chief aides urged them to endorse a no vote on the recall.

The debate has sharpened as the latest polls show support for Davis continues to fall while support for Bustamante as his replacement is rising.

Next week, the state's largest labor group — the California Federation of Labor — will hold its election convention. The federation, which is an umbrella group of AFL-CIO unions in California, has so far backed the governor.