Clinton is advising Gray Davis

[Dover]

Have you seen this? If anyone knows how to survive a political storm.....

http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-aside10s1.html
Clinton advising Gray Davis

August 10, 2003

BY JULIAN COMAN





WASHINGTON--Faced with Arnold Schwarzenegger's bid for his job, California's beleaguered Gov. Gray Davis has turned to perhaps the only man in America who can save his skin.

Former President Bill Clinton has taken a hands-on role in the Democratic governor's campaign to help him try to avoid being recalled by voters. Close aides of Davis said the two men met privately for more than an hour last week in Chicago and are in daily telephone contact.

The former president apparently advised Davis to play the sober politician to Schwarzenegger's brash show business star.

"Davis and Clinton are friends, and Bill is giving him all the help that he can," one prominent California Democrat said. "The Chicago meeting was an important strategy session. They've been discussing the themes that Gray needs to push in his campaign, the problem of fund-raising, and how to get help for the governor at a national level."

Another senior Democrat confirmed: "Clinton has been a couple of times and is managing the whole deal by phone. If Davis survives, he'll owe it to the Clintons. Then, if Hillary jumps into the presidential race, she'll have the California delegates locked up as well as the ones in New York.".....more >>

[Democat]

1. I hope they are coordinating with Cruz

We need to win this no matter what happens. It's been said that Cruz and Davis don't like each other personally, but I hope they can work together to assure that the Democratic Party holds onto California.

[Dover]

2. I thought this was an interesting statement about Hillary -

Another senior Democrat confirmed: "Clinton has been a couple of times and is managing the whole deal by phone. If Davis survives, he'll owe it to the Clintons. Then, if Hillary jumps into the presidential race, she'll have the California delegates locked up as well as the ones in New York.".....

Has EVERYTHING got a price? Is backscratching a chronic condition?
Ick. And what's the story with Hillary running in this election? HUH?! Is this senior Dem having a senior moment? Do the PEOPLE have a voice in who is "locked up" for our votes? Or is it all done in the back room?

[unfrigginreal]

4. Would your sensitivities be calmed if the Clintons weren't involved?

You should be thanking your lucky stars that they are ready to spend their political capital on Davis.

[TahitiNut]

14. Regard the source.

The Chicago Sun-Times is a rightwing newspaper and carefully chooses to (mis?)quote such 'sources' to elicit the negative reaction of its readership. This story reads like sileage, IMHO.

Just look at the word choices: "California's beleaguered Gov. Gray Davis," "the bruised governor," "play the sober politician," "the unpopular governor," and "last year's gubernatorial runner-up, Bill Simon."

[PATRICK]

17. you mean Dvavis has not

"sober" enough? OK so how did the recall peptition win in the the first place? I really don't believe most of these "source" stories without authority and quotes especially when the blurbs are negative and nonsensical about Dem strategy- and strategy alone.

Clinton hasn't always been a help depending on time and place and how close he ACTUALLY gets to advising. Shoring up losers is not a very successful occupation for any icon.

The media meanwhile is swooning into its dumbest role yet into letting this be a campaign of a movie star against all comers. It spreads the notion, common among cynical reporters, that since the system is so broke and stagnated any old exciting macho "star" will do.

Saw a black lady who had just won the lottery bubble over saying how she was a Democrat but was tickled pink about voting for Arnold. There is a LOT of work to do in CA.

[jiacinto]

21. It's basic recipriocity

I help you--you help me.

[Le Taz Hot]

3. I wish ALL Dem. presidential primary candidates

would come to CA if it's at all possible within their schedule. I posted a thread yesterday asking for other candidate supporters to call/write their candidates to see if they could make this happen. It dropped like a stone. Not enough flamebait, I suppose. So much for party unity, heh? (If this type of animosity continues, we're in trouble in 2004.)

The voters here are WOEFULLY misinformed about this recall. Most of them think Davis is on the ballot -- he's not. Most of them have no idea that this farce is costing a cash-strapped California $70 million, and that's just an estimate. According to polls, most of them are intending on voting for Ahhhhnold due to name recognition and his he-man image, having not been informed that he's only voted in two out of the last eight state elections OR that this has the backing of the White House. At last count there are 193 candidates. The vast number of Californians don't even know who Cruz Bustamonte is. The state Democrats didn't take this seriously until it was too late, now they're trying to play catch-up. I hate to say it, but it looks like Ahhhhnold will be our next governor. The good news is that this son-of- will be a Lame Duck the second he enters the Governor's mansion.

I doubt that even the Clintons can pull us out of this one. My apologies for the negativity here but my favorite place for news and information, DU, has turned into Free Republic lately and it's all just so discouraging.

I know, I know, life's tough, wear a helmet.

[NicRic]

10. Sadly I agree !

I dont understand any of this B/S taking place since the stolen election . Its like everything thats happening is stranger then fiction ! Is the Dem party really in control of Ca. ? Apprently not, or this recall would never be taking place. Also why the Dems remain quiet, about the real cause of this states problems , Enron ,a bush economy. I use to believe the voting public would always do the right thing in the end ,now I believe the voting public is shallow and uninformed, false assumptions and being star struck is the flavor of the day !

[AP]

12. Money buys a lot of misperception.

[Le Taz Hot]

19. The Dem party is a MESS in CA

despite the fact that all the top state offices as well as both Senators are Democrats. (Leave it to the Democrats for snatch defeat from clutches of victory.) Though I've been an activist for 30 years, I only started getting involved in state/local Democratic party politics in February and, for whatever reason, have been "fast-tracked" through the system. I just got elected as a Delegate last week. I say that only because I'm getting an up-close-and-personal look at the insides of the California Democratic party and it's very discouraging.

When they aren't infighting, power-grabbing and back-stabbing, they're forming committees to consider forming a subcommittee to consider writing a resolution . . . yada yada yada. I.e., they don't get anything DONE! As an activist, this drives me insane! Davis hates Bustamonte hates Angelides hates Garamendi and each faction has their own "camp." (Any of this sound familiar?)

I'm not saying all this stuff doesn't happen with the Republicans, it does. But when push comes to shove, they all goose-step to the party line and vote Republican. Witness the candidate bashing going on just in DU. I and a few other DUers have, several times, asked for unity in times like these. The threads either die of loneliness or the usual suspects show up for the sole purpose of disruption.

[bearfartinthewoods]

16. from here, on the other coast, why doesn't Davis resign, for the good

of the party? Cruz would be in and the whole recall would stop.

hmmmm..one man who would resign for the good of the party advising another man who won't do the same.

why did i even bother asking.

[Le Taz Hot]

20. Because it's too late

If he was going to do it, he needed to do it before the signatures were handed in. Understand, I'm NOT a Davis fan and yes I voted for him twice -- one of those "lesser of two evils" things, but the fact is the VOTERS of California agreed to give him a second term and there is no reason why he should have resigned in that we just had an election 8 months ago.

Cruz entered the race as a "just in case" candidate -- most likely seeing the writing on the wall that Davis will be recalled and we needed a prominent Democrat on the ballot as an alternative. Besides, as the A.G., Cruz is the natural successor to Davis. I've read posters asserting that, since Cruz is Latino, he'll get the Latino vote. Not necessarily. For several reasons, Latino voter turnout in California is very low, plus, this is the epitome of an "off-year election."

I know I'm sounding the the perveyor of bad news here and I sincerely hope I'm dead wrong, but, I'm getting a LOT of inside information and it's just not looking good for the Democrats here. They DESPERATELY need to get their shit together and it's just not happening.

[CWebster]

5. If he "helps" Davis the way he "helped" Edwards

or he "helped" the Country confront the Bush administration campaign of lies to mire us in Iraq, Davis can kiss his political career farewell.

[unfrigginreal]

6. How about you explain the "help" Edwards part.

This should be really interesting considering that Edwards avoided calling Clinton a good President.

[CWebster]

7. Common knowledge

that Clinton took Edwards under his wing and advised his candidacy.

You didn't know?

[Speed8098]

8. I didn't know

And I would like to see a link to that information.

[CWebster]

13. Link

"And Clinton lends personal counsel to the candidates. A former aide felt sure he has spoken with all of them, but Clinton seems to have thrown an avuncular arm around young Senator John Edwards in particular. The former President has praised Edwards extravagantly, makes late-night phone calls to kibitz the senator's speeches and coaches him on how to frame economic issues. In December Edwards got a sit-down briefing on foreign affairs from British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Bill Clinton made a call to arrange it. To date, Edwards is the only Southerner in the race, and he has just-folks charm like Clinton's. But Edwards seems quite thin on substance and will need a lot more tutoring from the former policy wonk in chief."



http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030217&c=2&s=greider

[unfrigginreal]

9. Oh Really?

Then why would Edwards refuse to call Clinton a good President on the Hardball Show? By the way, that is the EXACT moment that I decided that Edwards wasn't worth a flip!

[AP]

11. Edwards has embraced Clinton's record and Clinton as a person

more than any other candidate. In fact, I think he's striking the perfect cord in regards to addressing the personal issues and creating the appropriate sense of nostalgia for the kind of society we had in America during the Clinton administration.

When the history books are writted on the Clinton administration, I have no doubt that the Clinton years will be seen as a transition period to real democracy, that Bush will be seen as the last, undemocratic, dying gasp of the extinction of a certain style of conservo-facsicsm, and that President Edwards will complete the transition Clinton began. I think Edwards is doing a perfect job of laying the groundwork for people to have that understanding of their recent past.

[Snellius]

15. "My big brother will come over and beat you up".

I'm not sure that bringing in the big guns will keep the media from kicking more sand in his face. Especially up against the Austrian Hulk, Big Bill's intervention may just make Davis look more helpless and feckless than ever.

[robbedvoter]

18. Just curious: did you want Clinton to resign too during the impeachment?

I do not understand your defeatist attitude. This is about the democracy itself under attack and you see it with a GOP pundit's eye. I agree with the poster who said all candidates should come and lend a hand - this is bigger than California, bigger than Davis. It's about the Constitution, democracy - our candidates would do themselves a favor to address it (it'll help their visibility as well) Kuchinich gets points for bringing up Enron. I want more!