Recall!: California's Political Earthquake: California's Political Earthquake

by Christensen; Terry

• ISBN13: 9780765614575
• ISBN10: 076561457X
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2004-02-28
• Publisher: Routledge

Author Biography

Larry N. Gerston is professor of political science at San Jose State University Terry Christensen is professor of political science at San Jose State University

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Part I. The Politics of Recall
1. The California Republic: More Like a Nation Than a State	3	(13)
Land of Direct Democracy	4	(3)
"California Sets the Pace": Tom Brokaw, NBC News, October 8, 2003	7	(2)
California's Economy: Ranking Sixth in the World If the State Were a Nation	9	(2)
Diversity Compounded by Diversity	11	(1)
Fractured Political Parties	12	(2)
Out of History and Diversity: Opportunity-and Opportunists	14	(2)
2. Elements of a Perfect Storm	16	(13)
The Power Crisis	17	(3)
A Plunging Economy	20	(1)
The Budget Deficit	21	(3)
And Then the Rains Came...	24	(5)
Part II. The Shaping of the Battle
3. The Legislature: Gridlock Defined	29	(9)
The Problem of the Two-Thirds Vote	30	(2)
The Term-Limits Paradox	32	(3)
Safe Districts and Dangerous Legislative Conflicts	35	(1)
Adding Fuel to the Fire	36	(2)
4. Governor Gray Davis: Triumph, Decline, Denial	38	(11)
Who Is Gray Davis?	38	(3)
Governor Davis: "Implement My Vision"	41	(4)
Slow Reaction: A Governor in Denial	45	(3)
Davis Agonistes	48	(1)
5. Qualifying for the Ballot: Right-Wing Conspiracy or Convergence of Interests?	49	(16)
Qualifying for the Ballot	49	(1)
Instigators and Visionaries	50	(5)
The Stealth Campaign: The Internet and Talk Radio	55	(2)
Darrell Issa's Golden Egg	57	(1)
Davis Fights Back	58	(1)
Republicans Engaged	59	(1)
An Election Is Ordered	60	(5)
Part III. The Campaign
6. The 75-Day Sprint	65	(17)
The Recall Goes to Court	66	(1)
A Two-Part Affair	67	(1)
Gray Davis: Defending Slippery Turf	67	(4)
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Capitalizing on the Mystique of Celebrity	71	(3)
Cruz Bustamante: The Democratic Alternative	74	(2)
Tom McClintock: The Conservative Conscience	76	(1)
Peter Camejo: The Liberal Conscience	77	(1)
Bill Simon, Peter Ueberroth, and Arianna Buffington: The Dropouts	78	(2)
The Supporting Cast	80	(1)
And the Winner Is...	81	(1)
7. The Issues	82	(14)
Voter Concerns	83	(1)
Candidate Positions	83	(2)
The Economy and the Budget	85	(3)
Education: We're All for the Kids	88	(1)
Energy: Crisis and Conspiracy Theories	88	(1)
Immigration-and Immigrant Candidates	89	(2)
Social Issues: Gay Rights, Gun Control, Abortion, and Women's Rights	91	(2)
Other Issues: The Environment, Health Care, and Political Reform	93	(1)
Issues: The Bottom Line	94	(2)
8. Interest Groups: Taking Sides	96	(15)
The Right: Conservative Groups and the Recall	97	(1)
The Left: Liberal Groups and the Recall	98	(2)
Labor: Rallying the Troops	100	(3)
Business: A Winner at Last	103	(3)
Indians: California's Newest Players	106	(1)
Follow the Money	107	(1)
Personality Politics: Movie Stars and Political Stars	108	(1)
A Different Sort of Election	109	(2)
9. The Campaigns and the Media: Whose Election Is It Anyway?	111
The Campaigns: Shaping the Messages	112	(4)
The Polls: What Did We Know and When Did We Know It?	116	(1)
The Debates	117	(2)
The News Media: Kill the Messenger	119	(4)
Alternative Media: Celebrity Politics	123	(3)
The Final Cliffhanger	126	(3)
Part IV. The Outcome
10. Davis Loses the Recall Battle	129	(11)
A "Normal" Political Campaign in an Abnormal Political Climate	130	(1)
A Mandate for Change	131	(1)
Key Factors	132	(2)
The Schwarzenegger Surprise	134	(1)
Voting Groups	135	(3)
A Smooth Operation After All	138	(1)
Anatomy of a Defeat	139	(1)
11. Recall and Political Stability in California: Can They Coexist?	140	(14)
Putting the Pieces Back Together	140	(1)
Lessons Learned	141	(2)
The Permanence of Structural Issues	143	(6)
California Recall: "Perfect Storm" or Trendsetter?	149	(3)
The Uncertainty Ahead	152	(2)
12. Epilogue	154	(9)
Out with the Old-In with the New	154	(1)
Schwarzenegger the Activist	155	(1)
Early Victories	156	(1)
Early Defeats	156	(1)
Early Compromises	157	(1)
The Movie Star and the Bully Pulpit	158	(2)
More to Come-But What?	160	(3)
Appendix A: Recall Timeline	163	(4)
Appendix B: The 2003 Recall Election and California Politics on the Internet	167	(2)
Notes	169	(12)
Index	181	(6)
About the Authors	187