Recall!

Over the years, California has had more than its share of political turmoil. But for pure melodrama, nothing matches the 2003 campaign to recall the state's sitting governor, Gray Davis. "Recall!" relates the latest and most dramatic chapter in the political history of the Golden State.

Over the years, California has had more than its share of political turmoil. But for pure melodrama, nothing matches the 2003 campaign to recall the state's sitting governor, Gray Davis. "Recall!" relates the latest and most dramatic chapter in the political history of the Golden State.

Preface -- Photos follow page 78 -- Part I. The Politics of Recall -- 1. The California Republic: More Like a Nation Than a State -- Land of Direct Democracy -- ¿California Sets the Pace¿: Tom Brokaw, NBC News, -- October 8, 2003 Californiäs Economy: Ranking Sixth in the World If the State Were a Nation Diversity Compounded by Diversity Fractured Political Parties -- Out of History and Diversity: Opportunity¿and Opportunists -- 2. Elements of a Perfect Storm -- The Power Crisis A Plunging Economy The Budget Deficit And Then the Rains Came . . . -- Part II. The Shaping of the Battle -- 3. The Legislature: Gridlock Defined -- The Problem of the Two-Thirds Vote -- The Term-Limits Paradox -- Safe Districts and Dangerous Legislative Conflicts -- Adding Fuel to the Fire -- 4. Governor Gray Davis: Triumph, Decline, Denial -- Who Is Gray Davis? -- Governor Davis: ¿Implement My Vision¿ -- Slow Reaction: A Governor in Denial Davis Agonistes -- 5. Qualifying for the Ballot: Right-Wing Conspiracy or Convergence of Interests? -- Qualifying for the Ballot Instigators and Visionaries -- The Stealth Campaign: The Internet and Talk Radio -- Darrell Issäs Golden Egg -- Davis Fights Back -- Republicans Engaged -- An Election Is Ordered -- Part III. The Campaign -- 6. The 75-Day Sprint -- The Recall Goes to Court A Two-Part Affair -- Gray Davis: Defending Slippery Turf -- Arnold Schwarzenegger: Capitalizing on the Mystique of -- Cruz Bustamante: The Democratic Alternative -- Tom McClintock: The Conservative Conscience -- Peter Camejo: The Liberal Conscience -- Bill Simon, Peter Ueberroth, and Arianna Huffington: -- The Dropouts The Supporting Cast And the Winner Is . . . -- 7. The Issues -- Voter Concerns -- Candidate Positions -- The Economy and the Budget -- Education: We¿re All for the Kids -- Energy: Crisis and Conspiracy Theories -- Immigration¿and Immigrant Candidates -- Social Issues: Gay Rights, Gun Control, Abortion, and Women¿s Rights Other Issues: The Environment, Health Care, and Political Reform Issues: The Bottom Line -- 8. Interest Groups: Taking Sides -- The Right: Conservative Groups and the Recall The Left: Liberal Groups and the Recall Labor: Rallying the Troops Business: A Winner at Last Indians: Californiäs Newest Players Follow the Money -- Personality Politics: Movie Stars and Political Stars A Different Sort of Election -- 9. The Campaigns and the Media: -- Whose Election Is It Anyway? -- The Campaigns: Shaping the Messages -- The Polls: What Did We Know and When Did We Know It? -- The Debates -- The News Media: Kill the Messenger Alternative Media: Celebrity Politics The Final Cliffhanger -- Part IV. The Outcome -- 10. Davis Loses the Recall Battle -- A ¿Normal¿ Political Campaign in an Abnormal Political Climate A Mandate for Change Key Factors -- The Schwarzenegger Surprise Voting Groups -- A Smooth Operation After All Anatomy of a Defeat -- 11. Recall and Political Stability in California: -- Can They Coexist? -- Putting the Pieces Back Together Lessons Learned -- The Permanence of Structural Issues California Recall: ¿Perfect Storm¿ or Trendsetter? -- The Uncertainty Ahead -- 12. Epilogue -- Out with the Old¿In with the New -- Schwarzenegger the Activist -- Early Victories -- Early Defeats -- Early Compromises -- The Movie Star and the Bully Pulpit -- More to Come¿But What? -- Appendix A: Recall Timeline -- Appendix B: The 2003 Recall Election and California Politics on the Internet Notes Index -- About the Authors