From Mark Crispin Miller's weblog: "Rebecca Mercuri has analyzed California's recall ballot data and reports that it confirms numerous doubts about election systems. Her results demonstrate that the style of voting system in use (punchcard, optically scanned, or touchscreen) cannot be generically considered either 'good or bad'. She asserts that the particular model of the system, as well as the procedural controls in place in each county, along with the ballot layout, may have considerably more impact on the reliability of the election results than the type of system deployed. The analysis revealed some shocking details. Of the 8,359,168 votes cast statewide, some 384,427 (nearly 4.6%) were not recorded for the recall question. Almost half of these missing votes (over 175,000) were in Los Angeles, nearly 9% for that county [that is rife with Democrats]."

"CA voters overwhelmingly rejected a contentious ballot initiative that would have banned the government from tracking race in everything from preschools to police work. Proposition 54 was one of two initiatives that were soundly defeated Tuesday (58%-42%). The second measure, Proposition 53, would have diverted billions of budget dollars to rebuilding a crumbling infrastructure (65%-35%)... Proposition 54 would have banned the collection or analysis of racial information in public education, contracting and employment... Opponents of Proposition 54 had criticized it as a blow against antidiscrimination policies, while backers insisted it was a leap toward a 'colorblind society.' Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, who lost the recall race, hailed the outcome on Proposition 54. 'We have something to celebrate tonight. We have this victory on Proposition 54.' ... Proposition 53 would have steered 3 percent of each year's state budget into a fund to fix roads, bridges and sewage plants."

Gray "Davis, who built his lifelong career of public service as a somewhat dull but steadfast centrist, appears to have been abandoned by many in his own party, which until today held all statewide offices, both U.S. Senate seats, the majorities in both houses of the state legislature, and in the congressional delegation. He failed to win large support within core Democratic constituencies such as union members and Hispanics, and was unable to persuade women that they should not trust Schwarzenegger as governor, according to the exit polls. 52% of voters from union households voted to kick him out, as did 47% of Hispanics. 53% of women wanted Davis gone. A majority of independents, 55%, voted to remove Davis, as did 89% of Republicans and one-quarter of all Democrats, exit polls showed. More than a quarter of all voters who identified themselves as liberals voted to remove him."

"A poll of 1000 registered voters, conducted by Elway-McGuire Research for Knight Ridder from Wednesday through Saturday, found the percentage of people saying they would definitely vote to oust Governor Gray Davis dropped from 52 per cent on Wednesday to 44 per cent on Saturday." This poll, taken over 4 days, clearly shows a nosedive in support for Schwarzenegger. Californians clearly feel "better the devil you know" than the one who lies through his teeth - that is when he isn't claiming he "can't remember."

The SF Chronicle reports: "The GOP congressman whose money put the recall on the ballot urged Republicans Monday to keep Democratic Gov. Gray Davis in office if neither Arnold Schwarzenegger nor Tom McClintock pulls out of the race by election day. 'If two major Republicans remain on the ballot, I'd advise you to vote 'no' on the recall,' said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista (San Diego County), who spent more than $1.6 million of his own money to help gather signatures to recall Davis. 'It would absolutely guarantee that (Democratic Lt. Gov.) Cruz Bustamante will be the governor, even though a majority of voters are asking for a no-tax solution' to California's budget problems, Issa told a lunchtime meeting of the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco."

Folks, it's Stolen Election 2000 all over again! After TREMENDOUS pressure from Republicans and the right-wing media, a panel of 11 judges on the 9th Circuit overturned a prior ruling by 3 judges ordering the California recall postponed until new voting machines were ready in March 2004. What was the reasoning of the 11 judges? "The State of California and its citizens will suffer material hardship by virtue of the enormous resources already invested in reliance on the election's proceeding on the announced date." That is just utter BUSHIT. As we all know, Florida invested "enormous resources" in launching a state-wide recount on December 10 2000, but that didn't stop the Felonious Five of the Supreme Court from halting that recount because different counties used different vote-counting methods. The bottom line is simple: our Federal courts are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Republican Party, and the rule of law no longer exists. Defeat ALL Republicans!

"Daily Kos thinks Cruz Bustamante's idea to boycott the lone California Gubernatorial debate that Arnold will participate in, to be a 'great idea.' And when I say 'boycott,' I'm not just talking about Cruz Bustamante. He invited ALL of the other 'major' candidates to join him in an unscripted debate...outside of the planned venue. You see...the planned debate they will be avoiding, is the one where the candidates all got the questions in advance. [Thus explaining why Arnold agreed to appear]. The best part is that the other candidates mostly agreed with Bustamante!"

AP reports: "In an unusual step, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asked California election officials and recall proponents to file briefs by Wednesday afternoon on whether they want an 11-judge panel to reconsider Monday's ruling by a three-judge panel. If the court decides to grant a new hearing, the 11 judges can uphold the original ruling to delay the election or overturn it and restore the Oct. 7 date. The losing party can then appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Tuesday's decision came a day after the three-judge panel ruled that as many as 40,000 votes may not get counted in the recall vote because six California counties still use punch-card ballots -- the same system that sent the 2000 presidential race into chaos. In making its ruling, the panel leaned heavily on the Bush v. Gore case that effectively decided 2000 election." Hey, you're not supposed to invoke Bush v. Gore -- unless it helps get a Republican into office. That's what Scalia and the four other Felons want!

AP reports: "A federal appeals court postponed California's Oct. 7 gubernatorial recall election, ruling Monday that the historic vote cannot proceed because some votes would be cast using outmoded punch-card ballot machines. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals withheld ordering the immediate implementation of its decision, allowing a week for appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. Ted Costa, head of the Sacramento-based Peoples' Advocate, one of the groups that put the recall on the ballot, said an appeal is certain. 'Give us 24 hours. We'll get something off to the Supreme Court,' he said." Oh great, this may be decided by the Five Felons on the Supreme Court. Will they suddenly decide that there is now no problem with "differing standards" in counting hanging chads? How convenient that they specified that Bush v. Gore should not be used as a precedent. We already know that the Felons have no problem going against their pro-"States Rights" principles -- if it will help GOP hegemony.

"Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante has railed against the Republicans behind the recall. But the bigger problem in California, according to his campaign rhetoric, is Wal-Mart, Chevron-Texaco and a host of other corporate giants. Running as the Democratic alternative in case Gov. Gray Davis is voted out of office, Bustamante has developed a continuing theme: Big business needs to do more to help the state. He has proposed higher corporate taxes and more regulation of oil companies and accused Wal-Mart of not providing adequate health insurance for its nonunion workers. On Monday, Bustamante drew cheers when he told a labor union crowd in Pleasanton that retail giant Wal-Mart had broken the unwritten social contract to a better society... It's a clear message aimed straight at core Democratic constituencies such as labor, who could deliver the governorship to Bustamante in this strange election." You go, Cruz!

"California Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante holds a wide lead over Arnold Schwarzenegger in the race to succeed Gov. Gray Davis, according to a new Los Angeles Times Poll. As the sole major Democrat running to replace Davis - should the incumbent be ousted on Oct. 7 - Bustamante enjoys the support of 35 percent of likely voters. Schwarzenegger received 22 percent support, followed by three fellow Republicans: state Sen. Tom McClintock with 12 percent, businessman Peter Ueberroth with 7 percent and Bill Simon - the GOP's 2002 gubernatorial nominee - with 6 percent. Simon abruptly quit the race Saturday, after the poll was completed. He said 'there are too many Republicans' running and expressing concern his candidacy would undercut GOP efforts to oust Davis and replace the Democrat with one of their own."

In the press conference heard around the world, Schwarzenegger said he would not provide specifics on budget cuts during the campaign. "The public doesn't care about figures," he said. "What the people want to hear is, are you willing to make the changes. Are you tough enough to go in there and provide leadership." No Arnold, the question is: are you SMART enough to fix the budget crisis. Cruz Bustamante, who leads Arnold 25%-22% in the first Field Poll, "said he would seek to restructure Proposition 13, allowing the state to reassess commercial property and tax it at its current value. This would require a constitutional amendment, an unlikely prospect, experts agree. [WHICH experts, NY Times?] He also proposed a tax increase on the top 4 percent of earners, an increase in cigarette and alcohol taxes and a half-billion dollar crackdown on Medi-Cal fraud." Some tough choices, but THAT's leadership!

AP reports: "A federal judge on Wednesday refused to delay the Oct. 7 recall election, rejecting arguments by a civil rights group that punch-card voting machines used in at least six counties won't accurately tally votes. U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson said he would not rule against the will of the people by delaying the recall vote, as requested by the American Civil Liberties Union... ACLU attorneys asked the judge to delay the recall until March so that six counties can replace punch-card voting machines with modern touch-screens or written ballots. The old machines are being eliminated to avoid problems like the ones that caused the hanging-chad controversy during the 2000 Florida presidential vote. But punch-card machines will still be used in the six counties for the recall. The groups' lawsuit claims the punch-card machines have error rates as high as 3 percent." Will this be another Florida-type debacle?

AP reports: "A federal judge in San Jose says he may decide to postpone California's October recall vote. US District Judge Jeremy Fogel heard from civil rights groups earlier today. They argued that the quick election is forcing changes in the voting process that require federal approval."

"The California Field Poll found 25% of registered voters opted for [Lt. Gov Cruz] Bustamante followed by 22% for Schwarzenegger... State Sen. Tom McClintock took 9%; Bill Simon won 8%; Peter Ueberroth received 5%; all three are Republicans. Columnist Arianna Huffington got 4%, and Green Party candidate Peter Camejo received 2%... Bustamante draws his strength from Democrats, winning 48% of them. Schwarzenegger takes 36% of registered Republicans, but he gives up 36% to his GOP challengers, Simon and McClintock. 'That's a problem for Schwarzenegger,' DiCamillo said. The conservative wing of the GOP has been grumbling that Schwarzenegger does not share many of their core values. The action star supports, for example, more gun control and abortion rights [and oral sex, infidelity, and sexual harassment]. Some Republican activists behind Schwarzenegger have been pushing Simon and McClintock to step aside -- but Simon and McClintock say they're in the race until the end." You GO, Cruz!

Bernard Weiner and Ernest Patridge write: "What seems to be occurring is that the rightwing forces controlling the Republican Party want TOTAL victory, and not just for the upcoming 2004 election. They want to control the direction of the United States, both foreign and domestic, for the foreseeable future, for decades to come. (In the past two-and-a-half years, the country has received only the first taste of their extremist agenda: unilateral foreign adventurism, 'pre-emptive' attacks on countries that are not imminent threats, the shredding of Constitutional guarantees of due process, the stealth moves to decimate and eliminate popular social programs, huge tax breaks going to the wealthy and corporations, polluters given free rein, etc. etc.) To fully implement their agenda, these extremists believe that they must thoroughly neutralize all those who might put up a fight -- not simply to defeat them politically, but rather to effectively DESTROY them."

Robert Scheer writes: "'Take him, he's yours.' That was my initial response to the California recall, aimed at a conservative Democratic governor who often has betrayed the state's large progressive base of voters -- the same folks who held their noses to elect and then reelect him. But now I don't buy it. However you feel about Gray Davis, the fact is, this recall has become a shell game, led and paid for by Republicans, that conveniently distracts from the alarming failures and frauds of the White House. That includes the Bush administration's blind eye to the energy sting that robbed the California government of a good chunk of its past budget surplus. The giddy media spectacle of porn stars and action heroes seeking to lead the world's sixth-largest economy should not divert us from the fact that the key black marks on Davis' resume -- the energy crisis and the budget shortfall -- were both messes created by deregulating, tax-cutting Republicans."

Max Blumenthal writes, "The cabal includes [Howard] Kaloogian, who was a right-wing backbencher in the state Assembly, Sal Russo, who handled banker Bill Simon's hapless 2002 gubernatorial campaign, and David Gilliard, a veteran GOP strategist with a career steeped in scandal. They're joined by former Enron pollster and Republican tactician [and 'Hardball'-funded] Frank Luntz, who devised a strategy for the recall campaign centering around negative character attacks and avoidance of policy discussion. With the surprise announcement of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger... the movie star's high-priced uber-consultants George Gorton and Don Sipple have grabbed the baton in the recall race, eager to take it the last mile to the state capitol. Thanks to this handful of men and the millionaires who bankrolled them, what started with a petition and a few phone calls has become an election that may unseat a twice-elected governor and dramatically affect the lives of one in seven Americans."

[This article had to be reposted because within HOURS of its going up on the site, it was attacked by Freepers, who posted obscenities. What more proof could there be that Schwartzenegger's candidacy is a well-orchestrated show put on by the right?] Cheryl Seal writes: "The Terminator is running because the White House WANTS him to run. Why? Because Arnold, like a great big red media bull's eye, will draw the public's fire from BUSH. In short, Arnold is being used as a decoy. Instead of hammering away at Bush as a Nazi, a buffoon, and phony, the public can turn these same sentiments, interchangeably, against Arnold (whose father was a Nazi storm trooper). At least that is what the Rove brigade hopes." Btw - Arnold says he's a moderate and not a bigot - so did Bush. We all know how much water those claims have held.

"The political tremors of the California recall threaten to extend nationwide -- all the way to the 2004 presidential race -- as Democratic leaders begin amassing forces to beat back what they're portraying as another Republican Florida-style coup at the ballot box. 'They did it to us in Florida, they're attempting to fool around in Texas. California is just another example,' Democratic Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe said in a telephone interview this week. 'Here we just had an election, and now a partisan right-wing Republican puts up several million -- and they're trying to undo it.' McAuliffe vowed that all nine Democratic presidential candidates, as well as 'President Clinton, Vice President Gore . . . anyone who is needed will be willing to assist' embattled Gov. Gray Davis in his attempt to retain his seat... 'People don't like the idea of this anti- democratic activity. They'll be very angry ... and you will see a massive mobilization either way in 2004.'" You GO, Terry!

Bill Maher writes, "Yes, in baseball when the team stinks, you fire the manager. But you don't fire him because it rains. And you don't let the opposing team choose a new manager for you. And you don't fire him between innings... Here's why the economy turned: The dot-com bubble burst. (Obviously on the orders of Gray Davis.) The airline industry collapsed. (Just as Gray Davis planned.) We fought two wars. (Playing right into Gray Davis' hands.) And Dick Cheney's friends at Enron 'gamed' the energy market and ripped off the state for billions. So you can see the problem: Gray Davis."