"this recall is going nowhere"

From this:

Darrell Issa, a Republican congressman trying to become California's next governor by financing a recall campaign against Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, on Saturday suggested the GOP unite by nominating a single candidate to seek the governorship and by focusing on the state's $38.2 billion budget shortfall instead of rigid ideology...

Before a recall election can be held, supporters must submit to the state nearly 900,000 valid signatures of voter support by September.

Issa, whose $800,000 in contributions has fueled pro-recall group Rescue California, told the audience that more than 700,000 signatures already have been collected. Less than half that had been submitted to elections officials as of last week...

Told Friday about the wine country retreat, Davis' message to Issa was, "Have a good time. But this recall is going nowhere..."

In his remarks, Issa suggested state party leaders hold a convention to narrow what could be a large field of GOP contenders that might include actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, state Sen. Tom McClintock of Simi Valley, last year's GOP gubernatorial nominee, Bill Simon, and former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan [and Issa himself]...

Asked by reporters to be more specific, [President Bush's point man in California, businessman Gerald Parsky] said, "A Republican governor in California would be helpful. A Democratic governor is not helpful. Whether that Democratic governor is Gray Davis or another Democrat, that's not helpful."

And, from this:

Davis says the movement is being pushed by a bunch of losers.

He says he won the governor's race last November fair and square.

California · Sun, 06/15/2003 - 09:08 · · Importance: 1