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Davis, Fighting Recall, Is Ready to Stump Against 'Right Wing' At the same time, the state remains in a fiscal crisis, even though a tentative deal in the Senate could break the long budget impasse. Standard & Poor's, the bond-rating house, lowered the state's credit rating by three notches on Thursday, to a status near that of junk bonds. Since it became apparent about a month ago that the recall measure would qualify for the ballot, Mr. Davis's advisers and national Democratic figures have been meeting to devise a strategy for fighting it. Mr. Davis's predicament in some ways resembles the impeachment battle waged by President Clinton in 1998. In both cases, the men face Republican efforts to oust an elected chief executive. Some of the governor's arguments echo those Mr. Clinton and his aides used. Among the refrains heard from Mr. Davis and his surrogates is that the recall effort is a "right-wing coup" by Republicans to overturn an election. They also argue that the recall is diverting attention and money from the critical problems facing the state. Mr. Clinton and his allies made similar arguments in 1998. In fact, several of Mr. Davis's advisers worked in the Clinton White House, including Chris Lehane and Mark D. Fabiani. Democrats say that Mr. Davis has spoken several times with Mr. Clinton about how to design a message to persuade voters to retain him. Another key to the Davis strategy is to make certain that no credible Democrats put their names forward as alternate candidates in the case that Mr. Davis is recalled. Aides to Mr. Davis said that recent polls showed any Democrat who appears on the replacement part of the recall ballot would probably lose, because many of those who vote against a recall will not vote in any election for a successor. So far, the Democratic solidarity is holding, but recent statements opposing the recall by possible contenders like Senator Dianne Feinstein and Leon Panetta, a former California congressman who held key posts in the Clinton administration, did not completely shut the door to a run. Many around Mr. Davis worry that as the Aug. 9 filing deadline for candidates approaches, it may become apparent that Mr. Davis is going to lose. In that case, the only way to have a chance at retaining the governorship is to put another Democrat on the replacement ballot.
Mr. Davis will also receive a chorus of support from Democratic interest groups.The Naral Pro-Choice America today announced its opposition to the recall. Officials of the Sierra Club and California League of Conservation Voters are to hold an antirecall news conference on Monday. Davis aides are lining up gun-control groups, women's rights advocates, civil libertarians and others to produce a steady drumbeat of antirecall messages. Public employee, teacher, police and firefighter unions are also being enlisted.
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