Rescue California

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The hunt for recall signatures
ANTI-DAVIS CAMPAIGN ROLLING IN SAN DIEGO

June 17, 2003

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to stop and sign the recall petition. Piper's problem now is that so many voters tell him they have already signed that it is hitting a saturation point.

``It starts to become like pulling teeth after a while,'' he said. ``That's why I think we're getting close.''

Talk show boost

The recall campaign in San Diego has received a major boost from conservative talk radio hosts, who were early and eager backers of the idea.

``Talk radio has played an indispensable role,'' said Sal Russo, chief strategist for the Recall Gray Davis Committee. To make the case to voters, Russo enlisted two key talk radio hosts to appear in a recall ad that will begin airing today on 40 stations around the state. The radio ad, one of three set to run an average of 30 times a day for three days, features Melanie Morgan of San Francisco talk station KSFO-AM, and Roger Hedgecock, a former San Diego mayor who now has a huge talk-show following in the region.

Pro-recall enthusiasm

While Piper trolled for voters on Father's Day, scores of voters stopped by Stuart Grassman's pro-recall table a few miles away at the Del Mar Fairgrounds before heading into the county fair.

Deborah Boothe did a double-take when she saw Grassman and rushed over.

``I want to register to vote specifically to get rid of Gray Davis,'' she said. ``This is worth everything.''

Like many San Diego residents, Boothe is still fuming about the governor's indecision during the energy crisis, which hit this area especially hard. She concedes that she skipped the November election because she thought Davis was a guaranteed winner.

``But I've got to be able to say I was part of getting rid of Gray Davis,'' said the 55-year-old Oceanside mental health counselor. `He's destroying California.''

While the recall effort is being led by conservative Republicans, they aren't the only ones lining up in support.

At the fair, second-grade teacher and Green Party member Richard Castillo said he hopes his support for the recall will shake up the political system and send a message to both parties.

``I believe that Chicanos, Latinos have been victims of the Democrats, victims of the Republicans and I'm tired of it,'' said the 43-year-old father of five as he signed the recall petition. ``I don't know who would be better, but we need to take down the barriers.''

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact Dion Nissenbaum at dnissenbaum@ mercurynews.com or (916) 441-4603.

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