First published 2004 by M.E. Sharpe
Published 2015 by Routledge
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gerston, Larry N.
Recall!: Californias political earthquake/Larry Gerston and Terry Christensen.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7656-1456-1 (alk. paper) ISBN 0-7656-1457-X (pbk.: alk. paper)
1. GovernorsCaliforniaElectionCase studies. 2. ElectionsCaliforniaCase studies. 3. Political campaignsCaliforniaCase studies. 4. CaliforniaPolitics and government1951 5. Davis, Gray, 1942 I. Christensen, Terry. II. Title.
JK8793.G465 2004
324.9794054dc22
2004041663
ISBN 13: 9780765614575 (pbk)
ISBN 13: 9780765614568 (hbk)
Welcome to California. Youd better have your passport in hand, because this is a different place from just about anywhere else you might go. California is the land of innovation, fads, and extremes. Check out almost any value or concept in the other forty-nine states and you may find it testing the limits and forging new boundaries in California. What you see here today, you will find in the rest of the country tomorrow. The tax revolt, environmental movement, and even anti-spam legislation began in California. And it is in this volatile, changing, strained political environment where the recalla way for voters to yank elected officials from power at virtually a moments noticehas taken root and blossomed.
Recall! Californias Political Earthquake documents the latest chapter in Californias exotic history, explosive present, and unpredictable future. Carried out in a state that is known for make-believe, the events behind Recall! are the true story of a polity that almost crashed under the weight of its own problems, a governor unable to manage public expectations, a public that simultaneously demanded answers to expensive questions but wanted them at no financial cost, and a cast of adversaries primed to take advantage of unique political, economic, and social circumstances.
California is not the first state ever to suffer from deficits, power outages, and a decaying infrastructure. But California has a provision in its state constitution that allows the voters, for no particular reason, to remove from office any elected official, thus making it easy to exercise public will on a mere whim. That incredibly low threshold for change was tested in the recall effort against Governor Gray Davis on October 7, 2003. As a result, Californias direct democracy laboratory exceeded the wildest dreams of the reformers who brought the concept to the state nearly one hundred years ago.
Recall! Californias Political Earthquake is about more than the recall event, however. It casts this incredible moment in the context of the states political system, institutions, public officials, economic calamity, and celebrity. Only by understanding all these elements and more can one appreciate the public upheaval that defined the not-so-Golden State.
Was the recall good for California? Did the political bloodletting soothe the voters anxieties while putting the states remaining elected officials on notice? Read Recall! Californias Political Earthquake and decide for yourself.
We couldnt have produced this book within weeks of the October 2003 recall election without a lot of help. First and foremost, we must express appreciation to the journalists who covered the election for their hard work and insights in a challenging situation. They are widely cited throughout this book. More than a source, however, our conversations with them throughout the election helped us develop our own questions and analysis. Producers and colleagues at NBC11 in San Jose were particularly supportive, especially reporter Beth Willon, who followed the campaign on the front lines. Along with other journalists, academics, and elected officials, we also thank organizations like The Field Poll, the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), and the Los Angeles Times poll for helping us understand what the people of California were thinking and for making their survey results freely available.
Our students and community also played a part by inviting us to talk about the recall election while it was under way and to analyze it when it was over. Neither they nor we knew we were often rehearsing parts of this book. Peter J. Tessier, a City Year Americorps member and student at San Jose State University, assisted with research and reliably found what we needed when we needed it. Elisa Gerston helped us focus on the big picture by patiently dealing with technical issues in preparing the manuscript. Ray Allen enthusiastically supported this project from start to finish, despite the necessity of putting his life on hold to meet our deadline. Heartfelt thanks to Elisa and Ray.
Finally, we are grateful to the excellent team at M.E. Sharpe. Our editor, Niels Aaboe, had the foresight to take on this project, the faith in us to complete it on time, and the determination to pull us all together to meet a tight deadline. He greatly improved the book with his meticulous, knowledgeable, and insightful editing. We also wish to thank our copyeditor, Heidi Thaens, and Angela Piliouras, Managing Editor at M.E. Sharpe.
For all the help and support we had, we acknowledge full responsibility for the book itself and any errors in it. Weve done our best to tell the story of Californias political earthquake fairly and accurately and especially to put it in a historical and political context that makes it understandable. We loved doing thisand we love California and its constantly changing politics. So our final thank you must be to California and its people.
Larry N. Gerston
Terry Christensen
