RECALL NOTEBOOK

Davis Takes a Gubernatorial Stance

Whether it was political positioning for the recall election or just all in a day’s work, Gov. Gray Davis made a point Saturday of portraying himself as gubernatorial. A news release by his press office trumpeted, “Governor Davis Signs First-in-Nation Ban on Harmful Chemicals Affecting Californians.”

The legislation, Assembly Bill 302 by Assemblywoman Wilma Chan (D-Alameda), prohibits the sale, use and manufacture of certain chemicals, called polybrominated diphenyl ethers, that are used as flame retardants.

“Once again,” Davis was quoted as saying in the release, “California is at the forefront of progressive legislation.”

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Garamendi Did It for Art’s Sake?

When Democratic Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi dropped out of the race Saturday, labor leader Art Pulaski wasted little time in claiming a measure of credit.

“Over the last 24 hours, I have had several thoughtful conversations with John,” said a statement released by Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. “Today John deferred his dreams for the sake of a principle.... It was a selfless act.”

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McClintock Takes On Schwarzenegger

He’s no cyborg, he hasn’t mastered time travel and whatever he’s packing in the way of biceps and pectorals has remained sneakily cloaked under his business suit, but none of that stopped state Sen. Tom McClintock from marching right up Saturday and tugging on Superman’s cape.

McClintock, the Thousand Oaks Republican who was the state’s top GOP vote-getter last year despite losing his race for controller, dismissed actor Arnold Schwarzenegger as a political lightweight and said he looks forward to debating him.

“There’s no question that Arnold Schwarzenegger is known by all, as far as his movies are concerned. He’s not well known by any of us as to what his politics actually are,” McClintock said. “I’m sure that he can teach me a great deal about moviemaking, and I can teach him a great deal about the fiscal reform this state needs.”

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Schwarzenegger’s Wild Youth Uncovered

A television reporter asked Schwarzenegger spokesman Sean Walsh Saturday what the campaign would do about pictures on the Drudge Report Web site showing “Arnold as a young man between two unclothed breasts.”

Walsh responded: “Well, the truth of the matter is, I think the public really, really likes Arnold Schwarzenegger because they identify with him. They see California is a state of immigrants, more so than any other state in the country.... “

The reporter interrupted: “But most people don’t have their heads between two breasts.”

Californians, Walsh continued, “identify with the fact that he has always pushed the envelope and gone forward with nonconventional ideas.”

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Bustamante Proposes Car Tax Hike Alternative

As the most prominent Democrat on the recall ballot, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante is walking a tricky line: He opposes removing Davis from office, he has said, but wants to give Democratic voters an option if Davis loses. But his professed support for the governor did not prevent Bustamante on Friday from proposing a seemingly voter-friendly tax cut that would reverse a Davis policy.

Bustamante proposed a tax swap that would roll back the recent increase in the vehicle license fee and replace that revenue with higher taxes on alcohol, tobacco and the wealthy.