Leaving office, Davis seems at peace — or in denial

By Los Angeles Times

	Gray Davis
	E-mail this article Print this article Search archive

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After five years in office, Gray Davis leaves the Capitol today on an ignominious note, the only California governor ever recalled by voters. But far from being chastened, the 60-year-old Democrat has surprised longtime associates with a reaction that some characterize as deep denial of his fate.

He has hinted at a political comeback — sometimes in a joking fashion, at other times seriously — noting that his removal from office so early in his second term means he still could serve another term as governor, said people close to Davis, all speaking on condition of anonymity.

The humiliation he has suffered might have shamed other public figures into shunning the spotlight and slinking into oblivion.

Davis has prosecuted his final weeks with a high-profile flourish, winning praise from adversaries for his gracious dealings with the incoming governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and for his energetic response to the Southern California wildfires. With a touch of macabre humor, aides have referred to the final flurry of activity as the governor's "I'm Not Dead Yet Tour."

In part, Davis' reaction to his fate — a response that even some close aides consider slightly surreal — is driven by his personal analysis of the recall.

Davis has depicted his downfall not as a personal repudiation but as the result of a political storm set in motion by the California electricity crisis in 2001 and whipped into even greater intensity by a bad economy that has damaged the popularity of governors and mayors across the country.

"You know, this last election just wasn't in the cards," said Davis, calmly dissecting his defeat. "I don't think there's anything we could have done differently against the opponent we had, other than ... had a more aggressive communications strategy with voters. I think that would have led to a reservoir of goodwill that would have stood me in better stead once these external events happened."

Some Davis advisers say he should forget about a comeback.

He should "get over whatever kind of denial he might be in, accept some responsibility for what happened and realize his political career has run its course," one associate said.

But Republican consultant Dan Schnur said Davis could someday win a congressional seat in a heavily Democratic district, where angry loyalists might feel he had been unfairly deposed.

"Politics is what he's done his whole life," Schnur said. "I don't think he can just flip a switch and turn it off."

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company