Michael Savage could be California's next Governor
[Update: There's been a few twists to this story that make some of my information blogged earlier today incorrect. Not only are some Democrats thinking about running, but the field of potential candidates is becoming ridiculous. The SF Chronicle reports that Arianna Huffington and Gary Condit are thinking about running, along with a couple of Greens. Uggabugga has some satire on the potential ballot.]

The talk show host who thinks that sodomites should "get AIDS and die" is pondering whether he should place himself on the recall ballot in California if their governor, Gray Davis, is recalled.

For those not familiar with the unique situation taking place in California, state Republicans have gathered up enough signatures to force a vote on whether or not to recall governor Gray Davis, a Democrat. Davis was reelected last year, despite opinion polls showing that most state residents aren't too fond of the man. But, as the nation (should have) learned with the Florida fiasco of 2000, Republicans don't believe that free, fair, and democratic elections are what we should use to choose public office holders, especially if they lose at the polls. Such is the case in California, where despite voters supporting Davis and electing him back into office, that's just not good enough for the Republicans. They want a do over.

Speaking strictly in terms of how the government of a republic should work, recall votes should be allowed, even if the other side is a bunch of whining crybabies. But in California, their recall elections have a horrible, undemocratic byproduct: the ballot has a list of candidates you can choose from to be the next governor. The Republicans, of course, will be throwing their names onto the ballot, but since the Democrats have closed rank around their governor, they will not run a candidate. This means that a far right-wing Republican candidate who, in a general election, wouldn't have a shot in hell at becoming governor, that kind of candidate could finish Davis' term if he is recalled.

That far-right candidate could be Michael Savage, who is putting together at platform and askig his listeners whether or not he should run. Or it could be Rep. Darrell Issa, whose millions have funded the recall drive, and he is the only candidate currently registereed to be on the recall ballot. Mr. Issa's views also lean very heavily to the right, so much so that he wouldn't stand a chance in a general election.

What the Republicans in California are attempting to do is nothing short of a coup. You want to launch an effort to recall the governor? Fine, you are allowed to do so, but attempting to place a candidate in office that the population of California would not have elected through a general election is undemocratic. The Republicans had their chance last year to get their candidate elected, and he lost the election.

California Republicans might claim that Davis won the election because he lied about the states budget problems and use that as a reason to recall him. Fine, if Davis has lied to the public then he should be subject to a recall vote. But if he is recalled, then his Lieutenant Governor should be in charge of the state until there is another general election.

The Republicans don't want this, though. They don't want to use this recall for democratic purposes that would be in the interests of California citizens, they want to use this recall election to place a far-right candidate in Sacramento. Is there really any question that the Republicans do not believe in a fair fight, and they will do anything, legal or otherwise, to gain power, even if it goes against the will of the majority?