Gov. Gray Davis, belying his reputation for aloofness, joins the New Directions Choir, composed of former homeless men, as they sing during the Governor's Summit on Homelessness in April.
Posted on 10/13/2002 8:07:49 AM PDT by runningbear
Gov. Gray Davis, belying his reputation for aloofness, joins the New Directions Choir, composed of former homeless men, as they sing during the Governor's Summit on Homelessness in April.
Sacramento Bee/Randy Pench
Season of Scrutiny: Gray Davis
He thinks his record should outshine fund-raising spotlight
By Dan Smith -- Bee Deputy Capitol Bureau Chief
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Sunday, October 13, 2002
To Lisa Kavanaugh, there's something about Gov. Gray Davis that isn't quite right.
She's a Democrat, and she'll probably vote to re-elect him Nov. 5, but largely because she thinks Republican Bill Simon's positions are unacceptable. She's "suspicious" of Davis and "probably couldn't name a specific thing he's done that I could point to and say, 'Yea, Gray!' "
"He's just such a vague sort of a person," said Kavanaugh, 37, who works for a state health care association. "I don't get a sense that he's really, truly interested in my needs as a citizen of the state. I don't pick up that he really, really cares."
Davis, of course, would disagree. He notes that he has spent virtually his entire adult life in public service and has sacrificed financially to the point that he lives in "a 1,000-square-foot condominium."
"I frequently don't wear my emotions on my sleeve," he said recently. "It doesn't mean I don't care. If I didn't care, I wouldn't put up with all the abuse I put up with."
But such sentiments about Davis endure -- in living rooms and college campuses, among close associates and strangers, among political enemies and even his own staff: For all his professed dedication to "problem-solving" moderation and nearly a quarter-century "moving up the chairs" to reach the top, the perception of Davis remains that of an aloof loner who sometimes flounders through critical public policy decisions, micromanages the smallest details of his governorship, and whose fixation on campaign cash perilously straddles the ethical line.
The fund raising, in particular, has dogged Davis throughout his re-election effort, with Simon alleging nearly two dozen instances in which Davis has traded governmental action for campaign cash.
But Davis has denied those charges and says he should be measured by his results as governor, and that he has has made "real progress" on key campaign promises on education, health care, the environment and crime. He said "we did the best we could" dealing with the state energy crisis last year.
Davis' supporters acknowledge his personality quirks -- controlling, perfectionist, temperamental -- but say he has mellowed with age and experience in the Governor's Office and has reached a level of trust with at least some of his advisers.
Gray Davis at a glance
Season of Scrutiny: Bill Simon
Bill Simon gives the thumbs up following a speech last month in Ontario. In college, according to a longtime friend, Simon "was always a guy with a smile on his face, looking forward to the next day."
Sacramento Bee/Randy Pench
Sacbee.com
Simon at a glance
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Such people are the most dangerous in political life. Everything about them is up for the highest bidder -- their beliefs (such as they have), and their administration. Davis is like Clinton (him) with the warmth removed. Clinton (him) of course possesses no real warmth, but he can fake it. Fortunately, Davis is unable even to fake it.
Congressman Billybob
Click for "Oedipus and the Democrats"
...to see what bad, bad things Davis has done... - CLICK HERE
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