# California Democrats: It's best not to broadcast your cynical machinations. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 23, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379 "2003-07-23T14:54:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/41 "2003-07-24T19:22:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BMalion \* > \*\*Somebody help me out… > What’s this “Major league @sshole” quote of Bush’s that is being refered to? \*\* During a campaign stop for the 2000 election, Bush was up on stage with Cheney and other assorted Republicans. Bush leaned over to Cheney, pointed to the audience, and said “there’s Adam Clymer, that major-league asshole from the New York Times.” To which Cheney replied: “Oh yeah, big time.” What they didn’t realize was that there was an open mike going to the sound booth at the time, so their comments were recorded. Hilarity ensued. Adam Clymer, BTW, is a New York Times reporter who had written some negative articles about Bush’s campaign. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/42 "2003-07-24T19:30:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > \*\*How blissfully unaware of US politics would one have to be not to know that? \*\* ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/43 "2003-07-24T19:32:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > \*\*How blissfully unaware of US politics would one have to be not to know that? \*\* Especially since I’m from California. On a more serious note, would Davis be allowed to put his name on the ballot? Or is he prohibited from running for his own postion? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/44 "2003-07-24T21:55:39Z")
Interesting question. The ballot will consist of two issues: 1. Do you want to recall Gray Davis? If this measure doesn’t pass Davis retains his job, and the second issue is moot. 2. Who should be governor? Assuming the first issue passes, the top vote getter wins. No runoff, no primary, no need for a majority, just a plurality. But note that in order to retain Davis on the first issue you’d need 50%+1 voters. But suppose Davis could also run on issue 2. Then he could win governorship, even if a minority supported him, as long as the opposition was split. I mean, if 20 people are on the ballot, Davis could win with 5%+1 of the vote! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/45 "2003-07-24T22:58:13Z")
"But note that in order to retain Davis on the first issue you’d need 50%+1 voters. " Wouldn’t it just be 50%? In the event of a tie, wouldn’t Davis stay? ---
**Author:** ![Jerrybear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/46 "2003-07-24T23:33:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > \*\* > Yeah, that WOULD be an interesting contest. Nowadays, the Republicans just blame everything on the Democrats, and the Democrats just blame everything on the Republicans. And the Green party blames everything on both of them, the Reform part is blaming everything on each other, and the Libertarians blame government in general. > > Maybe we should just lump everyone into the Blamist party. \*\* You forgot about the Democrats blaming the Greens for everything, or at least for taking away too many votes from Democrat candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/47 "2003-07-24T23:59:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xenophon41 \* > \*\ ***Elvis** : “Gr **e** y” vs. “Gr **a** y” \*\* Actually, the correct spelling of his first name is “Asshole.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/48 "2003-07-25T00:12:37Z")
His name is “Nixon Grey”? ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/49 "2003-07-25T00:38:33Z")
Ballistic: Grey vs Gray ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/50 "2003-07-25T00:50:11Z")
> [@](#): > > You forgot about the Democrats blaming the Greens for everything, or at least for taking away too many votes from Democrat candidates. No fair! If the Democrats get to blame two parties, then the Republicans do, too! Actually, the Republicans should be allowed to blame THREE opposing parties, since everything is the fault of Democrats, anyway… ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/51 "2003-07-25T07:39:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Ryan \* > On a more serious note, would Davis be allowed to put his name on the ballot? Or is he prohibited from running for his own postion? He’s prohibited from the second part of the ballot, the “If Davis is recalled, who should replace him?” part. If he survives the first part (the “Should the governor be recalled?”), then the second part is moot. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379/52 "2003-07-25T17:24:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Ryan \* > \*\*"But note that in order to retain Davis on the first issue you’d need 50%+1 voters. " Wouldn’t it just be 50%? In the event of a tie, wouldn’t Davis stay? \*\* I think you’re right, the RECALL would need 50%+1 votes to succeed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-democrats-its-best-not-to-broadcast-your-cynical-machinations/190379.md?page=2)