# Is recalling Schwarzenegger going too far? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 29, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548 "2003-09-29T20:51:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548/41 "2003-10-07T01:00:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SnoopyFan \* > \*\*As far as recalling Arnold, yes, it’s going too far. Why? Because they’re trying to recall him before he’s even been elected, much less had a chance to DO anything. Give the poor shmuck a chance. If he sucks, THEN recall him. \*\* There is a six month “cooling off” period after the election date (or was it the installation date?) in the state’s recall law. I don’t have a cite, I saw this on CNN when they interviewed Sec. of State Shelley last week. So who ever gets in, has at least a few months to prove him/herself. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548/42 "2003-10-07T01:48:41Z")
The “cooling off” period I believe only applies to Davis if he survives a recall. A recall attempt against any replacement governor could be mounted as soon as s/he takes office. Effectively, it would take the same amount of time. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548/43 "2003-10-07T02:29:57Z")
> [@](#): > > _quoth John Mace:_ > every governor since Reagan in 1968 has been the target of a recall effort > [@](#): > > _scotandrsn chimes in:_ > nearly every governor has been the subject of a recall effort Does any have a cite for this oft-repeated rumor? I think I’ve heard that claim in 20 threads in the last 2 weeks with no backup whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548/44 "2003-10-07T03:08:49Z")
The Secretary of State’s office reported it. This is from the LA Times March 26, 2003 > [@](#): > > A state official Tuesday approved the legal format of a petition to recall Gov. Gray Davis and set a Sept. 2 deadline for supporters to gather nearly 900,000 signatures to qualify their proposal for the ballot. > > By doing so, Secretary of State Kevin Shelley cleared the way for the 160-day signature drive to begin. > > The petition blames “poor schools, traffic jams, outrageous utility bills” and other troubles on “gross mismanagement” by the Democratic governor. It includes a Davis rebuttal dismissing the recall effort as a plot by “right-wing politicians” to overturn an election he won “fair and square” in November. > > Govs. Pete Wilson, George Deukmejian, Jerry Brown, Ronald Reagan and Pat Brown faced recall attempts, but proponents failed each time to gather enough signatures to get on the ballot. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548/45 "2003-10-07T04:24:50Z")
I’ll take that as a valid cite, **BobT** , however, your quote doesn’t show that the SoS said it, but that the LA Times said it. It’d still be nice to get a little backup so we all know this isn’t an urban legend. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548/46 "2003-10-07T04:30:18Z")
This is from the California Secretary of State’s website: > [@](#): > > Has a California Governor ever been recalled? > Since the people added the power of the initiative, referendum and recall to the California Constitution in 1911, there have been 31 previous attempts to recall California Governors. No previous attempt to recall a California Governor has reached the ballot. The Secretary of State does not state that Reagan himself was a particular target, there have not been 31 different governors of California since 1911 and it seems unlikely that one governor, especially one who was in office for 8 years, would never have been the subject of a recall attempt. [http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections\_recall\_faqs.htm](http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_recall_faqs.htm) ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548/47 "2003-10-07T16:35:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > \*\*This is from the California Secretary of State’s website: > > The Secretary of State does not state that Reagan himself was a particular target, there have not been 31 different governors of California since 1911 and it seems unlikely that one governor, especially one who was in office for 8 years, would never have been the subject of a recall attempt. > \*\* It does not say that 31 governors have survived recall attempts (there have only been 22-23 gubernatorial terms in the intervening time), but that there have been 31 attempts. Obviously someone was unpopular enough to merit more than one recall effort. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548/48 "2003-10-07T17:10:04Z")
Yes, and it would seem likely to me that the governors who were in office for 8 years would be the ones to have more recalls mounted against them. Pat and Jerry Brown both had their share of enemies while governor of California. So did Ronald Reagan. So did Earl Warren. A recall attempt in the past was usually nothing more than some crackpot who filed papers with the Secretary of State because they didn’t like the governor’s stance on one particular issue. My hunch is that Jerry Brown was the subject of the most attempts, followed by his father Pat. I’m sure that more than one person was ticked off about Jerry Brown’s handling of Prop 13. Davis is the 15th governor of California since the recall was approved in 1911. ---
**Author:** ![lostronin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a4c791/32.png) [@lostronin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lostronin)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548/49 "2003-10-07T17:44:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Ryan \* > \*\* It’s Gray, not Grey, and the next general election will be irrelevant to whether he keeps his job or not. Grey(out) was my intention! and on your second point, well, I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548/50 "2003-10-07T17:45:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > \*\*This is from the California Secretary of State’s website: > > The Secretary of State does not state that Reagan himself was a particular target, there have not been 31 different governors of California since 1911 and it seems unlikely that one governor, especially one who was in office for 8 years, would never have been the subject of a recall attempt. > > \*\* In further response to this, [MSNBC mentions today](http://www.msnbc.com/news/945950.asp): > [@](#): > > There have been 31 previous and failed attempts to force a recall vote in California, including three against former governor and future President Ronald Reagan. They don’t cite a source, although, being NBC, they probably reported on it when it happened and have it in their archives. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-recalling-schwarzenegger-going-too-far/204548.md?page=2)