WHEN "REPORTER" BECOMES AN EPITHET

Davis recall heats up; both sides are adding fuel to the fire (Phil Yost, June 01, 2003, San Jose Mercury News)

LIKE the weather in Sacramento, the attempt to recall Gov. Gray Davis is getting hot.

And the governor is starting to sweat.

With the unveiling of "Taxpayers Against the Recall,'' the initially quixotic attempt to unseat Davis achieved its first goal: It forced the governor to confront it.

The "Taxpayers'' are a pro-Davis coalition of a public safety union and a teachers union, joined by environmentalists and some religious leaders of a Democratic bent.

If you're thinking that these are not generally people who march under the banner of "taxpayers'' -- many being by profession tax-receivers -- you're right. The name is camouflage. [...]

Dan Terry, president of the California Professional Firefighters union and a leader of the anti-recall group says Davis is not directing its activities.

Said Republican political consultant Sal Russo, a recall leader: "If you believe that Gray Davis is not involved in this, then you should not be a reporter.''

Given how overwhelmingly Democratic CA has been voting, we'd not taken the recall effort seriously. Apparently Gray Davis is though. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 2, 2003 8:01 AM