Let me start by saying that I think voter recalls are a bad idea in general.

But if you do support the notion that the public ought to have the right to abruptly end a public official's term before the next regular election, the only way you can possibly justify that is based on the official's performance in office.

No one can dispute that Californians had a more-than-ample opportunity to judge Gray Davis' performance as governor. By contrast, no one yet has a clue how Schwarzenegger will perform.

Anyone supporting a "Recall Schwarzenegger" movement at this point reveals himself to be utterly unconcerned with how Schwarzenegger actually performs, and instead totally concerned with raw partisanship.

Sweet - keep digging that extremist hole.

I figured Kos would be for this Byron, but your smarter than this man.

Trying to recall Arnold right after he's easily elected in a landslide will be the DNC's death knell in California.

"I'll hand it to Republicans yesterday. They voted. Democrats didn't."

@&!*!??

Huh? Yesterdays turnout was near record highs for any recent general election, much less a special election? Everyone voted yesterday, GOP, Independents, and Democrats. Davis' problem was that Democrats and Independents voted also to dump him, along with the Republicans.

"But if you do support the notion that the public ought to have the right to abruptly end a public official's term before the next regular election, the only way you can possibly justify that is based on the official's performance in office." - Beldar

Umm, no. And I say that as one who thinks recalling Arnold is a bad idea. I "can possibly justify" removing a governor based on past malfeasance in or out of office, issues of character (Republicans talk a lot about character, don't they), ongoing improper financial ties, evidence of criminal behavior that comes to light after election, etc., etc. According to your argument, if a majority of Californians were to put Saddam Hussein in office as governor, then we should ignore his past behavior and give him a chance to ru[i]n the state for a while.

The problem in California is not the existence of recall, but the low threshold for invoking it (the lowest in the nation, per ABC News). That Republicans choose to employ it is the rawest hypocrisy. If the results weren't so atrocious, I'd find it amusing that the very Republicans who have so stridently inveighed against direct democracy over the years now seem intent on practicing it, as long as they can prevent their opponents from doing the same. I'm sorry that Pandora's box has been opened, but there are now plenty of reasons readily available to justify recalling any elected official, including Arnold. Welcome to the brave new world you've created.

If you're in California, please print, and then sign the Notice of Intention, so that we can recall Arnold FOR REAL!