California Governor Race: will the gloryhounds please shut up?

In the article about the splintered and divisive Democrats, one thing is obvious: many of the supposed Democrats who want to run against Schwartzenegger are doing so to get cheap publicity.

It's not very amusing to see Gary Coleman, Don Novello (a.k.a. "Father Guido Sarducci") and Larry Flynt playing politician. Maybe it's because I've been around for a few elections, and I remember the TV variety shows of the 1960's. Every lame, stuck-for-a-joke comedian from Pat Paulsen to Jackie Mason did the "running for President" schtick. I got burned out on that bit REALLY fast.

I got burned out because, as it became obvious, only one of the comedians was using the "running for President" act as anything more than a place to hang some tired old jokes. And the only satirist of the bunch, Pat Paulsen, ran for President in an attempt to discredit the entire political process. He was cynical about the entire electoral process, especially the possibility that the Democrats would put up an honest challenge against Nixon. Unfortunately, Paulsen ran the joke into the ground, and at the end of his career it seemed to be the only joke he had left.

I'm convinced that Schwartzenegger will win because these phony candidates are playing Pat Paulsen. While Coleman may be getting attention (that he wasn't as an out-of-work actor) the real problems in the state will be ignored in the election. If he, Novello, and the other gloryhounds would simply bow out of the race NOW, then this recall and election might be taken seriously.

On the other hand, if the phonies insist on staying in the race, and if (as I fear) Mr. Nude Photo becomes Governor, I hope that every person on DU will write angry letters to Coleman, Novello, and the many other tinseltown trollops expressing anger at their mucking around with a serious election. And since they're in the entertainmen business, and they consider this a big joke, it would be cool for the more daring of us to hit them with pies (like Nader) and give us all a big laugh. Especially at moments when they hope to be serious - like Coleman in bankruptcy court, Novello at a friend's wedding, et cetera.

Getting all bent out of shape at those who choose to exercise their rights under the constitution, whether the US or California document seems a bit odd. Regardless of the motives of the hundreds who stampede to place their names on this ballot it is the process at work.

Blaming Coleman or Novello, especially in advance of the actual voting and conceding the election to Schwartzenegger is downright silly........sort of like blaming the 2.74% of those who voted for marking their ballot for Nader, as is their constitutional right, for Gores exerable campaign and his turning what should have been a rout into a close enough to steal election.......

Democracy sure is a messy and noisy process and, as a wise man once said, its the worst of all possible systems.....except for all the others. So, rather than bemoan, this far before the fact, reasons for defeat, try working for the victory.