KMAX: News of the West

Davis rallies abortion rights supporters to battle recall

By BETH FOUHY
Associated Press Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Gov. Gray Davis is working to shore up one of his most loyal constituencies as he faces the Oct. 7 recall by reaffirming his commitment to reproductive choice and inviting support from high-profile abortion rights activists.

Appearing at the Women's Building in this city's heavily Hispanic Mission district, the governor announced Wednesday that he will sign five legislative bills aimed at providing sex education to teenagers and boosting access to emergency contraception.

``In my first inaugural address, in January of 1999, I said to those who would deny a woman's right to choose, don't waste the Legislature's time because it will not happen on my watch. And I have kept that promise,'' Davis said to wild applause and cheers.

The event was cast as official business and Davis steered away questions about the recall, saying he was focusing on legislative goals.

``There's lots of people who want to be governor, but I am governor,'' Davis said. ``I'm doing the job I was elected to do.''

Still, his visit here had the flavor of a full-blown campaign stop, with cheering supporters and the multiracial group of well-known women activists arrayed behind Davis denouncing the effort to oust him from office.

``Make no mistake about it there is a direct line from the anti-choice movement's stealth strategy to undermine Roe vs. Wade and the way it set up this recall election,'' said Kate Michelman, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. ``They can't make government interfere in our personal decisions unless they grab control of government.''

For months, Davis supporters have characterized the recall effort as a plot by Republicans to force a conservative agenda on California voters, but the strategy may have derailed a bit with the high-profile entrance of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the race. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has called himself ``very liberal'' on a range of social issues, including abortion rights.

``I believe that view represents not necessarily Republican activists, but is the majority view in California,'' said Republican Rep. David Dreier, who is supporting Schwarzenegger. ``I don't believe Arnold Schwarzenegger's views on the abortion issue are outside the views of the mainstream soccer mom Republicans in this state.''

Two of the other leading Republicans in the field state Sen. Tom McClintock and businessman Bill Simon, the 2002 Republican nominee for governor oppose abortion rights.

But Carole Migden, chairwoman of the state Board of Equalization, called Davis a ``steadfast supporter'' of women and said his five-year record as governor outweighed promises made by untested opponents.

``We've got a governor who is doing the job, and we think quite ably,'' Migden said. ``Arnold's thin on ideas, great on dramatics. When we wake up from this intoxicating stretch here, we're going to want someone who is surefire and stable.''

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