ONLY IN KAL-I-FORNIA

Linda Goldston and Lori Aratani, Mercury News, report:

For all the jokes on late-night TV, the circus atmosphere and more than enough candidates to elect governors in all 50 states, California's multimillion-dollar recall drama Tuesday ended like any election -- with a winner.

Except this time the victor was a world-famous movie star.

And Arnold Schwarzenegger threw himself a party like no other.

Members of the staunchly Democratic Shriver family -- including Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of President Kennedy -- shared the stage and celebrated the election of a Republican. Jay Leno, host of ``The Tonight Show,'' introduced the winner.

Just two months ago, it was on ``The Tonight Show'' that the actor formerly best known for such action movies as ``Total Recall'' and ``Terminator'' announced he wanted to be governor.

``The critics said, `Well, Arnold can't be an administrator; he's an actor,' '' Leno said. `` `Arnold can't be a governor, he's an actor.' This is an historic night. Apparently we've all been wrong: It is pronounced Kal-i-fornia.''

Schwarzenegger wasn't the first actor to become governor of California -- Ronald Reagan won that title in 1966. But Schwarzenegger is the first actor to replace a governor in a recall election. And for that, he is guaranteed his place in history.

``Turnout was higher than it's been in 25 years,'' said Barbara O'Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at California State University-Sacramento. ``Voters are really angry with politicians. They don't think their politicians are representing them well and Gray Davis became the poster boy for that.''

Some of the candidates had been famous, some were infamous and some were known only to their families and friends. But only Schwarzenegger apparently had the star power to win.

``I think he has the ability to lead the state into a better future,'' said Christina E. Quaglieri, 29, a lawyer in Sacramento who volunteered in Schwarzenegger's campaign and spent election night at a Schwarzenegger for Governor office just blocks from the state Capitol.

``He is a wonderful team with his wife, Maria Shriver. She is a wonderful balance.''

Schwarzenegger was definitely the talk of Los Angeles on Election Day.

Polls had barely opened when people started saying ``Governor Schwarzenegger'' and speculating about what his first official act in office might be.

``He should terminate them all,'' said Sally Mayes, as she sipped coffee at the Coffee Bean on Main Street in Santa Monica. ``He's going to shake things up.''

Tyson Reasby, who was minding the counter at Muscleman International, a body-building and fitness store where Schwarzenegger's picture is proudly displayed by the counter, said if the movie star does a good job, it will teach Californians that they really can't judge a book by its cover -- or a politician by his movie roles.

``But if he messes up, it'll teach them to be more careful about who they vote for in the future.''

As the Schwarzenegger victory became obvious Tuesday night, about 1,000 supporters and 500 members of the media flocked to the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles -- the same hotel where Reagan celebrated his victory in the 1980 presidential race.

For weeks, analysts and registrars said no one knew what to expect Tuesday as voters decided whether they wanted the state to become only the second in the nation to recall a governor.

Sure, there were problems at some polls, but the historic vote was not the catastrophe some had feared.

And in the end, it certainly wasn't the story. The winner was.

Some voters lined up early at neighborhood polls, and others rushed to make the 8 p.m. deadline to have their votes count.

``I've tried to vote because I vote in this precinct, but I haven't had a chance,'' Karen Shivey, 61, a poll worker at the Skyline Health Care Center in central San Jose, said early Tuesday. ``It's been that busy. Ninety-five in one-half hour. You can't leave your post.''

David Mewes, 43, voted at Skyline and was amazed it was ``the first time I've waited in line to vote in 20 years.''

The major candidates took no chances, voting early in the day, with dozens of reporters and television cameras recording their every move.

For campaigns mired in name-calling and accusations of everything from selling out to sexually harassing, some of the candidates ended up putting their faith in God's hands.

Porn star Mary ``Mary Carey'' Cook went to church Tuesday -- to vote.

One of 135 replacement candidates on the ballot, Carey cast her ballot against the recall at the First United Methodist Church in North Hollywood and said that she hadn't been to church for a while. She tried to dress for the setting: She wore a tight pink halter top and short skirt -- to make herself ``look innocent,'' she said.

Gov. Davis and his wife, Sharon, voted at their polling place on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood -- not long after one of the 135 governor wannabes, Hustler publisher Larry Flynt, voted at the same place. Flynt, who voted in a gold wheelchair, said the recall is ``bad for democracy.''

Davis voted in the morning and then attended afternoon Mass. He said he offered a prayer to St. Jude, the patron saint of lost causes.

Schwarzenegger and his wife voted just before 9 a.m. in the garage of a Pacific Palisades mansion near their home. They strolled in hand-in-hand and were immediately greeted by the call of one voter, ``Hello, governor.''

The actor-turned-politician said he had no trouble finding his name on the ballot: It was one of the longest names.

The rest is ``up to God now,'' he said.

Mercury News Staff Writer Mary Anne Ostrom and Mercury News wire services contributed to this report.

Posted by glenn at October 8, 2003 03:54 PM | TrackBack