Leaving public life - Davis reflects on recall campaign

LOS ANGELES -- In his final days as governor, Gray Davis hasn't looked like someone bounced from office in only the second gubernatorial recall in U.S. history.

As wildfires devastated Southern California, he muscled resources to battle the flames, and toured the charred region with President Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor-turned-politician who will replace him.

Now, as 30 years of public life are being carefully packed away, the adrenaline-charged days have given way to deep reflection.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press last week, the 60-year-old Davis appeared more relaxed than he did during much of his tenure and the grueling final days of the recall campaign. Still, he said, he feels a profound sorrow over surrendering the job he dreamed his entire life of attaining.

"It's not fun," Davis said, sitting in his Los Angeles office. "I was in Sacramento the other day and all my books were gone. It's just another reminder that you're moving on."

Davis recalled the sinking feeling he had when Schwarzenegger announced on "The Tonight Show" in August that he would run for governor -- a decision Davis believes virtually assured his ouster in the Oct. 7 recall election.

"These superstars are in the subconscious of all Americans -- we've seen these folks for years. And the only reason they're superstars is there's a reservoir of good will for them," Davis said. "I've beaten plenty of wealthy people, but they were just mere mortals. I had to take down a mega star."

Achievements, regrets

Davis ticked confidently through a list of accomplishments from his tenure as governor: Elementary and high school test scores have improved. More children have health insurance. Crime is down. Tough new environmental protections have been enacted. Gay and lesbian couples can now register as domestic partners. Abortion rights have been strengthened. Thousands of acres of urban parkland have been created.

"So I leave a California that in many ways is better off than I found it and, in some ways, not better off," Davis said. "I am proud of the former and wish I had more time to work on the latter. But instead of regretting for the rest of my life the chance to have three more years, I take joy and pride in the opportunity to have served for 30 years."

"The latter" is Davis' euphemism for the disasters and missteps that drove his poll ratings into the low 20 percent range and sparked the recall effort. They include the 2001 energy crisis, which caused rolling blackouts and steep increases in the price of power; the budget deficit, which ballooned to more than $38 billion; his aggressive campaign fund-raising from special interests and the rich; and his 2002 re-election campaign against Republican businessman Bill Simon, which was so negative it largely wiped Davis' accomplishments from voters' minds.

Energy price gouging

The energy crisis is Davis' greatest frustration -- a matter so confounding and complicated that he still feels the need to sketch a diagram to explain it, drawing lines and arrows to illustrate how California's effort at energy deregulation allowed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, rather than state officials, to set the price of power.

That paved the way for energy companies like Enron to gouge consumers, Davis said -- an accusation confirmed last year by federal investigators. California has since sued FERC for $8.9 billion to recoup some of the costs of the crisis; FERC has offered just $3 billion.

"I wish I'd figured out sooner that we were being scammed by the Enrons of the world," Davis said. "I wish the federal government had been more responsive to us. They stiffed us for a very long time and they still haven't given us a dime. I mentioned that last night to Arnold -- not one dime."

Davis mentions Schwarzenegger frequently, mostly praising the man who vowed to "terminate" him during the election.

"I think he's smart, capable and I wish him well," Davis said. "He's a decent person, he's got good instincts."

He wouldn't comment on his many differences with Schwarzenegger. "You're not going to get me to be critical of my successor in this interview," he said with a smile.

Davis said that after Schwarzenegger takes office Nov. 17, he and his wife Sharon will take a vacation -- a trip they have yet to plan. What comes after that isn't clear, but Davis said he wants to continue his commitment to improving schools.

Does his future include another run at public office? Davis wouldn't say.

"You never say never in this business," Davis said. "I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life. I'm not prepared to rule anything out -- and I'm not prepared to rule anything in, either."