There is no love lost for the recall on either side of the aisle.

Republicans are partly embarrassed, partly disgusted by what they see as an unelectable millionaire, State Rep. Darryl Issa, trying to buy his way into office.  Yes, certainly in their hearts, these Republicans love the idea of getting a democrat out and a Republican in – especially to have in place for the 2004 election, should they need a Jeb Bush-like hand in a closely contested election.  But for the most part, the party faithful are not happy.  To quote one Republican prominent in state politics:  “It’s all bull-(expletive).”

However, California Democrats are not taking this lying down.

For many in this west coast group of political reluctants – the party that would rather be listening to Bob Marley at the beach than talking about politics – the recall is the final straw on a list on intolerable, anti-democracy acts by the Republicans.

“After all that mess in Florida – where the courts decided the election – we didn’t try any recall,” said one Democratic activist at a recent meeting in Santa Monica.  “We had respect for the Constitution.”

“There’s no reason for it,” said another at a meeting in Torrance, California.  “He was just elected a few months ago, he hasn’t broken any laws.  They just don’t like they lost and are trying – as they always do now – to force their way into office.”

And the Democrats are coming with more than just fighting words.

The California Democratic party has formed a "SWAT team" that is on call 24-hours a day.  A phone number has been given out, and these “SWAT” members are standing by and ready to respond to any would-be signature gatherers by showing up, standing beside them, and repeatedly pointing out… well, what they think of them and their recall movement, to put it nicely.

This weekend I saw one in action, calling an elderly recall petitioner outside a grocery store "un-American", "anti-democracy", "unpatriotic"  The man was wearing a US Airforce hat he had earned from his 4 years on the Airforce, as he was quick to point out, expecting to use the 'I am military and Republican, so I am the true patriot' card.  Instead, he got, "You are a disgrace to the hat.  It should say USSR Airforce, or you should go join the Venezuela Airforce - some country that doesn't believe in free elections.  Too many good US Airforce people have died defending free elections for you to disgrace their name trying to overturn a free election.  If you don't believe in democracy and free elections, you can go live somewhere else - there are lots of places people can buy their way into office, you anti-American, undemocratic moron.”

I guess turn-about of rhetoric is fair play – the Republicans are getting a taste of their own flag-waving, “We’re the patriots, you’re the commies,” type badgering.

The RNC recently took a snipe at the angry, combative tone most of the Democratic Party’s presidential hopefuls have taken in their campaigning, saying, “They claimed they were the softball party, and we are the hardball party.”  The idea, I think, was the same as when they accused Al Gore of being an attack dog, and he responded by vowing not to attack – to play nice.

But things are different now.  First, it was Florida.  Then, the Texas redistricting fiasco. Now the recall.  And with the 2004 election looming on the horizon, the Democrats aren’t about to sit back and take any chances.

“The press acts as if the recall is inevitable, as if Arnold (Schwarzenegger) getting elected – that moron who has no qualifications and made his living on media violence – is inevitable, that Bush getting re-elected is inevitable, that the Republican majority growing and becoming a “permanent majority” is inevitable.  We finally realize that they are right – all of these things are inevitable, if we don’t get up off our asses, take the necessary actions, speak our side of things loudly and boldly, and contribute at least some money to our party and candidates.”

As proof of concept, this activist, who preferred to remain nameless, told what happened with the US Airforce hat-wearing elderly gentleman.

“I gave him a piece of my mind, told him I was going to make a call, be back with a couple friends to continue telling him what we think all day long.  By the time I got back from making the phone call, he, his table, and that damned petition were gone.”

“We’ve gotta speak up.  The Republicans feel like they get to say their piece and we will either stay silent or let them talk over us or use little, stupid one-liners to frustrate our arguments.  When we speak up rudely, hostily, and boldly, they cower and run like the little cry babies they are.”

I don’t know if that is true or not, but one thing is for sure:  the RNC needn't waste time trying to remind the California Democrats they are supposed to be the softball party, because it seems like full-contact hardball is going to be the order of the day.

Do you get the sense the 2004 election may become like a full year of the Florida recount atmosphere?