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# Yogi recall: ‘The future ain’t what it used to be’
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/yogi-recall-the-future-aint-what-it-used-to-be/
- Published: 2003-10-09T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T01:05:41.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Pier, #archive-import

*By Ron Scott Smith*

■Well, at least the car registration’s going to stay at around $50 in this garage — if you don’t count the parking tickets. That’s one good thing, I guess, assuming that some poor kid’s school lunch isn’t about to be reduced to a plateful of ketchup with a hamburger nugget on the side. And how about one of those “fabulous jobs for everybody” landing in this garage too. You promised, sir.

Like the timeless Yankee sage, Yogi Berra said one long-ago lovely evening while visiting Southern California, “It gets late out here early.” ■It may have gotten later than you think earlier than you thought Tuesday evening as the numbers confirming the Schwarzenegger juggernaut came rolling in. The state has clearly fallen in behind the “businessman/actor,” as he was listed on the ballot, though many who punched that square would appear to be hard-pressed to say exactly what it is, politically, that they’ve fallen in behind. The voters, or maybe we should say the “fans,” gave the new leader a resounding victory while booting out the dreaded scourge of the west, the villainous ex-Governor Gray Davis, the source of everything gone Gray in the once Golden State. But as Yogi himself would be the first to tell you, you can’t fire the whole team, so the manager is the one who’s got to go when the fans get real good and pissed off. And folks, the fans “out here” are angry — if nothing else. ■Yet, one of the more striking numbers to come out of the exit polling was a 52\. That’s the percentage of voters/fans who said after casting their ballots that they didn’t think the recall was worth the expense or the effort. Now that wouldn’t appear to make a whole lot of sense, but like Chris Matthews said Tuesday night on his MSNBC “Hardball” show that was set up in front of the Santa Monica Pier, skaters gliding by behind him, “They’re a little wacky out here.” Hey, watch what you’re saying there, dude.

U.S. Congressman David Dreier (R- San Dimas), Arnold’s campaign manager, apparently agreed with the 52 percent, and immediately declared to the Hardball audience that he will save the “wackos” from themselves by introducing a measure to recall the recall process itself, citing the inherent flaws and disruptive effect this thing has had on the state. Well, thanks, Dave, now you tell us. “I’m ready — as a Californian — to move on,” he graciously revealed to us all. That he’s moving on with a pilfered governorship in his coat pocket is beside the point. ■And in his victory speech, Gov. Schwarzenegger (and that really doesn’t exactly roll off the keyboard) was quick to challenge the defeated opposition to rise with him to a new level of harmonious governance, as he asked, “Shall we fight amongst ourselves, create an even deeper division, and fail the people of California?” One must wonder what greater divisive political action has ever transpired in this state than the very recall madness that led him up to that victory podium to deride such divisiveness after the fact. ■The election turns out to have been the easy part. The new leadership may well be asking themselves, “now what?” as the task of reassembling a state which has been convincingly, and some would say, unfairly portrayed as wildly broken and dysfunctional, now falls squarely upon the ample and apparently affable shoulders of Arnold. And Sacramento may not have the welcome mat out just yet. State Sen. Pres. John Burton, leader of the entrenched progressive majority, before the confetti on the floor of the ballroom was even swept up Wednesday morning, said, “I think it will be difficult for him to understand that this is not the movies, this is real life, and that he’s not the Terminator.” Uh oh.

Seeing the new governor surrounded by all kinds of Kennedys and Shrivers up on that victory stage Tuesday night was revelatory. Whether it revealed that the new Republican wave has swept up the old New England liberals or that the old New England liberals are guiding the new Republican wave, is anybody’s guess. Are Bobby and JFK rolling over in their graves or is President Bush the one beginning to squirm, as Arnold has already put out the call for him to come forward with much-needed, and much neglected, federal assistance? This whole exercise may turn out to be an “October Surprise” for all the right-wing ideologues who unabashedly jumped on the bandwagon after shunning their true standard-bearer, Tom McClintock. You might soon be hearing some blood-curdling screams in the night. “Oh my God, what is it? Don’t touch it. It could be … is it... liberal?"

Probably not, but hey, we’ve handed him the ball and it’s game time. Batter up. Give the new guy a chance to show us what he’s got. Like old Yogi said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” (Ron Scott Smith, one of those wacko liberals,).

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 9, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/100903.pdf?ref=smdp.com)