Whoa! Good bud, man!

Democrats Spin Out of Control: Their reading of the California recall leaves Republicans hooting:

To hear Democrats tell it, the voters who overwhelmingly chose to recall California Gov. Gray Davis on Tuesday were sending a strong and unmistakable warning — to George W. Bush.

In California, Washington, and across the country Wednesday, Democrats struggled to portray the recall of Davis as the result of voter anger against the president, and not as a repudiation of a particularly unpopular Democratic governor.

"I think the message from California is a message to President Bush: Stop your reckless economic policies," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

"It's clearly not good news for George Bush," Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe said Tuesday night. "I'm telling you, the message across this country is that [people] have had it with George Bush's economic plans...George Bush should be very nervous."

"The voters in California directed their frustration with the country's direction on their incumbent governor," added Democratic presidential frontrunner Howard Dean. "Come next November, the anger might be directed at a different incumbent — in the White House."

Hmm, interesting variation on "It's all George Bush's fault." Now he's responsible for an asshat like Gray Davis being recalled.

But wait, that's not the story I remember!

The post-election Democratic interpretation of the recall stands in stark contrast to the pre-election Democratic interpretation of the recall. Just a few days ago, Democrats portrayed the recall as part of a right-wing plan to seize power in California and elsewhere around the nation.

In his speech to the state on August 19, Davis described the recall as a "right-wing power grab." That characterization was echoed by former president Bill Clinton and other high-profile Democrats who visited the state to campaign on Davis's behalf.

Now, however, what was once a "right wing power grab" has become a stern warning for President Bush.

Well, we could combine the spin. How about it was a reckless message of a right wing anger grab? Somehow that doesn't trip off the tongue.

But here's an interesting note from the editors of the Long Beach Telegram - Voters' real target: Legislators: Beware, because Gray Davis wasn't the only miscreant:

Democratic Senate President Pro Tem John Burton's assessment of California's recall election was that an unlucky Gray Davis just happened to get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not our fault, in other words.

Assuming he believes what he says, it is astonishing that even a Sacramento politician could so completely have his head on backward. The Legislature was in fact the main target of voters, more so even than the isolated, distrusted and now dismissed Gov. Davis.

As abysmally low were the governor's poll ratings, the Legislature's were worse. At one point, Davis' approval ratings dropped to 20 percent, or about where Richard Nixon ranked at the time of his resignation during the Watergate scandals. Just below Davis were members of the Legislature.

Ain't that the pits!