Davis and Bustamante get crusty over who is toast

Tensions couldn't be higher as the two-minute warning sounds in the recall game -- and true to form, the Democrats have reacted by breaking out in a locker-room fistfight.

In a nutshell: Gov. Gray Davis' folks say their polls show Democratic "fallback" candidate Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante is toast -- and will never overcome Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Worse, the Davis folks say Bustamante's continued presence in the race is drawing votes from the governor's bid to hold onto his job, by giving disaffected Democrats the "false hope" they will be able to replace Davis with another Democrat.
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The Davis camp says polls indicate that Bustamante has dropped so far in the public's eye that he might even come in third, behind both Schwarzenegger and Republican state Sen. Tom McClintock.

"And that would mean the end of Cruz ever running for another office," one Davis operative said.

Not to worry, Cruzer! Maybe your sister can get you a gig as a "performance artist".

But:

The Bustamante camp, on the other hand, says that if anyone is toast it's Davis, and that Bustamante is the only hope Democrats have of retaining the governor's chair.
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And the Davis camp's concerns that Bustamante might damage himself by staying in the race?

Ross had only two words: "How thoughtful."

They certainly are a warm bunch - always thinking of others!