Some post-recall thoughts

1. Good luck, Governor-elect Schwarzenegger; you're going to need it. I'd really like to see him succeed -- and I can't see bringing more socially moderate and inclusive Republicans into that party as a bad thing at all.

2. Davis and Arnold both gave extremely gracious speeches. Maybe Davis will find some safe House seat to run for in a few years or something. He's going to have the same sort of martyr status among true believer Democrats Al Gore now enjoys.

3. I have a grudging respect for Tom McClintock for sticking by his guns and essentially saying, "Dammit, the people deserve the chance to vote for an authentic conservative and I'm not dropping out for a movie star."

4. I finally figured out what bugs me so much about Bustamante's speaking style. He sounds just like a fresh-out-of-the-seminary priest giving a homily at a First Friday Mass for fifth-graders.

5. I don't think this is a big Republican victory; I think this is more about free-floating, anti-status-quo anger on the part of voters.

6. With 96.4% of the vote in, more people voted for Schwarzenegger than "No" on the recall -- in other words, Schwarzenegger essentially won the head-to-head race against Davis.

7. Democracy is fun.