McClintock: His intolerant social views — on public services for the poor, on gays and on abortion, as well as his draconian solutions to problems of illegal immigration and his opposition to banning assault weapons — are out of step with mainstream California.

Schwarzenegger: A moderate Republican who had a golden opportunity to bring people together, Schwarzenegger squandered that capital by spending most of his campaign ducking the direct and tough questioning that he would have to face as governor.

Bustamante: Bustamante brings to mind the man who was holding someone else's overcoat when the storm hit; luck and the ability to see the obvious opportunity have served him well....his grasp of economics has proved tenuous.

Peter Camejo: His simplistic tax-the-rich reform doesn't take into account that California already has one of the most progressive income tax systems in the country.

Arianna Huffington: Huffington, conservative-turned-libertarian/liberal-gadfly author and columnist, sparked necessary conversation about the need for fundamental, statewide reforms. Controversy over her own payment of taxes damaged the credibility of her campaign against greed.

The Times concludes:

If state voters are to throw out a governor less than one year into his term, the replacement should be demonstrably superior. This field of contenders offers no such person. Changing the governor in midstream would not address what really ails California state and local governments; the recall of Davis instead would invite more political chaos and economic uncertainty. Worse, the state and the nation could look forward to more recalls pushed by poor losers who simply didn't want to wait for the end of a four-year term. The vituperative, scorched-earth politics of partisan payback would be never ending....Recall might feel good, but it would cause the worst political hangover California has ever had.

Vote No on Recall and No on Prop. 54.