Now, just as he is emerging as one of the nation's most prominent Democratic leaders, Davis is caught in a political riptide jeopardizing his career. The lights in the nation's richest and most populous state are barely on. Its biggest utility companies are broke and buried in debt. The Internet giants of Silicon Valley are nervous.
Consumer groups are livid.
Even Democratic lawmakers are questioning some of the governor's moves. And President Bush, whose campaign flopped here last fall, has no plans to come to the state's rescue. There is no easy escape from California's energy meltdown and little time to resolve the crisis before it gets worse. Next, he has to find a way to keep utilities that have more than 25 million customers solvent. We are going to solve this problem.