California's powerful prison guards' union, which has warred with the state over its contract for years, is taking a " very hard look" at the idea of filing a petition to recall Gov. Schwarzenegger, a spokesman tells the San Francisco Chronicle. If the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn. were to pursue the idea seriously, they'd likely get it on the ballot. The union has the power to pay signature gatherers. Whether this is a smart political move would be debatable.

There would be reason for Schwarzenegger to worry. He's unpopular with state voters, and the ongoing budget stalemate won't help his ratings. He's been on the wrong side of any number of interest groups who might love to exact some revenge And Schwarzenegger's celebrity -- a major factor in his winning election in the 2003 recall -- could draw support for a recall from folks who simply want attention. Recall the governor who won in a recall. It's irresistible.

I suspect that a recall vote, however, might be a gift to Schwarzenegger. Unlike Davis, who tried to ignore the recall, then fought it as illegitimate, Schwarzenegger likely would welcome such a recall vote publicly. He would say that the right of the recall is a treasured right, and if the people don't like him, they should vote him down. Then he'd go to work on the prison guards, who would make a fairly easy target, given the sad state of California's prisons. (They're effectively run by the federal courts). Schwarzenegger has struggled to focus the public's attention on interest groups that he's battling in Sacramento; a recall might give him an opportunity. And by surviving a recall, he could revive his fortunes. That's the history of recall votes in California. Most notably, then-San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein easily turned back a recall vote and gained political momentum that led to a near-miss gubernatorial campaign and eventually a seat in the U.S. Senate. A recall might give the governor a new lease on life.