Unable to live down his remark that immigrants shouldn’t be allowed to be governors, Gray Davis finally resigned today. He had been under pressure from Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate and in the California Senate.

At a campaign stop on Saturday, Davis told supporters that immigrants “shouldn’t be Governor” of California. The backlash from the state was immediate and intense, recalling similar statements by Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott regarding voting for a splinter Democrat for President. Republicans forced Senator Lott to resign his senate leadership position for having, in President Bush’s words, “recommended voting for a Democrat. That is offensive and wrong.”

Davis had argued that he should be “cut some slack” because he signed a law on Friday allowing illegal aliens to get driver‘s licenses. When a hispanic activist questioned how this would affect legal immigrants, Davis replied “legal, illegal, what’s the diff? A Mexican’s a Mexican.”

After the statement started to spread on Internet discussion groups, Davis attempted to clarify the gaffe. “I meant that people are people,” he said in a press conference on Sunday. Then he added in an aside, “but they still shouldn’t be allowed to run for governor.”

Organizations as varied as Planned Parenthood condemned the Governor. “There must be a wholesale rejection of any leader who does not affirm basic human and civil rights,” the reproductive rights organization said in a press release today. “Public servants who have ‘accepted’ Davis’s apology miss the depth and breadth of our nation’s shame.”

New York Senator Hillary Clinton said that after hearing Davis’s remarks, ”I could never vote for him.”

“I understand that Governor Davis has made an apology,” said House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, “and he can apologize all he wants. It doesn’t remove the sentiment that escaped his mouth that day.”

Pelosi added that she was satisfied with Davis’s resignation.