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AMERICAN MORNING
Interview With Arnold Schwarzenegger
Aired August 8, 2003 - 07:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: He is officially the running man, and he's causing quite a stir on the California political scene. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger joins us now to talk about his entry to the race for governor in the Golden State.
Arnold, thank you very much for coming out, and we really do appreciate you getting up. We know it's very early out there, and you've been very busy, and I really appreciate that. And on behalf of the network, we want to thank you for coming in and talking with us now.
But we have to start off with why you decided to do this and why now? Tell us about the timing.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Well, first of all, good morning, Leon. It's wonderful to be on your show and to talk to you. It is early in the morning. It's like not even 5:00 in the morning for me, but that doesn't matter. I love to communicate and to talk about this race, so this is why I love to be here and talk to you.
First of all, I think this is a great opportunity here. You know, as I have always said, that great crises and great opportunities to have great solutions, since this is what this is about. I think that everyone in California is very upset about what's going on here with our economy -- people losing jobs, a budget deficit, about our schools and all of those kinds of things. The whole political system really has to be done over again.
So, I think this is a good time to come in and say, you know, that people want to have a recall -- 1.6 million people have signed the ballot, the initiative to recall Gray Davis. And what they're basically saying is we are mad as hell, and we won't take it anymore. And this is what basically people are saying out there, and so I want to go in and create leadership and solve some of those problems.
HARRIS: Well, candidate Schwarzenegger, tell us what you plan on doing, because, you know there are lots of people out there right now -- pundits and citizens as well -- who are saying, you know, wait a second. We know the guy is very good in movies and he's a great person. However, what does he know about water policy? What does he know about air pollution? What does he know about all of the other issues that really affect and concern Californians besides the budget and the schools?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, first of all, as you know, that Gray Davis has sold himself as being the man of experience. For the last two elections, he has said he has experience that you cannot buy. Look at what happened with all of this experience. Look at what happened to California. He has taken over a state that was in fantastic shape -- $9 billion surplus. Now, we have a $38 billion deficit. I mean, it's disastrous. More businesses are leaving California than ever before. People are leaving California. I mean, we have to do something. We have to put a stop to this.
It's not the experience. It is leadership that counts. It is bringing people together, uniting them -- the Democrats and the Republicans alike -- bringing them together, creating a really positive business environment so that businesses come back again to California, so you increase the revenues, so you can afford all of those programs that we have, which are some of the great programs and not have to increase the taxes and all of that.
And the children, I mean, this is one of the things that we'll do immediately. I am, as you know, for many years involved in children's issues. For 10 ten years I've been promoting after-school programs and education for our youngsters. It is very important to know that the children should have the first call to our state's treasury. We have to take care of our kids. They're the greatest resource that we have. They're the future of this state. We need to build more schools and have more teachers.
And then we have to, of course, go after this political system up here. It just doesn't work. I mean, Leon, we have a disastrous situation. It should be public's interest first. What they have is self-interest and special interest first. We have to change all of that around.
It is terrible, because the government was set up to represent the people, not special interests. And you know me, I don't have to, you know, do anything for special interests because I need the money. I have my money myself. I am rich enough that I don't have to take anyone's money. I can go to Sacramento and I make decisions that are the wisest decisions for the people and not what is best for the special interests.
HARRIS: But, you know something, Arnold? It seems to me that, you know, the way this whole recall is being set up, the recall and then the selection of the next governor, might actually cause you some problems here. If you're going to be harking on your leadership skills as opposed to your experience here, what happens if you did go to Sacramento, if you did win this, and you did so with maybe 8 percent of the vote? How would you necessarily then have the legitimacy and, I guess, the mandate to go in here and force change?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, first of all, you know, people have said many times to me this can't be done, you don't have the qualifications and all of those kind of things. I have been the chairman of the President's Council on Fitness. I've been the chairman of the after- school programs of the inner city games, and I led the initiative Proposition 49, where people said you have no experience about that, don't do it, and we won by 57 percent of the votes.
I mean, don't, you know, get fooled. The people are very smart. They know who is sincere, who is honest, who is a strong character and who can go up there and change things, and they know that I could be the man. And I want to ask them for their vote, because I know I can clean house up there and say "asta la vista" to Gray Davis.
HARRIS: Let me ask you this question, because is another one that really struck me. I'm wondering how you've prepared yourself for what's going to happen now. Now, that you're in -- your personal life, a lot of things that are going on in the personal lives of people around you are now suddenly going to be fair game. A lot of people -- and everyone knows about your connection with the Kennedy clan, here you are a Republican affiliated with the Democratic Kennedy clan -- and your past as an actor and a celebrity, a lot of things are going to be dug up in the coming months now. How have you prepared for that? And how will you deal with that?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, first of all, you know, I've been in the public eye for so long and I have had people write about me. I've seen the worst things written about me and I've seen the best things written about me. When you do those kinds of things, when you're in entertainment and show business and the public eye, like I am, or, you know, I'm running for governor, you cannot expect that not to happen. I mean, you have to be very realistic about that, and I think that was one of the things that my wife and I took under consideration when we were discussing that should I do this or not.
But I just felt like that, you know, my duty and my obligation to California is much larger than worrying about all of this stuff. I pay no attention to it. I will keep my message straight. I will be talking about bringing jobs back, quality jobs, bringing businesses back, helping education, helping our children, and reforming in Sacramento the whole political system. That's what this is about rather than talking about all of this negative stuff and what they may throw at me. I don't concentrate on that. I stay focused.
HARRIS: All right, and we'll be staying focused on you, and I'm sure this is going to be quite a ride for you and the media. We sure do appreciate you taking time to talk with us this morning. You're always a very gracious man when it comes to things like that, and we really do appreciate it at this early, early hour out there in California.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Thank you. Thank you.
HARRIS: Take care, good luck, and we'll be watching.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Thank you.
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