Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview with California Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Simon

Aired August 12, 2003 - 07:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Just last year, he was among only a handful of candidates on that ballot. He lost to Governor Gray Davis by only five percentage points. Republican Bill Simon, now running again eight short months later. He's live with us today in Santa Monica.
Good morning to you. Thanks for making time early on the West Coast for us.

BILL SIMON (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Good morning to you, Bill.

HEMMER: At this point, do you consider yourself to be running against Gray Davis or Arnold Schwarzenegger?

SIMON: You know, Bill, I really consider myself running for the people of California. This election really needs to be about an agenda. It needs to be about ideas, about a vision for California.

And, as you mentioned, we ran recently, and we got 3.1 million votes. Our message did resonate with the people. We're looking forward to campaigning all over the state once again, talking about the budget, which is absolutely critical in our state. We're on the verge of a fiscal meltdown, to be quite honest, not unlike what New York City went through in 1975, '76.

HEMMER: Back to the original question: Are you drawing a line between yourself and Gray Davis, or a line between you and what some consider to be a very moderate Republican conservative in Arnold Schwarzenegger?

SIMON: Well, Bill, look at it this way: You know, certainly the recall is about the performance of Gray Davis, first and foremost. He's been a flawed governor, so we will draw comparisons between what I had predicted on the campaign trail, namely a historic budget deficit, the continued failure of our school system and the deterioration of our quality of life.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, honestly at this point, Bill, is an unknown. You know, obviously he's known from the standpoint of name identification, but from the standpoint of his views, from the standpoint of where he stands on the issues, from the standpoint of what his priorities are, he's a blank slate. We need to hear from Arnold.

In the interim, what I'm going to do is challenge the candidates to debates, which we've done. I'm also going to campaign up and down the state on the issues, because, once again, we were right on the budget, on our schools, on our quality of life.

HEMMER: You know the poll numbers. We all saw them yesterday and again Sunday night when they came out over the weekend. Look at one of these that suggest 52 percent of those surveyed say that Arnold Schwarzenegger would do a better job than a career politician. He favors abortion rights, he favors gay rights. Would California -- would the Republican Party in California be better served if Arnold Schwarzenegger won this election in the first part of October? And would you consider it a victory for your party if indeed he took over for Gray Davis?

SIMON: You know, Bill, it would depend on what he wants to accomplish. You know, I do think this is time for an outsider, quite honestly. I am an outsider. The people of California, as you can tell, are fed up. Over two million people have signed a recall petition. I do think it's time to discard politics as usual. The people have risen up. Special interests need to be flushed out of Sacramento. This is a very historic time in California. It's time for the people, for the people's voice to be heard.

HEMMER: You were talking about the budget a short time ago. On Monday, you were in San Diego. You were asked about a campaign slogan. You said -- I'm quoting now -- "Since 'I'll be back' and 'asta la vista, baby' are already taken, maybe my slogan would be 'renewing the California dream'." How do you renew the California dream with a $38 billion deficit right now?

SIMON: Well, Bill, simply stated, you've got to make sure that you spend less than you take in. We've got a structural deficit out here on top of the $38 billion deficit that we faced over the course of the last 12 months of $12 billion. The recent budget agreement in Sacramento that was reached is more of a surrender than a solution, because, once again, we are taking in 12 billion less than, you know, we are spending. And that's a problem.

HEMMER: Well, listen, there's an article in the "L.A. Times" that says the Democratic legislature up in Sacramento may repeal this auto tax, which in a lot of cases has tripled the tax on those who drive and own automobiles in California. If that were the case, the strategy and the thinking is that would give a boost to Gray Davis in terms of his popularity. At this point right now, would you be afraid of that if it came in two months prior to the election and may indeed give the boost Gray Davis needs to avoid the recall?

SIMON: Bill, it's just a shell game. What they're going to do is just swap taxes. They're talking about taxing the rich and talking about other forms of fees. So, we'd have to campaign on full disclosure, meaning if you're going to repeal the car tax, which is a good idea -- I plan, if I'm elected governor, to repeal the car tax my first day in office. But you're going to have to come up with $4 billion of savings that you had from the car tax revenues another way than by taxing the wealthy or taxing in other forms.

There is definitely $4 billion to $5 billion of fraud, waste and mismanagement in the state government. I will also order an audit my very first day on the job. We know we can get that savings without taxes.

HEMMER: Just a few seconds left here. Would you like an endorsement from the White House right now?

SIMON: Oh, gosh, of course you want an endorsement from the White House, but I believe the White House...

HEMMER: It hasn't coming just yet though.

SIMON: ... will be hands off for the time being.

HEMMER: Do you think they will stay hands off?

SIMON: Well, you know...

HEMMER: What if the president comes to your state and starts campaigning and is not standing by your side?

SIMON: Well, of course, you want the president by your side. He was by my side during the last campaign. He made many nice comments about me as a potential governor of California. Anybody would want the endorsement of the president of the United States.

HEMMER: Bill Simon in Santa Monica, thank you. We'll talk again, I'm certain, over the next 60 days.

SIMON: Thank you, Bill.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.





Simon>


Aired August 12, 2003 - 07:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Just last year, he was among only a handful of candidates on that ballot. He lost to Governor Gray Davis by only five percentage points. Republican Bill Simon, now running again eight short months later. He's live with us today in Santa Monica.
Good morning to you. Thanks for making time early on the West Coast for us.

BILL SIMON (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Good morning to you, Bill.

HEMMER: At this point, do you consider yourself to be running against Gray Davis or Arnold Schwarzenegger?

SIMON: You know, Bill, I really consider myself running for the people of California. This election really needs to be about an agenda. It needs to be about ideas, about a vision for California.

And, as you mentioned, we ran recently, and we got 3.1 million votes. Our message did resonate with the people. We're looking forward to campaigning all over the state once again, talking about the budget, which is absolutely critical in our state. We're on the verge of a fiscal meltdown, to be quite honest, not unlike what New York City went through in 1975, '76.

HEMMER: Back to the original question: Are you drawing a line between yourself and Gray Davis, or a line between you and what some consider to be a very moderate Republican conservative in Arnold Schwarzenegger?

SIMON: Well, Bill, look at it this way: You know, certainly the recall is about the performance of Gray Davis, first and foremost. He's been a flawed governor, so we will draw comparisons between what I had predicted on the campaign trail, namely a historic budget deficit, the continued failure of our school system and the deterioration of our quality of life.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, honestly at this point, Bill, is an unknown. You know, obviously he's known from the standpoint of name identification, but from the standpoint of his views, from the standpoint of where he stands on the issues, from the standpoint of what his priorities are, he's a blank slate. We need to hear from Arnold.

In the interim, what I'm going to do is challenge the candidates to debates, which we've done. I'm also going to campaign up and down the state on the issues, because, once again, we were right on the budget, on our schools, on our quality of life.

HEMMER: You know the poll numbers. We all saw them yesterday and again Sunday night when they came out over the weekend. Look at one of these that suggest 52 percent of those surveyed say that Arnold Schwarzenegger would do a better job than a career politician. He favors abortion rights, he favors gay rights. Would California -- would the Republican Party in California be better served if Arnold Schwarzenegger won this election in the first part of October? And would you consider it a victory for your party if indeed he took over for Gray Davis?

SIMON: You know, Bill, it would depend on what he wants to accomplish. You know, I do think this is time for an outsider, quite honestly. I am an outsider. The people of California, as you can tell, are fed up. Over two million people have signed a recall petition. I do think it's time to discard politics as usual. The people have risen up. Special interests need to be flushed out of Sacramento. This is a very historic time in California. It's time for the people, for the people's voice to be heard.

HEMMER: You were talking about the budget a short time ago. On Monday, you were in San Diego. You were asked about a campaign slogan. You said -- I'm quoting now -- "Since 'I'll be back' and 'asta la vista, baby' are already taken, maybe my slogan would be 'renewing the California dream'." How do you renew the California dream with a $38 billion deficit right now?

SIMON: Well, Bill, simply stated, you've got to make sure that you spend less than you take in. We've got a structural deficit out here on top of the $38 billion deficit that we faced over the course of the last 12 months of $12 billion. The recent budget agreement in Sacramento that was reached is more of a surrender than a solution, because, once again, we are taking in 12 billion less than, you know, we are spending. And that's a problem.

HEMMER: Well, listen, there's an article in the "L.A. Times" that says the Democratic legislature up in Sacramento may repeal this auto tax, which in a lot of cases has tripled the tax on those who drive and own automobiles in California. If that were the case, the strategy and the thinking is that would give a boost to Gray Davis in terms of his popularity. At this point right now, would you be afraid of that if it came in two months prior to the election and may indeed give the boost Gray Davis needs to avoid the recall?

SIMON: Bill, it's just a shell game. What they're going to do is just swap taxes. They're talking about taxing the rich and talking about other forms of fees. So, we'd have to campaign on full disclosure, meaning if you're going to repeal the car tax, which is a good idea -- I plan, if I'm elected governor, to repeal the car tax my first day in office. But you're going to have to come up with $4 billion of savings that you had from the car tax revenues another way than by taxing the wealthy or taxing in other forms.

There is definitely $4 billion to $5 billion of fraud, waste and mismanagement in the state government. I will also order an audit my very first day on the job. We know we can get that savings without taxes.

HEMMER: Just a few seconds left here. Would you like an endorsement from the White House right now?

SIMON: Oh, gosh, of course you want an endorsement from the White House, but I believe the White House...

HEMMER: It hasn't coming just yet though.

SIMON: ... will be hands off for the time being.

HEMMER: Do you think they will stay hands off?

SIMON: Well, you know...

HEMMER: What if the president comes to your state and starts campaigning and is not standing by your side?

SIMON: Well, of course, you want the president by your side. He was by my side during the last campaign. He made many nice comments about me as a potential governor of California. Anybody would want the endorsement of the president of the United States.

HEMMER: Bill Simon in Santa Monica, thank you. We'll talk again, I'm certain, over the next 60 days.

SIMON: Thank you, Bill.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.





Simon>