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American Morning

Battle for California

Aired August 13, 2003 - 09:36   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: By the end of this day, we should know how many names will be on that California gubernatorial recall election ballot. And there's one guy who has got a flowchart working on this one.
Bob Franken is live in L.A. You're going to need one, too -- 171, is that what we're looking at, Bob?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's going to be one of the least exclusive lists ever, and that is the one of people running for possible governor of California. But it's going to be more like 145, because some people are going to be disqualified, yet they have about 40 left to look through, and by the time they're through, some of them will have been disqualified.

What's interesting is, about a dozen of them had already paid their $3,500, and that money is non-refundable. We should have the final results sometime later today.

Meanwhile, the Schwarzenegger watch continues with little to watch. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been hunkered down with advisers setting up a campaign team, that for the most part is going to involve people who used to be associated with California Governor Pete Wilson. There may be some controversy there, but so far, no controversy over his position statements, because he has made none.

Meanwhile, Governor Gray Davis, who is the man who people will have to first decide whether he should be recalled, is out campaigning. Told by a variety of sources he's following the advice of former President Clinton, and trying to ignore the recall as much as possible, talking more about the fact that he is governor and brings stability to the campaign. Of course, his poll numbers are so far down, the concern is that the kind of stability he's talking about is the kind that Californians will decide whether to reject.

And that's not the only battleground here. There is the court battleground. There is the effort by the American Civil Liberties Union to try and at least postpone the election until next March. That is based on the fact until then, the California counties that are the most populous ones will not have replaced the discredited punch card machines. According to the ACLU any numbers in effect will be disenfranchised.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK ROSENBAUM, ACLU LEGAL DIRECTOR: The right to vote is the paramount in the Constitution. Its' the right that's preservative over all other rights. And we learned in Bush versus Gore that part of the right to vote means that everyone's vote has to count equally. All votes have to have equal weight and equal dignity. And using a system whereby voters in six counties have two to four times less chance of having their vote counted means that the votes in the state of California aren't equally treated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Of course, the decisions on that aren't going to come right away. As a matter of fact, Bill, the hearing on that won't come until next week -- Bill.

HEMMER: Bob, thanks. Bob Franken In L.A. By the way, 145 names. How many ballot sheets is that?

FRANKEN: It depends on the county. They each have different ballot sheets. But I can tell you, in just about all the counties, it's going to probably be a few days at least before they have a final result.

HEMMER: Got it. It's going to be long, however way we slice it. Thanks, Bob.

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






Aired August 13, 2003 - 09:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: By the end of this day, we should know how many names will be on that California gubernatorial recall election ballot. And there's one guy who has got a flowchart working on this one.
Bob Franken is live in L.A. You're going to need one, too -- 171, is that what we're looking at, Bob?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's going to be one of the least exclusive lists ever, and that is the one of people running for possible governor of California. But it's going to be more like 145, because some people are going to be disqualified, yet they have about 40 left to look through, and by the time they're through, some of them will have been disqualified.

What's interesting is, about a dozen of them had already paid their $3,500, and that money is non-refundable. We should have the final results sometime later today.

Meanwhile, the Schwarzenegger watch continues with little to watch. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been hunkered down with advisers setting up a campaign team, that for the most part is going to involve people who used to be associated with California Governor Pete Wilson. There may be some controversy there, but so far, no controversy over his position statements, because he has made none.

Meanwhile, Governor Gray Davis, who is the man who people will have to first decide whether he should be recalled, is out campaigning. Told by a variety of sources he's following the advice of former President Clinton, and trying to ignore the recall as much as possible, talking more about the fact that he is governor and brings stability to the campaign. Of course, his poll numbers are so far down, the concern is that the kind of stability he's talking about is the kind that Californians will decide whether to reject.

And that's not the only battleground here. There is the court battleground. There is the effort by the American Civil Liberties Union to try and at least postpone the election until next March. That is based on the fact until then, the California counties that are the most populous ones will not have replaced the discredited punch card machines. According to the ACLU any numbers in effect will be disenfranchised.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK ROSENBAUM, ACLU LEGAL DIRECTOR: The right to vote is the paramount in the Constitution. Its' the right that's preservative over all other rights. And we learned in Bush versus Gore that part of the right to vote means that everyone's vote has to count equally. All votes have to have equal weight and equal dignity. And using a system whereby voters in six counties have two to four times less chance of having their vote counted means that the votes in the state of California aren't equally treated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Of course, the decisions on that aren't going to come right away. As a matter of fact, Bill, the hearing on that won't come until next week -- Bill.

HEMMER: Bob, thanks. Bob Franken In L.A. By the way, 145 names. How many ballot sheets is that?

FRANKEN: It depends on the county. They each have different ballot sheets. But I can tell you, in just about all the counties, it's going to probably be a few days at least before they have a final result.

HEMMER: Got it. It's going to be long, however way we slice it. Thanks, Bob.

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