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CNN Live Sunday
Cruz Bustamante Leads, According To "L.A. Times" Poll
Aired August 24, 2003 - 18:34 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's Miguel Marquez joins us with fallout from Bill Simon's decision and what we can expect on the recall front this week, so what do you see happening, Miguel?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I am certainly interested in what's going to happen next here, Andrea, and if I knew what was going to happen in this thing I'd be paid a lot more than I am right now.
With one of the four major Republican candidates dropping out yesterday, today there is certainly a new political landscape. Looming large in that landscape is the latest "L.A. Times" poll showing Cruz Bustamante with 35 percent support among likely voters and Schwarzenegger at 22 percent, quite a turnaround.
The poll also shows Republican Tom McClintock in double digits for the first time and he's claiming he has the momentum in all of this. But Schwarzeneggers's camp says, you know, the poll doesn't really matter.
There are other polls out there and their own internal polling shows that this is a much closer race, but one thing seems to be taking shape. Cruz Bustamante, the only prominent Democrat in the race seems to be Arnold Schwarzeneggers's number one target.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DAVID GREIER (R), CALIFORNIA: There is this vacuum of leadership in this state. Bustamante would perpetuate it. I mean there's nothing about Cruz Bustamante that I find inspiring as a leader. In fact, as I listen to his self description, which just came out in the last couple of days, to me I would say why in the world would I want someone like that to be governor?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, for his part, Bustamante says he welcomes a healthy debate and if the Schwarzenegger camp wants to go after him bring it on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GOV. CRUZ BUSTAMANTE (D), CALIFORNIA: I have been a target of Republicans my entire career. So, what's new? You know, I mean when I was running for the assembly I was their target. When I was the speaker I was their target. When I ran for the lieutenant governor's position twice guess what, I was their target. That's not new. That's politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, one thing to keep in mind - one more thing that is to keep in mind, just what sort of factors is former baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth going to play in all of this recall. He's at seven percent in the "L.A. Times" poll. He hasn't even done a lot of campaigning yet but he does have radio ads and town hall meetings starting this week and he's raised lots of cash more importantly.
I spoke with some of his people today and they believe his support could come from the political center taking away voters from Schwarzenegger on the right and Bustamante on the left, so he could end up being a spoiler for one of those candidates, the question is which one - Andrea any ideas?
KOPPEL: Well, I certainly as you pointed out I'd be making a lot more money than I am right now if I could answer that.
MARQUEZ: Sure.
KOPPEL: But getting back to Arnold Schwarzenegger and the poll that you just mentioned which is a small sampling we have to say of the California voting public at large but how concerned do you - are you hearing Schwarzenegger's camp might be right now, the fact that Bustamante is gaining and his numbers seem to be fairly flat?
MARQUEZ: Yes, it's hard to tell. I mean we talked to David Greier today who is his co-chairman on his campaign and he said Schwarzenegger is going to win this thing. You know so they are feeling very confident. Their internal polling is showing that Schwarzenegger's numbers are solid.
The one thing that Tom McClintock, the other Republican - one of the other Republicans in this race says is that his numbers have been growing so he feels that he has momentum and that Schwarzenegger's numbers have been staying the same.
So, he feels like he's gaining on Schwarzenegger while Schwarzenegger is staying the same and Bustamante, this is why Bustamante now becomes the target in all of this for Schwarzenegger so he can kind of bust out of this and make it a Schwarzenegger/Bustamante race.
And, that's the question, will these numbers harden up and where will they go? I think we have to see another couple of more polls before we know where those numbers are going - Andrea.
KOPPEL: It certainly makes you wonder if Tom McClintock's numbers are rising whether or not the pressure is building under him to drop out as well, Miguel Marquez for us there in L.A., thank you.
MARQUEZ: Sure.
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 24, 2003 - 18:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's Miguel Marquez joins us with fallout from Bill Simon's decision and what we can expect on the recall front this week, so what do you see happening, Miguel?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I am certainly interested in what's going to happen next here, Andrea, and if I knew what was going to happen in this thing I'd be paid a lot more than I am right now.
With one of the four major Republican candidates dropping out yesterday, today there is certainly a new political landscape. Looming large in that landscape is the latest "L.A. Times" poll showing Cruz Bustamante with 35 percent support among likely voters and Schwarzenegger at 22 percent, quite a turnaround.
The poll also shows Republican Tom McClintock in double digits for the first time and he's claiming he has the momentum in all of this. But Schwarzeneggers's camp says, you know, the poll doesn't really matter.
There are other polls out there and their own internal polling shows that this is a much closer race, but one thing seems to be taking shape. Cruz Bustamante, the only prominent Democrat in the race seems to be Arnold Schwarzeneggers's number one target.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DAVID GREIER (R), CALIFORNIA: There is this vacuum of leadership in this state. Bustamante would perpetuate it. I mean there's nothing about Cruz Bustamante that I find inspiring as a leader. In fact, as I listen to his self description, which just came out in the last couple of days, to me I would say why in the world would I want someone like that to be governor?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, for his part, Bustamante says he welcomes a healthy debate and if the Schwarzenegger camp wants to go after him bring it on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GOV. CRUZ BUSTAMANTE (D), CALIFORNIA: I have been a target of Republicans my entire career. So, what's new? You know, I mean when I was running for the assembly I was their target. When I was the speaker I was their target. When I ran for the lieutenant governor's position twice guess what, I was their target. That's not new. That's politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, one thing to keep in mind - one more thing that is to keep in mind, just what sort of factors is former baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth going to play in all of this recall. He's at seven percent in the "L.A. Times" poll. He hasn't even done a lot of campaigning yet but he does have radio ads and town hall meetings starting this week and he's raised lots of cash more importantly.
I spoke with some of his people today and they believe his support could come from the political center taking away voters from Schwarzenegger on the right and Bustamante on the left, so he could end up being a spoiler for one of those candidates, the question is which one - Andrea any ideas?
KOPPEL: Well, I certainly as you pointed out I'd be making a lot more money than I am right now if I could answer that.
MARQUEZ: Sure.
KOPPEL: But getting back to Arnold Schwarzenegger and the poll that you just mentioned which is a small sampling we have to say of the California voting public at large but how concerned do you - are you hearing Schwarzenegger's camp might be right now, the fact that Bustamante is gaining and his numbers seem to be fairly flat?
MARQUEZ: Yes, it's hard to tell. I mean we talked to David Greier today who is his co-chairman on his campaign and he said Schwarzenegger is going to win this thing. You know so they are feeling very confident. Their internal polling is showing that Schwarzenegger's numbers are solid.
The one thing that Tom McClintock, the other Republican - one of the other Republicans in this race says is that his numbers have been growing so he feels that he has momentum and that Schwarzenegger's numbers have been staying the same.
So, he feels like he's gaining on Schwarzenegger while Schwarzenegger is staying the same and Bustamante, this is why Bustamante now becomes the target in all of this for Schwarzenegger so he can kind of bust out of this and make it a Schwarzenegger/Bustamante race.
And, that's the question, will these numbers harden up and where will they go? I think we have to see another couple of more polls before we know where those numbers are going - Andrea.
KOPPEL: It certainly makes you wonder if Tom McClintock's numbers are rising whether or not the pressure is building under him to drop out as well, Miguel Marquez for us there in L.A., thank you.
MARQUEZ: Sure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
