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CNN Live At Daybreak

California Recall's First Debate

Aired September 04, 2003 - 05:10   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The California recall's first debate included a man trying desperately to keep his job. But conspicuously absent, a leading candidate trying to replace the governor.
As CNN's Rusty Dornin reports, first Gray Davis set the tone by conceding he made some mistakes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Good to see you. I'm all set.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The man trying to keep his job arrived at the debate telling reporters he knew why he was here.

DAVIS: This recall has been a humbling experience and I recognize their anger. I got the message.

DORNIN: On stage, the man who didn't come was recognized.

RANDY SHANBOBIL, DEBATE MODERATOR: We have extended several invitations to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger and up until today, we even kept a seat open for him.

DORNIN: Money matters dominated this debate. Davis had the first round to himself. His message? In this budget crisis, taxes must go up.

DAVIS: You know, California is not the highly taxed state that my opponents would want you to believe.

DORNIN: Then it was the candidates' turn. Republicans Tom McClintock and Peter Uberoff were on the same page. Neither want increases.

TOM MCCLINTOCK (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: I am the one candidate who has taken the no tax pledge.

PETER UBEROFF (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Frankly, jobs are what's real stuff. That's how we pay the bills in Sacramento.

DORNIN: Independent Arianna Huffington and Green Party candidate Peter Camejo agreed to agree on many issues. Attacking the current tax structure is one.

PETER CAMEJO, GREEN PARTY FINANCIAL ADVISER: Where is the money to solve this problem? It's in the corporations and among the richest people paying the lowest tax rate.

DORNIN: There were a few pot shots aimed at Schwarzenegger. But Arianna Huffington took aim at just about everyone. This time it was Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and his move to ban the car tax.

LT. GOV. CRUZ BUSTAMANTE (D), CALIFORNIA: I would get rid of it by raising alcohol and tobacco taxes.

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON (I), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Oh, no you wouldn't.

BUSTAMANTE: Yes, I would.

HUFFINGTON: You got quite a bit of money from the tobacco industry.

SHANBOBIL: OK, Miss. Huffington, please.

BUSTAMANTE: Well...

DORNIN: All sides slammed Bustamante for accepting a $2 million donation from an Indian tribe involved in gaming.

BUSTAMANTE: I'm very, very proud, first of all, of the support that I've received from tribal governments.

UBEROFF: If it is legal, it's certainly on the shady side of the law.

DORNIN (on camera): One debate down, two to go. This time, the candidates didn't know what was coming next time, they'll get the questions beforehand. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be there, some say script in hand.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Walnut Creek, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't want to debate this time, but he showed in other ways that he's all for free speech. While making his way through a crowd at California State University, he was hit by an egg, right there. A campaign aide brushed off Schwarzenegger's jacket and the candidate brushed off the egg toss as a small price to pay for democracy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Well, this guy owes me bacon now. I mean there's no two ways about it, because, I mean, you can't just have eggs without bacon. But this is just all part of, you know, the free speech. I think it's great. You see these people here screaming out. Imagine you were in some communist state or in some dictatorship, you couldn't do that. That's why I love this country. And you have to take the whole package when you love something. I think that California is great. I think America is great. Everyone can speak out. Everyone has freedom of speech. That's what creates the ultimate of democracy. So I believe in that and I welcome that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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 September 4, 2003 - 05:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The California recall's first debate included a man trying desperately to keep his job. But conspicuously absent, a leading candidate trying to replace the governor.
As CNN's Rusty Dornin reports, first Gray Davis set the tone by conceding he made some mistakes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Good to see you. I'm all set.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The man trying to keep his job arrived at the debate telling reporters he knew why he was here.

DAVIS: This recall has been a humbling experience and I recognize their anger. I got the message.

DORNIN: On stage, the man who didn't come was recognized.

RANDY SHANBOBIL, DEBATE MODERATOR: We have extended several invitations to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger and up until today, we even kept a seat open for him.

DORNIN: Money matters dominated this debate. Davis had the first round to himself. His message? In this budget crisis, taxes must go up.

DAVIS: You know, California is not the highly taxed state that my opponents would want you to believe.

DORNIN: Then it was the candidates' turn. Republicans Tom McClintock and Peter Uberoff were on the same page. Neither want increases.

TOM MCCLINTOCK (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: I am the one candidate who has taken the no tax pledge.

PETER UBEROFF (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Frankly, jobs are what's real stuff. That's how we pay the bills in Sacramento.

DORNIN: Independent Arianna Huffington and Green Party candidate Peter Camejo agreed to agree on many issues. Attacking the current tax structure is one.

PETER CAMEJO, GREEN PARTY FINANCIAL ADVISER: Where is the money to solve this problem? It's in the corporations and among the richest people paying the lowest tax rate.

DORNIN: There were a few pot shots aimed at Schwarzenegger. But Arianna Huffington took aim at just about everyone. This time it was Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and his move to ban the car tax.

LT. GOV. CRUZ BUSTAMANTE (D), CALIFORNIA: I would get rid of it by raising alcohol and tobacco taxes.

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON (I), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Oh, no you wouldn't.

BUSTAMANTE: Yes, I would.

HUFFINGTON: You got quite a bit of money from the tobacco industry.

SHANBOBIL: OK, Miss. Huffington, please.

BUSTAMANTE: Well...

DORNIN: All sides slammed Bustamante for accepting a $2 million donation from an Indian tribe involved in gaming.

BUSTAMANTE: I'm very, very proud, first of all, of the support that I've received from tribal governments.

UBEROFF: If it is legal, it's certainly on the shady side of the law.

DORNIN (on camera): One debate down, two to go. This time, the candidates didn't know what was coming next time, they'll get the questions beforehand. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be there, some say script in hand.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Walnut Creek, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't want to debate this time, but he showed in other ways that he's all for free speech. While making his way through a crowd at California State University, he was hit by an egg, right there. A campaign aide brushed off Schwarzenegger's jacket and the candidate brushed off the egg toss as a small price to pay for democracy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Well, this guy owes me bacon now. I mean there's no two ways about it, because, I mean, you can't just have eggs without bacon. But this is just all part of, you know, the free speech. I think it's great. You see these people here screaming out. Imagine you were in some communist state or in some dictatorship, you couldn't do that. That's why I love this country. And you have to take the whole package when you love something. I think that California is great. I think America is great. Everyone can speak out. Everyone has freedom of speech. That's what creates the ultimate of democracy. So I believe in that and I welcome that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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