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CNN Live Sunday

Interview With Kim Alfano, Bob Doyle

Aired September 07, 2003 - 11:15   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.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE, CALIFORNIA: I'm absolutely against Proposition 54. I think that the medical community has spoken out on how much they're against it. I think in education they're against it, because it's the only way we can check and run statistics and get accurate information. If you take that out, it will be disastrous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger making no bones about how he feels. Proposition 54 would limit the amount of racial data public agencies can collect. The Austrian-born Schwarzenegger says he believes information is vital for feels like health and education. And he's not alone in his opposition. "The Los Angeles Times" reports Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante plans to pour $4 million into a campaign to defeat the measure.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: Schwarzenegger is also facing criticism for failing to appear in the recall campaign's first debate. That is just one of the topics we are tackling in today's political roundtable. Our debaters are Kim Alfano, a republican strategist. Kim, thanks for joining us this morning.

KIM ALFANO, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Hi Sean, thanks.

CALLEBS: Her democratic opposite, Bob Doyle. Bob, thanks for being here, as well. I have to balance that out, right, guys?

ALFANO: That's right.

CALLEBS: Let's talk about that. I think everybody is talking about the California debate, not so much for what they said, but who didn't show up. Did anybody learn anything? Kim, let's start with you.

ALFANO: Well, sure, I think that what they learned was sort of the nuts and bolts of what those candidates are talking about. But I think the fact that Arnold didn't show up wasn't that big of a deal. I think ultimately he's doing the right thing on a long-term strategy.

The debate was, it is watched by policy wonks and a few political pundits and you and me and the national press, but where the people of California will get the information is on the stump and from campaign ads and local press. I don't think there are very many people that watch debates cover to cover.

What they really learned is Cruz Bustamante is in this for himself now. It is not about Gray Davis anymore. It's about Cruz Bustamante wanting to be governor.

CALLEBS: Bob, are you buying this, what Kim's saying?

BOB DOYLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I mean, I think it clearly means that Schwarzenegger is not quite ready for prime time and he better get there. He's really in a very tough political position. He is being squeezed on the left and right.

Cruz Bustamante has very successfully united democrats and united the progressive majority in California, and on the right, you know, Schwarzenegger is getting really squeezed by a couple republicans who are stubbornly there and getting some significant support among conservatives, particularly so. He better get up to speed and he better join the debate. He better start talking specifically about where he wants to take the state, because right now he has lost the initiative, I believe, in the campaign.

CALLEBS: Before we move on to the next topic, look at these poll numbers we have. Despite what California thinks, an overwhelming number of people surveyed would like to see Arnold Schwarzenegger -- well, this is the wrong poll information.

Let's move on to this one. We'll talk about President Bush. There was the democratic presidential debate, as well, last week, and the candidates, instead of squaring off against each other, really took on president Bush. Bob, is that really the best strategy?

DOYLE: I think in the short term it is, because they're talking to primary voters, and democratic primary voters are obviously looking for a nominee who can take the fight to the president. I think that they also want somebody who, at the end of the day, can win. And I think that you have people -- I think the untold story of what's going on in the democratic side, because of the momentum Howard Dean has, is the real passion and commitment that Dick Gephardt, for example, is bringing to the race and he showed at the debate, and yet people like Gephardt and Lieberman and John Kerry and others who are very well positioned to make a reasoned, passionate, aggressive argument against the president, that's where democratic primary voters are. And looking at polling that we've seen this past week with increased negative numbers for the president, his job ratings are down, and everything else. The country is increasingly open to that kind of message.

CALLEBS: Kim, put yourself in the democrats' clothes for just one second. If you were at the debate, what would you have told your candidate?

ALFANO: Well, I think Bob is absolutely right. They said exactly what they needed to do to win the democrat democratic primary.

Where I disagree is the fact these guys are following their usual reason and their usual recourse. Guys like Gephardt used to be more moderate and I'd say they come out -- they used to speak more moderately. Now they're being forced so far to the left, and they're having to be so shrill, and appeal to that liberal side of the party which has dominated, which has pushed Howard Dean forward. That side of the party has taken over this primary and I don't think they're going to have a successful candidate come out of that process, especially if it is someone as liberal as Dean, or someone like Lieberman or Gephardt, who has had to push their real ideology so far out of that middle section of the country to the left where most of the country just doesn't live.

CALLEBS: OK.

ALFANO: I think, too, with President Bush, his numbers, you know, there's a poll for everyone and of course we'll cite them. But with President Bush I think the predominance of the country is still on his side.

CALLEBS: And on cue we will cite these polls, the latest CNN/Time poll. Let's look at the people definitely who would support President Bush in 2004. 29 percent definitely for. Definitely against, 41 percent. That's a damaging number. And, Kim, might vote against President Bush, 25 percent. What do you make of these numbers?

ALFANO: Well, I think that he's a president who has had to tackle some huge problems. When you do that, you're not allowed to sit in the comfortable middle part of the country and just sort of kick back and have a good economy and everything easy for you. He's tackled a tough war. He's tackling a very difficult recession that was handed to him not only when he came into office, but because of the war and some other things. So, you know, he's not going to be loved by everyone. But has he done a great job? I think people ultimately will say yes.

CALLEBS: And we will hear him speak later on tonight. Kim Alfano, a GOP strategist, and her democratic counterpart. Thanks very much for joining us today, Bob Doyle, we certainly appreciate it.

DOYLE: Thank you.

ALFANO: Thanks.

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 7, 2003 - 11:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE, CALIFORNIA: I'm absolutely against Proposition 54. I think that the medical community has spoken out on how much they're against it. I think in education they're against it, because it's the only way we can check and run statistics and get accurate information. If you take that out, it will be disastrous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger making no bones about how he feels. Proposition 54 would limit the amount of racial data public agencies can collect. The Austrian-born Schwarzenegger says he believes information is vital for feels like health and education. And he's not alone in his opposition. "The Los Angeles Times" reports Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante plans to pour $4 million into a campaign to defeat the measure.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: Schwarzenegger is also facing criticism for failing to appear in the recall campaign's first debate. That is just one of the topics we are tackling in today's political roundtable. Our debaters are Kim Alfano, a republican strategist. Kim, thanks for joining us this morning.

KIM ALFANO, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Hi Sean, thanks.

CALLEBS: Her democratic opposite, Bob Doyle. Bob, thanks for being here, as well. I have to balance that out, right, guys?

ALFANO: That's right.

CALLEBS: Let's talk about that. I think everybody is talking about the California debate, not so much for what they said, but who didn't show up. Did anybody learn anything? Kim, let's start with you.

ALFANO: Well, sure, I think that what they learned was sort of the nuts and bolts of what those candidates are talking about. But I think the fact that Arnold didn't show up wasn't that big of a deal. I think ultimately he's doing the right thing on a long-term strategy.

The debate was, it is watched by policy wonks and a few political pundits and you and me and the national press, but where the people of California will get the information is on the stump and from campaign ads and local press. I don't think there are very many people that watch debates cover to cover.

What they really learned is Cruz Bustamante is in this for himself now. It is not about Gray Davis anymore. It's about Cruz Bustamante wanting to be governor.

CALLEBS: Bob, are you buying this, what Kim's saying?

BOB DOYLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I mean, I think it clearly means that Schwarzenegger is not quite ready for prime time and he better get there. He's really in a very tough political position. He is being squeezed on the left and right.

Cruz Bustamante has very successfully united democrats and united the progressive majority in California, and on the right, you know, Schwarzenegger is getting really squeezed by a couple republicans who are stubbornly there and getting some significant support among conservatives, particularly so. He better get up to speed and he better join the debate. He better start talking specifically about where he wants to take the state, because right now he has lost the initiative, I believe, in the campaign.

CALLEBS: Before we move on to the next topic, look at these poll numbers we have. Despite what California thinks, an overwhelming number of people surveyed would like to see Arnold Schwarzenegger -- well, this is the wrong poll information.

Let's move on to this one. We'll talk about President Bush. There was the democratic presidential debate, as well, last week, and the candidates, instead of squaring off against each other, really took on president Bush. Bob, is that really the best strategy?

DOYLE: I think in the short term it is, because they're talking to primary voters, and democratic primary voters are obviously looking for a nominee who can take the fight to the president. I think that they also want somebody who, at the end of the day, can win. And I think that you have people -- I think the untold story of what's going on in the democratic side, because of the momentum Howard Dean has, is the real passion and commitment that Dick Gephardt, for example, is bringing to the race and he showed at the debate, and yet people like Gephardt and Lieberman and John Kerry and others who are very well positioned to make a reasoned, passionate, aggressive argument against the president, that's where democratic primary voters are. And looking at polling that we've seen this past week with increased negative numbers for the president, his job ratings are down, and everything else. The country is increasingly open to that kind of message.

CALLEBS: Kim, put yourself in the democrats' clothes for just one second. If you were at the debate, what would you have told your candidate?

ALFANO: Well, I think Bob is absolutely right. They said exactly what they needed to do to win the democrat democratic primary.

Where I disagree is the fact these guys are following their usual reason and their usual recourse. Guys like Gephardt used to be more moderate and I'd say they come out -- they used to speak more moderately. Now they're being forced so far to the left, and they're having to be so shrill, and appeal to that liberal side of the party which has dominated, which has pushed Howard Dean forward. That side of the party has taken over this primary and I don't think they're going to have a successful candidate come out of that process, especially if it is someone as liberal as Dean, or someone like Lieberman or Gephardt, who has had to push their real ideology so far out of that middle section of the country to the left where most of the country just doesn't live.

CALLEBS: OK.

ALFANO: I think, too, with President Bush, his numbers, you know, there's a poll for everyone and of course we'll cite them. But with President Bush I think the predominance of the country is still on his side.

CALLEBS: And on cue we will cite these polls, the latest CNN/Time poll. Let's look at the people definitely who would support President Bush in 2004. 29 percent definitely for. Definitely against, 41 percent. That's a damaging number. And, Kim, might vote against President Bush, 25 percent. What do you make of these numbers?

ALFANO: Well, I think that he's a president who has had to tackle some huge problems. When you do that, you're not allowed to sit in the comfortable middle part of the country and just sort of kick back and have a good economy and everything easy for you. He's tackled a tough war. He's tackling a very difficult recession that was handed to him not only when he came into office, but because of the war and some other things. So, you know, he's not going to be loved by everyone. But has he done a great job? I think people ultimately will say yes.

CALLEBS: And we will hear him speak later on tonight. Kim Alfano, a GOP strategist, and her democratic counterpart. Thanks very much for joining us today, Bob Doyle, we certainly appreciate it.

DOYLE: Thank you.

ALFANO: Thanks.

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