Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Sunday
Mixup Over Parade
Aired September 07, 2003 - 16:31 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: So was he invited to lead the parade or not? California's gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger says he was originally asked to be the grand marshal of the Mexican Independence Day Parade today in Los Angeles. Then, his campaign committee said yesterday, he was disinvited. The group running the parade says he was never officially asked at all. CNN's Miguel Marquez is with us live with us live from Los Angeles. Miguel, this is looking pretty ugly. Is this a sign of things to come?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it very well may be, Fredricka. It is Mexican Independence Day here in L.A. The truth seems to lie somewhere in between what you just talked about. Mr. Schwarzenegger was asked to be the grand marshal here at the independence day parade, but it's not entirely clear if that request or that asking was official seems to be the issue.
One person here today was Governor Gray Davis, he was on a bus and came through the crowd, which seems to really adore him. There were a lot of chanting for Gray Davis and no on the recall. The Hispanic vote here in Los Angeles and in California is obviously important to about 12 percent of the election tort here in California. Gray Davis, he is at the parade every year. He kind of knocked Mr. Schwarzenegger for his support of Proposition 187 years ago that Mr. Schwarzenegger voted for it, Prop 187. It was a proposition that limited the service that illegal immigrants can have. The governor just signed a bill that would give illegal immigrants the right to get California driver's license. Two things that he really hit Mr. Schwarzenegger on. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Mr. Schwarzenegger should be ashamed of himself. He supported 187 and he said one of his first acts of governor, which he won't get to a chance to do, would be to repeal the legislation I just signed granting drivers and the hard- working immigrants who pay taxes in our society.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, as for the controversy over whether or not Mr. Schwarzenegger was actually invited to this event. The organizers say there was an invitation that went out, but it was from a volunteer that didn't have the right to send out that invitation. It was actually on the piece of stationary that they had he said. Mr. Schwarzenegger maintains that he then asked for a permit to march in the parade, not as grand marshal, just to join the parade and they turned down his parade. Here's what the organizer of this parade had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We never receive any application, also, it's not on the lineup. They never call us, they never nothing. Last minute was not even a week ago they decided he want to be the grand marshal, which is wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, Mr. Schwarzenegger did put together an event today. His campaign staff did put together an event today, not at this parade, but another area in East L.A., also very heavily Hispanic, where he wanted to respond or talk about some of these issues that came up because of this parade. He is very pro-immigrant and not anti-immigrant here in California and wants to see them do things like he has and achieve some of the American dream. We'll have more for you on his response later. I can tell you though, Fredricka, talking to the crowd here, it does seem to be pro-Gray Davis. When you start talking to individuals in the crowd, you get a different message. A lot of them don't like the current governor. A lot of them would like to see Mr. Schwarzenegger in. Especially if you talk to younger Latinos and a lot of people here are for Mr. Bustamante, as well -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Miguel, thank you very much. Either way the invitation mix up a real mess.
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 - 16:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: So was he invited to lead the parade or not? California's gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger says he was originally asked to be the grand marshal of the Mexican Independence Day Parade today in Los Angeles. Then, his campaign committee said yesterday, he was disinvited. The group running the parade says he was never officially asked at all. CNN's Miguel Marquez is with us live with us live from Los Angeles. Miguel, this is looking pretty ugly. Is this a sign of things to come?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it very well may be, Fredricka. It is Mexican Independence Day here in L.A. The truth seems to lie somewhere in between what you just talked about. Mr. Schwarzenegger was asked to be the grand marshal here at the independence day parade, but it's not entirely clear if that request or that asking was official seems to be the issue.
One person here today was Governor Gray Davis, he was on a bus and came through the crowd, which seems to really adore him. There were a lot of chanting for Gray Davis and no on the recall. The Hispanic vote here in Los Angeles and in California is obviously important to about 12 percent of the election tort here in California. Gray Davis, he is at the parade every year. He kind of knocked Mr. Schwarzenegger for his support of Proposition 187 years ago that Mr. Schwarzenegger voted for it, Prop 187. It was a proposition that limited the service that illegal immigrants can have. The governor just signed a bill that would give illegal immigrants the right to get California driver's license. Two things that he really hit Mr. Schwarzenegger on. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Mr. Schwarzenegger should be ashamed of himself. He supported 187 and he said one of his first acts of governor, which he won't get to a chance to do, would be to repeal the legislation I just signed granting drivers and the hard- working immigrants who pay taxes in our society.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, as for the controversy over whether or not Mr. Schwarzenegger was actually invited to this event. The organizers say there was an invitation that went out, but it was from a volunteer that didn't have the right to send out that invitation. It was actually on the piece of stationary that they had he said. Mr. Schwarzenegger maintains that he then asked for a permit to march in the parade, not as grand marshal, just to join the parade and they turned down his parade. Here's what the organizer of this parade had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We never receive any application, also, it's not on the lineup. They never call us, they never nothing. Last minute was not even a week ago they decided he want to be the grand marshal, which is wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, Mr. Schwarzenegger did put together an event today. His campaign staff did put together an event today, not at this parade, but another area in East L.A., also very heavily Hispanic, where he wanted to respond or talk about some of these issues that came up because of this parade. He is very pro-immigrant and not anti-immigrant here in California and wants to see them do things like he has and achieve some of the American dream. We'll have more for you on his response later. I can tell you though, Fredricka, talking to the crowd here, it does seem to be pro-Gray Davis. When you start talking to individuals in the crowd, you get a different message. A lot of them don't like the current governor. A lot of them would like to see Mr. Schwarzenegger in. Especially if you talk to younger Latinos and a lot of people here are for Mr. Bustamante, as well -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Miguel, thank you very much. Either way the invitation mix up a real mess.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
