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CNN Live Saturday
Republicans Hold California State Convention Today
Aired September 13, 2003 - 16:01 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.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley is at the convention sight with the latest on what is happening there at this hour -- Candy.
CANDY CROWELY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, they're waiting for Arnold Schwarzenegger to speak. He's not going to have a particularly tough time convincing this crowd. This is his luncheon. McClintock gets dinner. But the Republican party would like to do is keep things as nice as possible while the polls and the momentum of the campaign sort of sort out what really is a Republican problem. And that is, that there are two Republicans in this race together. If you add up their numbers, they could beat the Democrat, Cruz Bustamante, this is to assume that Gray Davis is recalled. Seperately they can't beat him.
There's a lot of pressure on McClintock, who is trailing, to get out of this race. Although a number of people in the Schwarzenegger campaign don't expect that to happy anytime soon. They could do it, obviously, anytime up to election date.
This is an interesting forum here. It's to Republican women. The polling shows that Arnold Schwarzenegger, that has been a star of "Terminator," a lot of other action movies, has some difficulty among women voters. So an interesting forum for him to talk to. He was earlier today gathering the faithful around him for a little pre- luncheon rally. And at that time, he lauded democracy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR: We are the luckiest people on Earth, because we live in a country where we the people have the right to decide if the politicians are doing their job or not. And if we find out that they're not doing their job, then we have the obligation to rise up and to take the government back, and to do the job ourselves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: Now, Fredricka, Arnold Schwarzenegger, as we said, is going to have to do some convincing among conservatives, that is social conservatives. He is a pro-abortion rights. He is liberal on gay rights. This speech today we expect him to present his conservative credentials in an effort to win over that side of the party.
There are almost 1.4 million more Democrats in this state than there are Republicans. So Schwarzenegger can't afford to have any split in the Republican party. So today it will all be about his conservative credentials -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Tom McClintock taking to the microphone a bit later during the dinner, as you said. Candy, thanks very much from Los Angeles.
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 13, 2003 - 16:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley is at the convention sight with the latest on what is happening there at this hour -- Candy.
CANDY CROWELY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, they're waiting for Arnold Schwarzenegger to speak. He's not going to have a particularly tough time convincing this crowd. This is his luncheon. McClintock gets dinner. But the Republican party would like to do is keep things as nice as possible while the polls and the momentum of the campaign sort of sort out what really is a Republican problem. And that is, that there are two Republicans in this race together. If you add up their numbers, they could beat the Democrat, Cruz Bustamante, this is to assume that Gray Davis is recalled. Seperately they can't beat him.
There's a lot of pressure on McClintock, who is trailing, to get out of this race. Although a number of people in the Schwarzenegger campaign don't expect that to happy anytime soon. They could do it, obviously, anytime up to election date.
This is an interesting forum here. It's to Republican women. The polling shows that Arnold Schwarzenegger, that has been a star of "Terminator," a lot of other action movies, has some difficulty among women voters. So an interesting forum for him to talk to. He was earlier today gathering the faithful around him for a little pre- luncheon rally. And at that time, he lauded democracy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR: We are the luckiest people on Earth, because we live in a country where we the people have the right to decide if the politicians are doing their job or not. And if we find out that they're not doing their job, then we have the obligation to rise up and to take the government back, and to do the job ourselves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: Now, Fredricka, Arnold Schwarzenegger, as we said, is going to have to do some convincing among conservatives, that is social conservatives. He is a pro-abortion rights. He is liberal on gay rights. This speech today we expect him to present his conservative credentials in an effort to win over that side of the party.
There are almost 1.4 million more Democrats in this state than there are Republicans. So Schwarzenegger can't afford to have any split in the Republican party. So today it will all be about his conservative credentials -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Tom McClintock taking to the microphone a bit later during the dinner, as you said. Candy, thanks very much from Los Angeles.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
