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CNN Live Today
California Recall
Aired October 03, 2003 - 10:34 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the California recall election, front-runner Arnold Schwarzenegger is launching a new facet of his campaign: damage control. The Republican has begun a four-day bus tour, but the road to Tuesday's election has hit some new bumps.
Our national correspondent Bob Franken has the latest report for us.
Hello, Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the story of the last couple of days has been another day, another controversy, this one after an ABC and "New York Times" report quoting some comments from a book proposal that was made by the producer of "Pumping Iron," the producer, George Butler, was making a proposal in which he quoted Arnold Schwarzenegger as saying, "I admire Hitler, because he came from being a little man with almost no formal education up to power. I admire him for being such a good public speaker and for what he did with it."
And once again, Arnold Schwarzenegger had to deal with alleged comments of the past by responding he didn't recollect making them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIF. GOV. CANDIDATE: I don't remember any of those comments, because I always despised everything that Hitler stood for. I hated the regime. I hate the regime of the Third Reich and all of the whole Nazi philosophy. I have always fought against it. And I just know that I have participated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center for the last 20 years and have raised millions of dollars in order to fight prejudice and to fight all of this. And so I think that we have to continue fighting that so this never, ever happens again.
So I despise everything that Nazi stood for or Hitler stood for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: Now this controversy follow by a day an article in "The Los Angeles Times" which listed accusations by six women that over a period of several decades he had groped them, unwelcomed sexual advances. Arnold Schwarzenegger repeatedly said if any of this happened, he was sorry for it, that it was not intended to be anything serious. He also kept on saying that a lot of this was something he didn't remember, which caused a question and answer period with CNN's Candy Crowley. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARZENEGGER: Many of the things name that are in there had are not true because it's not my behavior. And then other things may be true, and in case it is, I just want to say I apologize.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: Now there is a new field poll out, one of the credible polls in California, and it shows that the effort to recall Governor Gray Davis would be successful, 57 to 39 percent, say they will vote for the recall, and as far as Schwarzenegger is concerned, according to this poll, he has opened up a 10-point lead over the Democrat lieutenant Cruz Bustamante in the recall alternative poll. There is only one problem, this poll was conducted before these latest disclosures -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, speaking of disclosures, Bob, has there been any check to see just how credible any of these allegations made by these six women are, are particularly the one, as I read it now, these incidents went from 1975 to 2000? And 2000 is pretty recent.
FRANKEN: Well, the article was quite thorough in discussing what "The Los Angeles Times" did to back up the claims and check out the claims of the women involved, talking to other people about whether they had discussed the matter at the time, that kind of thing.
But of course, the question of credibility is a big question. The candidate, Arnold Schwarzenegger always says, as he responds to these, that he suspects that there's no coincidence that this is happening right before the election.
HARRIS: Well, Politics is politics, is it not?
FRANKEN: Oh, Leon, Leon.
HARRIS: Yes?
FRANKEN: Have a nice life.
(LAUGHTER)
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: He's going to see you, because he's -- when he's done with the California recall thing, he goes back to Washington D.C.
HARRIS: Yes, Bob, I will be seeing plenty of you.
FRANKEN: Do I have to watch?
HARRIS: You can't escape, pal. As a matter of fact, I better be in your living room, all right?
FRANKEN: Watching football, Leon.
HARRIS: Take care, Bob. We'll see you a little bit later. 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 October 3, 2003 - 10:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the California recall election, front-runner Arnold Schwarzenegger is launching a new facet of his campaign: damage control. The Republican has begun a four-day bus tour, but the road to Tuesday's election has hit some new bumps.
Our national correspondent Bob Franken has the latest report for us.
Hello, Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the story of the last couple of days has been another day, another controversy, this one after an ABC and "New York Times" report quoting some comments from a book proposal that was made by the producer of "Pumping Iron," the producer, George Butler, was making a proposal in which he quoted Arnold Schwarzenegger as saying, "I admire Hitler, because he came from being a little man with almost no formal education up to power. I admire him for being such a good public speaker and for what he did with it."
And once again, Arnold Schwarzenegger had to deal with alleged comments of the past by responding he didn't recollect making them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIF. GOV. CANDIDATE: I don't remember any of those comments, because I always despised everything that Hitler stood for. I hated the regime. I hate the regime of the Third Reich and all of the whole Nazi philosophy. I have always fought against it. And I just know that I have participated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center for the last 20 years and have raised millions of dollars in order to fight prejudice and to fight all of this. And so I think that we have to continue fighting that so this never, ever happens again.
So I despise everything that Nazi stood for or Hitler stood for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: Now this controversy follow by a day an article in "The Los Angeles Times" which listed accusations by six women that over a period of several decades he had groped them, unwelcomed sexual advances. Arnold Schwarzenegger repeatedly said if any of this happened, he was sorry for it, that it was not intended to be anything serious. He also kept on saying that a lot of this was something he didn't remember, which caused a question and answer period with CNN's Candy Crowley. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARZENEGGER: Many of the things name that are in there had are not true because it's not my behavior. And then other things may be true, and in case it is, I just want to say I apologize.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: Now there is a new field poll out, one of the credible polls in California, and it shows that the effort to recall Governor Gray Davis would be successful, 57 to 39 percent, say they will vote for the recall, and as far as Schwarzenegger is concerned, according to this poll, he has opened up a 10-point lead over the Democrat lieutenant Cruz Bustamante in the recall alternative poll. There is only one problem, this poll was conducted before these latest disclosures -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, speaking of disclosures, Bob, has there been any check to see just how credible any of these allegations made by these six women are, are particularly the one, as I read it now, these incidents went from 1975 to 2000? And 2000 is pretty recent.
FRANKEN: Well, the article was quite thorough in discussing what "The Los Angeles Times" did to back up the claims and check out the claims of the women involved, talking to other people about whether they had discussed the matter at the time, that kind of thing.
But of course, the question of credibility is a big question. The candidate, Arnold Schwarzenegger always says, as he responds to these, that he suspects that there's no coincidence that this is happening right before the election.
HARRIS: Well, Politics is politics, is it not?
FRANKEN: Oh, Leon, Leon.
HARRIS: Yes?
FRANKEN: Have a nice life.
(LAUGHTER)
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: He's going to see you, because he's -- when he's done with the California recall thing, he goes back to Washington D.C.
HARRIS: Yes, Bob, I will be seeing plenty of you.
FRANKEN: Do I have to watch?
HARRIS: You can't escape, pal. As a matter of fact, I better be in your living room, all right?
FRANKEN: Watching football, Leon.
HARRIS: Take care, Bob. We'll see you a little bit later. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
