Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Arnold Fends off Allegations
Aired October 03, 2003 - 08:03 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.
BILL HEMMER, ANCHOR: Arnold Schwarzenegger denying charges that he praised Adolph Hitler 25 years ago and reports by ABC News and "The New York Times," a filmmaker, George Butler, quotes Schwarzenegger saying, "I admired Hitler, he came from 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," end quote.
Back to Bob Franken, live in L.A. for the day after these comments were made again back in 1975.
Good morning. How's it playing, Bob?
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's certainly drawing a lot of attention.
Candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his first effort as a candidate has discovered what happens on a political march. It sometimes slams into a wall. And that's exactly what's happened, and the question is now whether he can overcome these trials and tribulations.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, in responding to the comments about Adolph Hitler that were quoted by George Butler, has said that he said before about such things, he doesn't really remember.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I cannot imagine, because from the time I was a kid on, I always disliked everything that this regime stood for. And when I came to America, it was the same thing.
And I think that Hitler was a disgusting villain, dictator, and he has caused so much harm in the world. And we have to make sure that it never happens again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: Schwarzenegger has been combining his comments on these various controversies, Bill, with suspicions that he's said about all of this happening in the last week of the campaign, quoting Schwarzenegger, "There's a lot of powerful enemies out there."
HEMMER: Bob, thanks. Bob Franken in L.A.
Keeping in California now, Candy Crowley is on the trail there. She talked to the candidate on a day that turned out to be quite a challenge.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): We're not going to take it.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The best-laid plans of men sometimes go astray, and politicians can count on it.
In excruciating detail, the "Los Angeles Times" had the stories of six women who said they were groped and humiliated by Arnold Schwarzenegger as recently as 2000. This on the morning Schwarzenegger set out on a highly produced razzle-dazzle four-day pre-victory lap from San Diego to Sacramento.
It made for an unusual kickoff speech, with all of the phases of damage control, the pushback.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I know that the people of California can see through this trash politics.
CROWLEY: The sort of denial.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Let me tell you something. Let me tell you something, a lot of those what you see in the stories is not true.
CROWLEY: The apology.
SCHWARZENEGGER: So what I want to say to you is that yes, that I have behaved badly sometimes. Yes, it is true, that I was on rowdy movie sets, and I have done things which I thought then was playful but now I recognize that I have offended people. And that those people that I have offended, I want to say to them I'm deeply sorry about that, and I apologize.
CROWLEY: That settled, he was off and rolling, Schwarzenegger, on a bus dubbed "The Running Man," followed by buses of reporters, "Predator" one, two, three and four.
By the time he got to Costa Mesa, supporters were rallying around the Arnold. Critics were trying out their new ammo. And he was back on message.
SCHWARZENEGGER: When I get to Sacramento, I will immediately destroy the car tax.
CROWLEY: By the time he rolled into San Bernadino, it was downright weird. He was doing the children thing as reporters were trying to figure out the groping thing.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I don't remember so many of the things that I was accused of having done.
CROWLEY (on camera): You don't remember anything that was in "the L.A. Times," any of the instances.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I didn't say that. I just said that I don't remember things that I've done or said 20 years ago.
CROWLEY: 2000?
SCHWARZENEGGER: I don't remember things that I have done 30 years ago. And I said that many of the things that are in there are not true, because it's not my behavior. And other things may be true and in case it is, I want to apologize if I offended anyone.
CROWLEY: Is it true or is it not true?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, I would say most of it is not true.
CROWLEY (voice-over): It's going to be a long four days.
Candy Crowley, CNN, San Bernadino, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 - 08:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, ANCHOR: Arnold Schwarzenegger denying charges that he praised Adolph Hitler 25 years ago and reports by ABC News and "The New York Times," a filmmaker, George Butler, quotes Schwarzenegger saying, "I admired Hitler, he came from 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," end quote.
Back to Bob Franken, live in L.A. for the day after these comments were made again back in 1975.
Good morning. How's it playing, Bob?
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's certainly drawing a lot of attention.
Candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his first effort as a candidate has discovered what happens on a political march. It sometimes slams into a wall. And that's exactly what's happened, and the question is now whether he can overcome these trials and tribulations.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, in responding to the comments about Adolph Hitler that were quoted by George Butler, has said that he said before about such things, he doesn't really remember.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I cannot imagine, because from the time I was a kid on, I always disliked everything that this regime stood for. And when I came to America, it was the same thing.
And I think that Hitler was a disgusting villain, dictator, and he has caused so much harm in the world. And we have to make sure that it never happens again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: Schwarzenegger has been combining his comments on these various controversies, Bill, with suspicions that he's said about all of this happening in the last week of the campaign, quoting Schwarzenegger, "There's a lot of powerful enemies out there."
HEMMER: Bob, thanks. Bob Franken in L.A.
Keeping in California now, Candy Crowley is on the trail there. She talked to the candidate on a day that turned out to be quite a challenge.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): We're not going to take it.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The best-laid plans of men sometimes go astray, and politicians can count on it.
In excruciating detail, the "Los Angeles Times" had the stories of six women who said they were groped and humiliated by Arnold Schwarzenegger as recently as 2000. This on the morning Schwarzenegger set out on a highly produced razzle-dazzle four-day pre-victory lap from San Diego to Sacramento.
It made for an unusual kickoff speech, with all of the phases of damage control, the pushback.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I know that the people of California can see through this trash politics.
CROWLEY: The sort of denial.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Let me tell you something. Let me tell you something, a lot of those what you see in the stories is not true.
CROWLEY: The apology.
SCHWARZENEGGER: So what I want to say to you is that yes, that I have behaved badly sometimes. Yes, it is true, that I was on rowdy movie sets, and I have done things which I thought then was playful but now I recognize that I have offended people. And that those people that I have offended, I want to say to them I'm deeply sorry about that, and I apologize.
CROWLEY: That settled, he was off and rolling, Schwarzenegger, on a bus dubbed "The Running Man," followed by buses of reporters, "Predator" one, two, three and four.
By the time he got to Costa Mesa, supporters were rallying around the Arnold. Critics were trying out their new ammo. And he was back on message.
SCHWARZENEGGER: When I get to Sacramento, I will immediately destroy the car tax.
CROWLEY: By the time he rolled into San Bernadino, it was downright weird. He was doing the children thing as reporters were trying to figure out the groping thing.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I don't remember so many of the things that I was accused of having done.
CROWLEY (on camera): You don't remember anything that was in "the L.A. Times," any of the instances.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I didn't say that. I just said that I don't remember things that I've done or said 20 years ago.
CROWLEY: 2000?
SCHWARZENEGGER: I don't remember things that I have done 30 years ago. And I said that many of the things that are in there are not true, because it's not my behavior. And other things may be true and in case it is, I want to apologize if I offended anyone.
CROWLEY: Is it true or is it not true?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, I would say most of it is not true.
CROWLEY (voice-over): It's going to be a long four days.
Candy Crowley, CNN, San Bernadino, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
