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CNN Live At Daybreak

Election Day in California

Aired October 07, 2003 - 06:52   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is time for what could be your final dose of California politics. It is election day in California. Oh, what am I talking about? This may drag on for weeks.
We take you live to Sacramento and Kimberly Osias -- good morning, Kimberly.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

You know, a field of 135 candidates and now an eight page ballot facing California voters. But the two critical questions, whether or not to recall Governor Gray Davis and, if so, just who will replace him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OSIAS (voice-over): It's all come down to a two man show. Embattled Governor Gray Davis pushing for a second chance, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigning for change.

PROF. KIMBERLY NALDER, CAL STATE UNIVERSITY-SACRAMENTO: It's unprecedented. This election is garnering a lot of support among people who might not have voted in the past.

OSIAS: Monday, the pair crisscrossed the state, trying to get out the vote. Buoyed by recent polls, Governor Gray Davis's focus was on getting past the recall.

GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: I know if you give me a chance to finish the term you elected me to, I'll use all my heart and strength to bring this state together and to move us forward together.

OSIAS: For the past four days, Schwarzenegger has been fending off allegations of sexual harassment from at least 15 different women. In the campaign's final hours, the leading Republican front runner stayed on message.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Gray Davis has terminated jobs. Gray Davis has terminated dreams. Gray Davis has terminated opportunities. And now it is time we terminate him.

OSIAS: A variety of voting machines, a vast number of absentee ballots and newly consolidated voter precincts could all lead to legal challenges later.

NALDER: Things have been changing so quickly throughout this campaign, I think there's a possibility for another twist to happen.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSIAS: That is true. It's been a roller coaster from the start and that may not stop. If the race is tight, it may be well into mid- November before California voters know officially just who their governor will be -- Carol.

COSTELLO: That's a frightening thought.

Kimberly Osias live from Sacramento this morning.

You think that we talk too much about the recall? Well, let me tell you, it is big everywhere. From Afghanistan to Austria to Britain, the recall is making news.

Our senior international editor David Clinch joins us -- I guess it's not so much about the recall, but about Arnold.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Arnold, Arnold, Arnold.

COSTELLO: Oye.

CLINCH: That's what it's all about. It's a big story in Britain. It's a big story in the rest of Europe, in Asia, everywhere. We talked about it earlier. There are reporters from Al Jazeera and everywhere else in the world out there in California. We sent our own Richard Quest from London to California just to reflect for our international audience how important this story is, all because of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

It's in the British newspapers today. It's not necessarily the front page story or the banner headline, but it is there in all the papers today. It's an excuse to show pictures of Arnold with naked women. It's an excuse to show pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger in all of his movies. It's an excuse to have a tabloid type story in the papers.

I have my own theory...

COSTELLO: Oh, please tell us. What?

CLINCH: ... of why this story is so big in the rest of the world. And it is about Arnold Schwarzenegger. It's the same reason, I believe, that Arnold Schwarzenegger is such a big movie star. He's not a very good actor, in my humble opinion. And yet he's the biggest, or was at one point, the biggest movie star in the world. A lot of people are fascinated, I think, in the rest of the world by the idea that you can come here to the United States barely speaking English with not much talent other than your own body and whatever else he has going for him and turn yourself into the biggest movie star in the world, and turn yourself potentially into the governor of one of the largest states in the United States, perhaps even one day the president.

If you ask people in the rest of the world consciously why they're so fascinated, they'll say it's because America is wacky, it's crazy and only in America. But subconsciously, I believe there's an element of that. People believe in the American dream. Even if right now they're not that keen on America, they believe in the American dream.

COSTELLO: Well, you know, it's interesting...

CLINCH: And he is all about the American dream.

COSTELLO: ... because Al-Arabiyah, the television network, had sent reporters. They actually had a panel discussion equating the California recall election to an election that some day may be held inside Iraq.

CLINCH: Well, absolutely, and I mean this is the thing. In Iraq today, even though there's violence going on and everything else, people are watching this in Iraq today because they know exactly who Arnold Schwarzenegger is. And whatever they feel about America, they believe in the dream. And that's what he is all about.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

David Clinch, many thanks.

CLINCH: My theory.

COSTELLO: As soon as the polls close in California, you can watch us count the votes. Our coverage begins tonight at 11:00 Eastern live with Wolf Blitzer.

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 7, 2003 - 06:52   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is time for what could be your final dose of California politics. It is election day in California. Oh, what am I talking about? This may drag on for weeks.
We take you live to Sacramento and Kimberly Osias -- good morning, Kimberly.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

You know, a field of 135 candidates and now an eight page ballot facing California voters. But the two critical questions, whether or not to recall Governor Gray Davis and, if so, just who will replace him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OSIAS (voice-over): It's all come down to a two man show. Embattled Governor Gray Davis pushing for a second chance, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigning for change.

PROF. KIMBERLY NALDER, CAL STATE UNIVERSITY-SACRAMENTO: It's unprecedented. This election is garnering a lot of support among people who might not have voted in the past.

OSIAS: Monday, the pair crisscrossed the state, trying to get out the vote. Buoyed by recent polls, Governor Gray Davis's focus was on getting past the recall.

GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: I know if you give me a chance to finish the term you elected me to, I'll use all my heart and strength to bring this state together and to move us forward together.

OSIAS: For the past four days, Schwarzenegger has been fending off allegations of sexual harassment from at least 15 different women. In the campaign's final hours, the leading Republican front runner stayed on message.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Gray Davis has terminated jobs. Gray Davis has terminated dreams. Gray Davis has terminated opportunities. And now it is time we terminate him.

OSIAS: A variety of voting machines, a vast number of absentee ballots and newly consolidated voter precincts could all lead to legal challenges later.

NALDER: Things have been changing so quickly throughout this campaign, I think there's a possibility for another twist to happen.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSIAS: That is true. It's been a roller coaster from the start and that may not stop. If the race is tight, it may be well into mid- November before California voters know officially just who their governor will be -- Carol.

COSTELLO: That's a frightening thought.

Kimberly Osias live from Sacramento this morning.

You think that we talk too much about the recall? Well, let me tell you, it is big everywhere. From Afghanistan to Austria to Britain, the recall is making news.

Our senior international editor David Clinch joins us -- I guess it's not so much about the recall, but about Arnold.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Arnold, Arnold, Arnold.

COSTELLO: Oye.

CLINCH: That's what it's all about. It's a big story in Britain. It's a big story in the rest of Europe, in Asia, everywhere. We talked about it earlier. There are reporters from Al Jazeera and everywhere else in the world out there in California. We sent our own Richard Quest from London to California just to reflect for our international audience how important this story is, all because of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

It's in the British newspapers today. It's not necessarily the front page story or the banner headline, but it is there in all the papers today. It's an excuse to show pictures of Arnold with naked women. It's an excuse to show pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger in all of his movies. It's an excuse to have a tabloid type story in the papers.

I have my own theory...

COSTELLO: Oh, please tell us. What?

CLINCH: ... of why this story is so big in the rest of the world. And it is about Arnold Schwarzenegger. It's the same reason, I believe, that Arnold Schwarzenegger is such a big movie star. He's not a very good actor, in my humble opinion. And yet he's the biggest, or was at one point, the biggest movie star in the world. A lot of people are fascinated, I think, in the rest of the world by the idea that you can come here to the United States barely speaking English with not much talent other than your own body and whatever else he has going for him and turn yourself into the biggest movie star in the world, and turn yourself potentially into the governor of one of the largest states in the United States, perhaps even one day the president.

If you ask people in the rest of the world consciously why they're so fascinated, they'll say it's because America is wacky, it's crazy and only in America. But subconsciously, I believe there's an element of that. People believe in the American dream. Even if right now they're not that keen on America, they believe in the American dream.

COSTELLO: Well, you know, it's interesting...

CLINCH: And he is all about the American dream.

COSTELLO: ... because Al-Arabiyah, the television network, had sent reporters. They actually had a panel discussion equating the California recall election to an election that some day may be held inside Iraq.

CLINCH: Well, absolutely, and I mean this is the thing. In Iraq today, even though there's violence going on and everything else, people are watching this in Iraq today because they know exactly who Arnold Schwarzenegger is. And whatever they feel about America, they believe in the dream. And that's what he is all about.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

David Clinch, many thanks.

CLINCH: My theory.

COSTELLO: As soon as the polls close in California, you can watch us count the votes. Our coverage begins tonight at 11:00 Eastern live with Wolf Blitzer.

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