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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Recall Election Under Way; Senator's Wife Abducted at Knifepoint
Aired October 07, 2003 - 17:00 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.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Decision day, California voters turn out. Will they kick out their governor? We're live at the polls and with the candidates waiting in the wings.
Intelligence leak, White House staffers hand over their records right now.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have no idea whether we'll find out who the leak is.
BLITZER: Abducted, a Senator's wife grabbed at knifepoint.
Fire in the streets, heart-stopping moments outside a hospital.
And a mauling and a miracle, Roy Horn hangs on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, live from Los Angeles, the California recall.
BLITZER: It's Tuesday, October 07, 2003. Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.
From the start it's been characterized as a circus. If so, today is the final act but the California recall is a very serious matter shaping the future of the country's most populous state and by one estimate the world's sixth largest economy.
Still, a sense of the surreal pervades. Governor Gray Davis fighting for his political life mobbed by the media as he cast his ballot at the same polling place where candidate and porn publisher Larry Flynt cast his just moments before.
A similar scene on the other side of L.A. Frontrunner Arnold Schwarzenegger consumed by cameras as he cast his ballot at a mansion that serves as a polling place in an exclusive sea side neighborhood.
Now, it's all in the hands of the voters, expected to turn out in very high numbers for the most unusual election in California history.
We have reporters covering the story around the state. Charles Feldman is with the Davis campaign. National Correspondent Kelly Wallace is with the Schwarzenegger campaign and our other National Correspondent Bob Franken, he's out with the voters in Burbank, California. We'll get to all of you shortly.
But first a look at what makes this election so extraordinary.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): After weeks of political excitement and intrigue it now all comes down to this. Californians going to the polls and actually putting their ballots where their mouths are. That includes the candidates.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I always look for the longest name so it's easy to find. My name is easy to find.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CRUZ BUSTAMANTE (D), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: It's a very serious vote. It's going to determine the leadership for California for the next decade.
BLITZER: Governor Gray Davis is struggling to survive but putting his best foot forward.
GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: I feel absolutely terrific. I have always trusted the voters of California. I know they're going to do the right thing today.
BLITZER: As far as the recall is concerned there are two questions on the ballot, first should Gray Davis be recalled, removed from the office of governor? Second, if he is recalled who should replace him? There are 135 candidates on the ballot though some have dropped out of the contest.
The Democrats insist their internal polls show a dramatic tightening of the contest in the final days just as Schwarzenegger was facing fresh allegations of sexual misconduct. The Republicans insist their internal polls easily show Davis being removed and Schwarzenegger easily defeating Democratic Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.
Back in Washington, President Bush says he probably won't stay up late to find out who wins and he continues to stay out of the contest.
BUSH: I feel like the California people are going to make a wise decision that they are now in charge of the process and it looks like there's a pretty active turnout and the absentee ballots and people are taking this seriously and I have no idea how the election is going to turn out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Let's check in now with the man Schwarzenegger is trying to replace. CNN's Charles Feldman is covering Governor Gray Davis' campaign here in downtown Los Angeles -- Charles.
CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, publicly at least some Democratic Party big wigs are saying they think that in the end Governor Davis will pull this off and voters will turn down the recall.
Privately, some of them are already speculating on what the state will be like when Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected as governor, so there's a split between what they're saying publicly and privately, no surprise there.
The governor cast his ballot, as you said, earlier, told people that he expects and hopes for a big turnout thinking that more people turning out, more of them Democrats of course than Republicans in the state might be good news for him but then again the way things have been going, Wolf, then again may not be -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, CNN's Charles Feldman covering Gray Davis' campaign. Let's move over now to the Schwarzenegger camp. It's gathered in the Century City neighborhood of Los Angeles. Our National Correspondent Kelly Wallace is there -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, advisers to Arnold Schwarzenegger are feeling very good, so good they are touting their overnight internal tracking poll numbers, which they say show the recall passing and Arnold Schwarzenegger with a significant lead over Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.
These advisers say they are not seeing any damage to Arnold Schwarzenegger after days of damaging accusations, including allegations of sexual misconduct. Mr. Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria going to the polls earlier today.
There Schwarzenegger talked about how he feels he's gotten his message out and he also did something else. For the first time on the campaign trail appealing to a higher power, Wolf, he says this decision is now in God's hands -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Thanks very much, Kelly Wallace, for that.
And looming in the background of all of this memories of the 2000 election and the Florida recount debacle. Potential problems in this election include these, touch screen voting machines. Some of them don't produce printouts and some say that would make a legitimate recount virtually impossible.
And, millions of voters are still having to use punch card ballots with their infamous hanging chad, plus it could take election officials more than a month, yes, a month to actually certify the results.
So far, however, the voting seems to be going rather smoothly and turnout expected to be high. Our National Correspondent Bob Franken is with voters at a polling station in nearby Burbank -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the experience here seems to reflect what's going on all around the state and that is a heavier than normal turnout but by all accounts its thus far been orderly. It certainly has been here where they pride themselves by the way in saying we may have punch card ballots but there will be no hanging chads.
Now, Los Angeles County has four million voters. It's the largest election district in the United States as a matter of fact, four million registered voters, and they are feeling with the sample ballot they were encouraged to bring already filled out, which of course reflects the choice that California voters have to make.
Vote yes on whether or not to recall Gray Davis, simple enough, but then page after page after page of choices, 135 choices on the ballot and, by the way, I should point out that there's always sometime during the day when we have a siren of some sort go past us. A fire truck has gone past us.
In any case, they are hoping that they don't have any problems that require emergency treatment tonight when it comes time to count the vote. In addition to the very complicated ballot there is also the question of that heavy turnout, the actual registration is up about 30 percent from the last election in the state of California.
What's very interesting about that is it includes a huge number of young voters and most political experts, Wolf, believe that's bad news for Gray Davis because these would be people who are less concerned about a recall and would be more inclined to have watched the Arnold Schwarzenegger movies as they were growing up -- Wolf.
BLITZER: We'll soon find out about that. Bob Franken, thanks very much. We'll be checking back with you.
Let's get some analysis now of this historic recall election and for that we're joined by CNN's Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider and CNN's Senior Analyst Jeff Greenfield. They're both here in Los Angeles.
First to you, Bill. The most important issues that you'll be looking at when you start reading those exit polls?
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, we'll be looking very closely at women voters to see if those reports of Arnold Schwarzenegger's sexual misconduct has affected women voters and whether they turn the election around.
We'll be seeing whether Democrats believe the charges that are being made by national Democrats that this is a plot by Republicans to steal elections they can't win whether Democrats believe that.
New voters, well are they flocking to the polls the way Jesse Ventura once got them to come out? Are they coming to the polls, as some people have predicted, to vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger?
And keep this in mind, Wolf, two million Californians voted early before the charges against Arnold Schwarzenegger were publicized. Will they determine the outcome of this election? Will their votes be different from those who are voting today on election day or will they not make much difference? We'll be looking closely at the exit poll to see exactly how those issues come out. BLITZER: And, just to be precise on those exit polls, Bill, we won't be reporting any of the results until the polls close. That would be 8:00 p.m. California time, 11:00 p.m. Eastern, is that right?
SCHNEIDER: That is exactly right, 8:00 p.m. the entire state closes its polls. We will not report any exit polls before that. I might point out that the Secretary of State Kevin Shelley once said to me jokingly we don't want you to report exit polls early because we here in California don't want to influence voters in Florida.
BLITZER: All right, Bill Schneider with that, thanks Bill very much.
Jeff Greenfield is here with us in our studio. If the race is close, the 58 counties in California will be obviously very significant. What should we be looking for early on in these counties?
JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SR. ANALYST: Well, I'm going to play John Madden for a second and show you on this telestrator exactly what we're going to do. Democrats get elected in Los Angeles County, the most populous county, which went for Gray Davis last year by about 21 points and they get elected as well up here in the north in San Francisco, Alameda County. That's where Oakland and the city of San Francisco is. Davis carried that by 40 points in San Francisco.
The Republicans get elected or in this case the recall will prevail if Republicans turn out in what's called the inland empire, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Davis lost those both in 2002 and what's called the Central Valley in Stockton and Fresno and places this is where a lot of the California agricultural product is.
But just like America where the coasts tend to be more liberal than the heartland, California is like that but by the coast they do mean L.A., San Francisco, Alameda Counties, so those are the places we're going to be looking for.
BLITZER: Not necessarily San Diego though?
GREENFIELD: San Diego used to be heavily Republican. In fact, it went Republican, that's way here in the south, by 11 points but San Diego and Orange County, which is the original home of the little old ladies in tennis shoes, the Goldwater Republicans, those have both become less Republican although they did, David did lose them both last time.
The key here in terms of geography is whether or not L.A. in particular is going to turn out a huge number of voters to say no to the recall. Otherwise, Davis is toast.
BLITZER: I'm hearing from both sides that they ware getting large turnout but both sides have conflicting interpretations of what that means. What does it mean, Jeff?
GREENFIELD: Okay, first of all at this hour you've got to take all those stories and put them, take them with about a ton of salt. Somebody sees a line at the election -- at the polls, they say it's a big turnout.
But in this case a big turnout probably helps Arnold because they are counting on first time voters, younger people disaffected with politics who think, ah ha, now we can take a two-by-four to the political process. In my view, unlike normal elections, big turnout bad news for the Democrat Davis.
BLITZER: All right, Jeff Greenfield who will be by my side throughout this night, thanks very much for that.
GREENFIELD: OK.
BLITZER: We'll be getting back to you obviously a lot.
And to our viewers, here is your turn to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day is this. "Will the recall solve California's problems"? you can vote right now at cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.
And, of course, please be sure to join me 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 Pacific for the results of the California recall.
Terrifying abduction, the wife of a prominent politician kidnapped from her home at knifepoint. We'll have a live report.
Just drop it, Martha Stewart's new move to get prosecutors off her back.
And this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When Arnold wanted to propose marriage to Maria Shriver he brought her here..
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Back to his roots, we'll go live to Gras, Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger's hometown. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: I'm Jeff Flock at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas where I'll have the latest on the condition of illusionist Roy Horn as well as the tiger that mauled him coming right up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Much more on the California recall coming up from here in Los Angeles but first some other important news today.
A frightening experience today for the wife of the Republican Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. Kathleen Gregg was abducted at knifepoint from her home just outside Washington in McLean, Virginia. CNN's Patty Davis is covering the case which police say is similar to an abduction that happened last month right here in McLean -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, say they do not have any reason to believe that Kathleen Gregg's abductors knew that she is the wife of Republican New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVIS (voice-over): Kathleen Gregg's terrifying ordeal began when she arrived her at her McLean, Virginia home just before 10:00 in the morning. Police say two men were already inside.
SGT. JEFF GOSSETT, FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE: One of the men produced a knife and demanded cash. They had a discussion and it was decided to come to this bank to get some cash.
DAVIS: Police say the men forced Gregg, shown here the night before at a White House state dinner with her husband Republican Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, into the family car. They drove to this nearby Wachovia Bank, one man riding with her the other following in a silver car.
GOSSETT: The black male went inside with the victim, went to the teller's counter, received some cash and then he ran out the front door, got into the silver vehicle with the white male.
DAVIS: Police say bank employees had no idea what was happening until the man ran out with an undisclosed amount of money. A shaken Gregg stayed inside and was questioned by police for more than an hour. Police say they have no information to suggest Gregg's abductors knew who she was.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At this time Mrs. Gregg is doing fine. She has no physical injuries. There will be no statements from Senator Gregg or his family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DAVIS: Senator Gregg was traveling at the time. He rushed home to be with his wife.
Now, as you said Wolf, there was a similar abduction in this area last week a man at gunpoint abducting a woman and her two children forcing her to get in her car and drive to another bank near here and withdraw money while he held one of her children hostage. Now, police telling me that it is too early to say whether these two abductions are connected -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Patty Davis, thanks very much for that report.
And joining us now with more on Mrs. Gregg's abduction the Fairfax County Police Major Steve Sellers. Major Sellers thanks very much for joining us. What do we know about the similarity between these two abductions? MAJ. STEVE SELLERS, FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE: Well, there are some similarities in terms of taking the victim to a local bank. In the first case it was involving an ATM. In this case it involved bringing the victim up to the teller window actually so there's some differences as well but there are some similarities and we're looking at both cases to see if there's any relationship at this point.
BLITZER: Is there any identification, any sketches, any information about these two individuals?
SELLERS: Well, we're working in unison with the Federal Bureau of Investigation right now and they have rushed to print up some photographs that we've obtained from the bank here, some video photographs and some stills and we hope within the next hour or so to have some actual photographs of at least one of the suspects, possibly both of them, and get them out to you all.
BLITZER: And can you confirm, Major Sellers, that it appears the abductors did not know necessarily that she was the wife of a United States Senator?
SELLERS: We have no indication whatsoever that they had any knowledge of her identity.
BLITZER: McLean, Virginia where you are in Fairfax County, a very affluent area, a suburban area of Washington, Greater Washington, D.C. Are there any other similar cases in the area, in the region, Greater Washington, where this has been a kind of modus operandi?
SELLERS: We know of a few cases in the area within the past year in other jurisdictions in close proximity to Fairfax County and a handful in Fairfax County. This is not -- this is not a unique type of crime but it is something fairly new. We don't have a lot of cases like this and we haven't in the past year but there are some similarities between some other crimes in the area.
BLITZER: Finally, very briefly, major, any words of advice if this should happen again to viewers out there?
SELLERS: Well, just obviously be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of your surroundings when you go into your home. Be aware of your surroundings when you go to use the ATM or a bank and just be ever vigilant and call in any suspicious activity that you see to the local police.
BLITZER: Major Steve Sellers of the Fairfax County Police Department, Major Sellers thanks very much. Good luck in your hunt for these suspects.
New developments now in a closely watched terror trial. That tops our Justice File today. The government says it will appeal a ruling barring them from seeking the death penalty for Zacarias Moussaoui or linking him to 9/11.
He's the only person charged in connection with the attacks. The ruling punished prosecutors for ignoring "orders" giving Moussaoui access to al Qaeda suspects that the defense says could prove his innocence.
Hockey player Danny Heatley of the Atlanta Thrashers will be allowed to go to the funeral of teammate Dan Snyder who died after a violent wreck in Heatley's Ferrari. Charges against Heatley have been upgraded to vehicular homicide. He's free on bond but still hospitalized for injuries he suffered in the crash.
And attorneys for Martha Stewart say they've asked a judge to dismiss securities fraud and obstruction of justice charges against her. Stewart faces trial next year on those charges as well as conspiracy and making false statements. It all stems from the investigation into her sale of ImClone stock right before it tanked.
Intelligence leak and now the investigation. We'll take you live to the White House where staffers have just turned over their documents.
And down to the wire, California is casting their votes.
And, back to his roots as well, we'll take you live to Arnold Schwarzenegger's hometown in Austria to hear what the locals are saying about their man.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Much more coming up on the California recall but let's turn first to the investigation of the leak which blew the cover of a CIA operative. The self-imposed deadline set by the White House for staffers to hand over relevant documents has just passed. Meantime, President Bush is voicing doubts about the likely success of the investigation.
For all of that let's turn live to our Senior White House Correspondent John King -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, let's start with the president. He was at a cabinet meeting earlier today. The president had hoped to focus on what he sees as recent encouraging economic news, questions of course though about the leak investigation. The president was asked is he confident whoever is responsible will ultimately be found and brought to justice. The president sounded quite skeptical.
BUSH: This is a town where a lot of people leak and I've constantly expressed my displeasure with leaks, particularly leaks of classified information and I want to know. I want to know the truth. I want to see to it that the truth prevail and I hope we can get this investigation done in a thorough way as quickly as possible.
KING: Now, in the room for that cabinet meeting, Alberto Gonzales, the White House counsel. He had set that 5:00 p.m. deadline. Today the Justice Department says it does not need those documents turned over until two weeks from today but Judge Gonzalez set a five o'clock deadline today.
One of the reasons is the White House believes this is becoming increasingly a political distraction. That's spelled out to a memo to everyone here at the White House from Chief of Staff Andy Card who said this:
"The sooner we complete the search and delivery of documents the sooner the Justice Department can complete its inquiry and the sooner we can all return our full attention to doing the work of the people that the president has entrusted to us."
White House aides, Wolf, going through their records throughout the day. A good number have met the deadline, we are told. A good number expected to be here late into the night trying to keep the chief of staff's request that they comply by tonight.
One interesting footnote to the discussion today, the White House saying Judge Gonzalez will now go through the documents before turning them over to the Justice Department.
They say the goal here is full cooperation but they are not ruling out shielding, using executive privilege to keep some classified information out of the hands of investigators if they determine here at the White House it is sensitive to national security but not relevant to the investigation -- Wolf.
BLITZER: John King at the White House following that story, John thanks very much.
A brazen attack, meanwhile, in Baghdad today. A coalition spokesman says an explosion at the Iraqi foreign ministry was probably caused by a rocket-propelled grenade. It left a crater but caused no casualties this as the U.S. military reported the deaths of three American soldiers overnight. One was killed in a roadside bombing just west of Baghdad. Two others were killed, along with an Iraqi translator, just south of the capitol.
Coalition forces in Iraq may be getting some help. Turkey's parliament today approved a motion allowing the government to send peacekeeping troops to Iraq but the resolution does not set a time table.
While the United States has asked for Turkey's help, the U.S.- appointed governing council in Baghdad today said it opposes such a deployment reflecting Iraqi fears of Turkey's intentions in northern Iraq. That story not yet resolved.
And judgment day here in California, voters deciding right now whether to fire their governor and possibly hire an actor to take his place.
And fire back in downtown Washington, D.C., a city street in flames, a hospital emergency room closed.
And fighting for his life, doctors say it's a miracle Roy Horn is still alive. We're live from his hospital in Las Vegas.
All those stories and more coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Arnold's Austrian roots. A revealing report from candidate Schwarzenegger's hometown in Austria. That's coming up next.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Live from Los Angeles, the California recall.
BLITZER: Welcome back.
Here he's known as the Terminator. But in one small Austrian town, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the local boy who made it big. Actually, huge. We'll go live to Graz, in Austria.
First, though, a quick check of the latest headlines.
(NEWSBREAK)
BLITZER: More now on the major story of the day, the vote to recall California's Democratic governor, Gray Davis, a step unprecedented in that state's history.
CNN correspondents are at strategic sites as voters continue to cast their ballots right now. Dan Lothian is in Sacramento with the campaign of the Democratic lieutenant governor, Cruz Bustamante, and Miguel Marquez is with the campaign of State Senator Tom McClintock, a Republican.
Let's begin now, first of all, with Dan. Tell us what's happening from your vantage point, Dan.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, an aide for Bustamante would not talk about the mood of the campaign. What she did tell us, though, is that Bustamante would be spending time with his family here in Sacramento, where he will also be watching the numbers come in tonight.
Now this morning he began by voting here in Sacramento at an elementary school. He was speaking in both English and Spanish as he reflected on the potential for a big voter turnout. He said that is important because this is an important day. After this long and hard- fought recall campaign, he said that this is the only day that counts, Election Day.
Now, in recent weeks, he has seen his numbers slipping. Yesterday he was spending time in an east Los Angeles neighborhood, mostly Latino voters there. And he said in order for him to win, he needs to get their help -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Dan Lothian, thanks very much.
Let's move over now to CNN's Miguel Marquez. He's in Sacramento with the campaign of the Republican State Senator Tom McClintock -- Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) sort of the other big Republican in this race. He's a conservative state senator in California, Tom McClintock, cast his ballot in his home district of Thousand Oaks today, told the people there at the -- who gathered to vote their conscience. And if they thought he was the best man for the job, then they should vote for him. And at the end of the day, he would be governor. He's referring to a debate a couple of weeks ago where people were asked in polls afterwards, Who do you think the best -- did best in the debate? They said, Tom McClintock. Then they said -- asked who are you going to vote for? And they said, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It was long thought McClintock would be a spoiler in this thing. But if things shake out the way they might be looking, if Davis loses, and Schwarzenegger wins, and Tom McClintock sticks to his guns and stays in the race to the end, he may be the biggest winner of all -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Miguel Marquez covering that campaign. Thanks, Miguel, very much.
And regardless of your opinion of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and regardless of the charges and countercharges hurled against him during the recall campaign, there's one place where the former bodybuilder can do absolutely no wrong. Namely, his native country, Austria.
CNN's senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers is there along with many of Arnold Schwarzenegger's fans.
Walter, tell us what's happening where you are.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf.
Well, this is the Austrian equivalent of the Young Republicans all gathering to celebrate, a celebration of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his hometown.
Most people here have no idea what Arnold Schwarzenegger stands for politically, so we went looking over the course of the past two days, looking for Arnold Schwarzenegger's roots.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RODGERS (voice-over): Schwarzenegger's California race led Austrian TV's evening news every night the past week, especially after allegations of groping and sexual harassment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a groper. He doesn't respect women.
RODGERS: In his native Austria, however, even among women, there seems a collective disbelief he engaged in any alleged sexual misdeeds.
KURT MARNUL, BODYBUILDING TRAINER: I'm sure that's a -- that's lie.
RODGERS (on camera): Why?
MARNUL: Because he's too honest.
RODGERS (voice-over): Albert Kaufman, a well-known Austrian Jewish businessman, had a grandfather in Dachau concentration camp. He gets livid at the suggestion that Arnold ever admired Hitler.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is extremely unfair. It's so unjust. He was pro-Jewish. And he supported me in my activities against -- against Hitler ideology and neo-Nazism for 20 years now.
RODGERS: Constitutionally barred from becoming president because he was foreign-born, many Austrians believe Arnie can somehow get around that. Some suggest the White House was always his end game.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): When he was 18, he went to Munich and returned home saying, Germany is too small, I have to go to the United States.
RODGERS: His friend, restaurant owner Carl Kling (ph), says Arnold's appetite is even bigger than his ambition. The man eats four times what others eat.
(on camera): Looking for Arnold in Austria reveals a genuinely romantic streak in the man. This is the Thaler See, a local lake. When Arnold wanted to propose marriage to Maria Shriver, he brought her here. He rode her out into the middle of the lake, in this very boat, and Arnold popped the question.
(voice-over): But friends say there was another Maria in Arnold's past. His first love. Somewhere, living in anonymity, the other Maria may perhaps be found in some of these Austrian towns. But people suspect she may not want to be found now. Yet people say Arnold still asks about her when he comes back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RODGERS: Austrians seem to have blurred the line between Schwarzenegger, the man, and Schwarzenegger, the myth. All anyone here seems to care about is that he's rich, successful, and very good looking -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Walter Rodgers with an excellent report from Austria. Walter, thank you very much for that good report.
And state of the state, some reasons why Californians may be looking for a change. Taking issue. We'll hear from two California members of the United States Congress. You won't be surprised to know they have very, very different views. That's just ahead.
Also this -- tiger attack. Roy Horn in a Las Vegas hospital fighting for his life right now. We'll take you there live.
First, though, a quick look at some other news making headlines "Around the World."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): New Palestinian cabinet. Yasser Arafat swears in a new prime minister and emergency cabinet in the West Bank. The move comes as Israel steps up threats to remove the Palestinian Authority president. Officials say the new cabinet will try to persuade militants to stop attacks on Israel.
On the road again. Despite concerns about his health, Pope John Paul II traveled to the southern Italian town of Pompeii to pray for world peace. The 83-year-old pontiff looked happy, but slurred his words. Just last month, John Paul appeared weak and struggled through a four-day pilgrimage to Slovakia.
Afghan war, this is the two-year anniversary of the war to drive the Taliban and al Qaeda from Afghanistan. The American special envoy to Afghanistan warns that Taliban militants may be planning what he calls spectacular attacks against U.S.-led coalition forces still in the country.
Giants in physics. Two Americans and a Russian have won the Nobel Prize in Physics for research into how matter behaves at very low temperatures. They'll share the $1.3 million prize money.
Cutting the carpet. An Argentina group is turning the traditional male-female dance into a women's only gig. Members call themselves the dames of the tango. Asked why they're doing it, the group male producer says said it's the last male bastion and so we are going to destroy it.
And that's a look around the world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Much of the bruising campaign to recall Governor Gray Davis has focused on the state's weak economic pulse. Unemployment is almost 7 percent compared to a national average of almost 6.5 percent. More than 2 million people moved out of the state between 1995 and 2000. And the state's budget deficit projection reached $38 billion.
Joining us now in Washington, D.C. For their take on today's recall vote, two guests, Democratic Congress woman Ellen Tauscher of California, and her Republican counterpart David Drier, who also is the co-chairman of the Schwarzenegger campaign. Thanks to both of you for joining us.
Let me begin with you, Congress woman Tauscher. It looks like you have a struggle ahead of you in the hours to come.
Does Gray Davis have a serious chance of hanging on?
REP. ELLEN TAUSCHER (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, I think he does. This is an unwarranted recall. And when I was leaving California this morning, I had many of my constituents and friends were going to vote. Both Democrats and Republicans back home in Contra Costa County where I live are disappointed that we're going to have this recall going forward. And they're deeply concerned about the state of our economy in California, the state of our air quality, the state of our infrastructure investments. And they have no idea where a future Governor Schwarzenegger is on any of these issues.
BLITZER: Is it fair...
TAUSCHER: We have a big vote coming out.
BLITZER: Was it fair for the whole issue of sexual harassment, or sexual misconduct to come up by the "Los Angeles Times" in the last few days?
TAUSCHER: Don't forget, these are accusations brought by average American citizens, women in Los Angeles. Whether it's fair or not, the truth is, we don't know what what Governor Schwarzenegger would do. My colleague was very crafty in making sure Arnold Schwarzenegger only appeared in one debate where the questions were preset. So we know very little about what he's going to do about the economy, what he's going to do about air quality and infrastructure investments, and all the things that Californians care about.
BLITZER: David, what do you think about that?
REP. DAVID DREIER (R), CALIFORNIA: Well, let me say, I guess I take that all as a compliment. First I'll say that I agree on the need to focus on all of those issues. Arnold Schwarzenegger has addressed every single one of them. And the debate that was much maligned before it took place about questions being provided in advance actually was one of the freest flowing debates anyone had ever seen. A wide range of issues came to the forefront, including a focus on the most important issue that we find out there. And that is, to get the economic engine running again.
You just raised those numbers at the outset of this, Wolf. And I think that we do need to do that. The people of California are in fact angry and disappointed. And we have a chance now to have the people take the state back. If you look at the tripling of the car tax, if you look at granting driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants, potentially jeopardizing our security, these are issues, Wolf that do need to be addressed. And it's very clear where Arnold Schwarzenegger stands on them. And I'll tell you he's very pro- environment. As a Californian, he's a pro environment. But he's pro business, but he believes the two don't have to be mutually exclusive.
BLITZER: Ellen Tauscher, there's no doubt that the allegations of sexual misconduct were serious these past several days. But Arnold Schwarzenegger had his wife, Maria Schriver, his mother-in-law, Eunice Shriver a lot of other women coming to his defense. Those are significant elements of support in this state.
TAUSCHER: They are significant. But there are still many questions that need to be answered. The truth is, this is a power grab, Wolf. We don't even know who will be in charge if there's a Governor Schwarzenegger. Think about the people that he's aligned with. BLITZER: Why can't you simply assume he will be in charge?
DREIER: He will be in charge.
TAUSCHER: Because I have no experience to tell me what he will do if he's in charge. I certainly know that, except for being involved in an education initiative a few years ago, he has rarely voted. And not really shown any interest in politics. This is about power. This is about being in charge. And I still think we don't know enough about what he will do when he has that.
DREIER: Ellen is absolutely right this is about power. It's about power for the people of California. His goal is to be the people's governor. I spent three hours with him Sunday evening, and with his wife and children. And I know looking at a wide range of issues that Arnold Schwarzenegger is in control. This guy is one of the most disciplined human beings I've ever met. He is successful at virtually everything he's done to body building, to the motion picture industry, a wonderful family, and a superb business leader in California. Very successful in all those things. I'm hoping to see him take that same kind of success to address these very important challenges that exist for Californians. I say this to Ellen, we really want to come together after this election in a bipartisan way to take on the challenges that are there. And I hope very much that we can do that. The people will have spoken tonight. And I think that if in fact Arnold does win, and I want to encourage everybody to get out and vote, I think we have a great chance to see us come together now.
BLITZER: Ellen Tauscher, on a lot of the issues, the social issues, whether abortion rights for women, gay rights, gun control, Arnold Schwarzenegger's very close to your stance.
TAUSCHER: Well, he says he is. But we'll have to see, won't we. We have never heard about him supporting any issues of these in the public arena.
DREIER: Absolutely, he has consistently...
TAUSCHER: You and I both know you wouldn't support Arnold Schwarzenegger if he was in a primary right now.
(CROSSTALK)
DREIER: I was the co-chairman of Dick Riordan's campaign.
TAUSCHER: The only reason he was able to be where he is right now is that he took advantage of a glitch. This was really a Washington inspired recall election, Wolf, funded by a member of Congress that works in Washington. You've got David Dreier, who is in Washington all the time supporting him. I don't think average Californians know what Arnold Schwarzenegger stands for. They think he's popular. They think he has got some good movies.
DREIER: I was the co-chairman of Dick Riordan's campaign, and Dick Riordan actually embraced those views. And I personally am comfortable with the views that Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken on virtually every issue. And I think that is the mainstream view of Californians. And he has worked on behalf of all of those issues consistently in the past. As governor, I know he's going to pursue them vigorously.
BLITZER: Very quickly, is it going to be a long night or a short night tonight, Ellen Tauscher?
TAUSCHER: It will be a long night. With all of the absentee ballots that need to be counted, you know, I hear that we have big turnouts in Northern California. The counties that you talked about before, L.A. County, San Francisco County, Alameda County, very big turnouts. Those are Democratic areas, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Democrats coming home.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: David, you have the last word.
DREIER: I'm convinced at the end of the day that the people of California are going to win, if they get out to vote in the next couple of hours, which is absolutely essential here, and Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to be the governor of all the people, Democrats, Republicans and independents.
BLITZER: David Dreier, on behalf of Arnold Schwarzenegger, reaching out to Democrats. We'll see what happens.
Thanks to both of you for joining us. Two members of the United States Congress, Ellen Tauscher, David Dreier.
A tiger trainer in the fight of his life. Surprising comments by Roy Horn's doctor. And a live update on his condition. That's coming up.
And talk about degrees of separation. Some funny and some bizarre. Things you may not know about California's major candidates. All that still to come.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: His doctors say it's miraculous that he's still alive, four days after he was mauled by one of his white tigers. Magician and animal trainer Roy Horn is still fighting to survive. Let's go live to Las Vegas. CNN's Jeff Flock is there -- Jeff.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And his doctor, Wolf, speaking today for the first time said it is not a sure bet that he will survive, but there is some good news.
I want to take you right out to the strip right now and show you the growing tribute out there to Roy Horn. People coming with pens, coming with flowers, leaving messages for Roy Horn. All this was going on as his neurosurgeon spoke for the first time, Dr. Derek Duke, saying today indeed it's a miracle that he's still alive, but the positive is, he's communicating, although no one is saying exactly how that communication is taking place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DEREK DUKE, HORN'S NEUROSURGEON: He is not now, nor has he ever been in a drug-induced coma. While we are very pleased with his progress, Mr. Horn remains in critical condition, and will be quite some time before we know the full extent of his recovery. Every day that passes increases his chances for survival and recovery.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLOCK: And Wolf, the other headline today has to do with the show, the Siegfried & Roy show. Take a good look at it on tape, because the other headline today is that Siegfried & Roy show as we know it is probably over forever. The manager of the show, longtime manager of the show, and of Siegfried & Roy, saying today it's been a long run, but the Siegfried & Roy spectacle, quoting him now, "at the Mirage is now closed."
That's the latest, Wolf, back to you.
BLITZER: Jeff Flock. What a heartbreaking story. Thanks very much for that.
The results of our Web question, that's coming up immediately when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Here's some facts about the California recall you may not know.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): As if you needed to be convinced that this election is a little different, try on the role of action hero turned governor. If Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes that, he'd share the title with a man he knows well.
That would be former wrestler turned former action hero turned former governor, one Jesse Ventura. In the future, the two could swap stories of intrigue in their state capitols, and the various movies they starred in together.
SCHWARZENEGGER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with me.
BLITZER: Including "Batman & Robin," "The Running Man" and "Predator."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're bleeding, man.
JESSE VENTURA, FORMER MINNESOTA GOVERNOR: I ain't got time to bleed.
BLITZER: The political drama, something Schwarzenegger's in-laws know all too well. But he has a chance to do something none of those Kennedys ever could, actually win a race for governor.
Maria Shriver's cousin, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, lost her bid for Maryland's top post last year. Townsend's brother, former Congressman Joseph Kennedy flirted with running for Massachusetts governor, but he bagged it.
DAVIS: I feel absolutely terrific.
BLITZER: Not so fast, Gray Davis. You don't get off so easy. Especially if you become the first U.S. governor to be recalled in 82 years. Davis would share that hall of fame with one Lynn Frazier (ph), Republican, North Dakota, removed from office in 1921, elected to the U.S. Senate a year later.
But back to Schwarzenegger, and that ever-so-entertaining Hollywood past.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the dating game.
BLITZER: If he wins, he would be the second U.S. governor known to have appeared on "The Dating Game." The other, Jennifer Granholm, the Democrat currently holding Michigan's highest office.
MIKE MYERS, ACTOR: Yeah, baby, yeah!
(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
Knifepoint>
Aired October 7, 2003 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Decision day, California voters turn out. Will they kick out their governor? We're live at the polls and with the candidates waiting in the wings.
Intelligence leak, White House staffers hand over their records right now.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have no idea whether we'll find out who the leak is.
BLITZER: Abducted, a Senator's wife grabbed at knifepoint.
Fire in the streets, heart-stopping moments outside a hospital.
And a mauling and a miracle, Roy Horn hangs on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, live from Los Angeles, the California recall.
BLITZER: It's Tuesday, October 07, 2003. Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.
From the start it's been characterized as a circus. If so, today is the final act but the California recall is a very serious matter shaping the future of the country's most populous state and by one estimate the world's sixth largest economy.
Still, a sense of the surreal pervades. Governor Gray Davis fighting for his political life mobbed by the media as he cast his ballot at the same polling place where candidate and porn publisher Larry Flynt cast his just moments before.
A similar scene on the other side of L.A. Frontrunner Arnold Schwarzenegger consumed by cameras as he cast his ballot at a mansion that serves as a polling place in an exclusive sea side neighborhood.
Now, it's all in the hands of the voters, expected to turn out in very high numbers for the most unusual election in California history.
We have reporters covering the story around the state. Charles Feldman is with the Davis campaign. National Correspondent Kelly Wallace is with the Schwarzenegger campaign and our other National Correspondent Bob Franken, he's out with the voters in Burbank, California. We'll get to all of you shortly.
But first a look at what makes this election so extraordinary.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): After weeks of political excitement and intrigue it now all comes down to this. Californians going to the polls and actually putting their ballots where their mouths are. That includes the candidates.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I always look for the longest name so it's easy to find. My name is easy to find.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CRUZ BUSTAMANTE (D), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: It's a very serious vote. It's going to determine the leadership for California for the next decade.
BLITZER: Governor Gray Davis is struggling to survive but putting his best foot forward.
GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: I feel absolutely terrific. I have always trusted the voters of California. I know they're going to do the right thing today.
BLITZER: As far as the recall is concerned there are two questions on the ballot, first should Gray Davis be recalled, removed from the office of governor? Second, if he is recalled who should replace him? There are 135 candidates on the ballot though some have dropped out of the contest.
The Democrats insist their internal polls show a dramatic tightening of the contest in the final days just as Schwarzenegger was facing fresh allegations of sexual misconduct. The Republicans insist their internal polls easily show Davis being removed and Schwarzenegger easily defeating Democratic Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.
Back in Washington, President Bush says he probably won't stay up late to find out who wins and he continues to stay out of the contest.
BUSH: I feel like the California people are going to make a wise decision that they are now in charge of the process and it looks like there's a pretty active turnout and the absentee ballots and people are taking this seriously and I have no idea how the election is going to turn out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Let's check in now with the man Schwarzenegger is trying to replace. CNN's Charles Feldman is covering Governor Gray Davis' campaign here in downtown Los Angeles -- Charles.
CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, publicly at least some Democratic Party big wigs are saying they think that in the end Governor Davis will pull this off and voters will turn down the recall.
Privately, some of them are already speculating on what the state will be like when Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected as governor, so there's a split between what they're saying publicly and privately, no surprise there.
The governor cast his ballot, as you said, earlier, told people that he expects and hopes for a big turnout thinking that more people turning out, more of them Democrats of course than Republicans in the state might be good news for him but then again the way things have been going, Wolf, then again may not be -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, CNN's Charles Feldman covering Gray Davis' campaign. Let's move over now to the Schwarzenegger camp. It's gathered in the Century City neighborhood of Los Angeles. Our National Correspondent Kelly Wallace is there -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, advisers to Arnold Schwarzenegger are feeling very good, so good they are touting their overnight internal tracking poll numbers, which they say show the recall passing and Arnold Schwarzenegger with a significant lead over Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.
These advisers say they are not seeing any damage to Arnold Schwarzenegger after days of damaging accusations, including allegations of sexual misconduct. Mr. Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria going to the polls earlier today.
There Schwarzenegger talked about how he feels he's gotten his message out and he also did something else. For the first time on the campaign trail appealing to a higher power, Wolf, he says this decision is now in God's hands -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Thanks very much, Kelly Wallace, for that.
And looming in the background of all of this memories of the 2000 election and the Florida recount debacle. Potential problems in this election include these, touch screen voting machines. Some of them don't produce printouts and some say that would make a legitimate recount virtually impossible.
And, millions of voters are still having to use punch card ballots with their infamous hanging chad, plus it could take election officials more than a month, yes, a month to actually certify the results.
So far, however, the voting seems to be going rather smoothly and turnout expected to be high. Our National Correspondent Bob Franken is with voters at a polling station in nearby Burbank -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the experience here seems to reflect what's going on all around the state and that is a heavier than normal turnout but by all accounts its thus far been orderly. It certainly has been here where they pride themselves by the way in saying we may have punch card ballots but there will be no hanging chads.
Now, Los Angeles County has four million voters. It's the largest election district in the United States as a matter of fact, four million registered voters, and they are feeling with the sample ballot they were encouraged to bring already filled out, which of course reflects the choice that California voters have to make.
Vote yes on whether or not to recall Gray Davis, simple enough, but then page after page after page of choices, 135 choices on the ballot and, by the way, I should point out that there's always sometime during the day when we have a siren of some sort go past us. A fire truck has gone past us.
In any case, they are hoping that they don't have any problems that require emergency treatment tonight when it comes time to count the vote. In addition to the very complicated ballot there is also the question of that heavy turnout, the actual registration is up about 30 percent from the last election in the state of California.
What's very interesting about that is it includes a huge number of young voters and most political experts, Wolf, believe that's bad news for Gray Davis because these would be people who are less concerned about a recall and would be more inclined to have watched the Arnold Schwarzenegger movies as they were growing up -- Wolf.
BLITZER: We'll soon find out about that. Bob Franken, thanks very much. We'll be checking back with you.
Let's get some analysis now of this historic recall election and for that we're joined by CNN's Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider and CNN's Senior Analyst Jeff Greenfield. They're both here in Los Angeles.
First to you, Bill. The most important issues that you'll be looking at when you start reading those exit polls?
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, we'll be looking very closely at women voters to see if those reports of Arnold Schwarzenegger's sexual misconduct has affected women voters and whether they turn the election around.
We'll be seeing whether Democrats believe the charges that are being made by national Democrats that this is a plot by Republicans to steal elections they can't win whether Democrats believe that.
New voters, well are they flocking to the polls the way Jesse Ventura once got them to come out? Are they coming to the polls, as some people have predicted, to vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger?
And keep this in mind, Wolf, two million Californians voted early before the charges against Arnold Schwarzenegger were publicized. Will they determine the outcome of this election? Will their votes be different from those who are voting today on election day or will they not make much difference? We'll be looking closely at the exit poll to see exactly how those issues come out. BLITZER: And, just to be precise on those exit polls, Bill, we won't be reporting any of the results until the polls close. That would be 8:00 p.m. California time, 11:00 p.m. Eastern, is that right?
SCHNEIDER: That is exactly right, 8:00 p.m. the entire state closes its polls. We will not report any exit polls before that. I might point out that the Secretary of State Kevin Shelley once said to me jokingly we don't want you to report exit polls early because we here in California don't want to influence voters in Florida.
BLITZER: All right, Bill Schneider with that, thanks Bill very much.
Jeff Greenfield is here with us in our studio. If the race is close, the 58 counties in California will be obviously very significant. What should we be looking for early on in these counties?
JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SR. ANALYST: Well, I'm going to play John Madden for a second and show you on this telestrator exactly what we're going to do. Democrats get elected in Los Angeles County, the most populous county, which went for Gray Davis last year by about 21 points and they get elected as well up here in the north in San Francisco, Alameda County. That's where Oakland and the city of San Francisco is. Davis carried that by 40 points in San Francisco.
The Republicans get elected or in this case the recall will prevail if Republicans turn out in what's called the inland empire, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Davis lost those both in 2002 and what's called the Central Valley in Stockton and Fresno and places this is where a lot of the California agricultural product is.
But just like America where the coasts tend to be more liberal than the heartland, California is like that but by the coast they do mean L.A., San Francisco, Alameda Counties, so those are the places we're going to be looking for.
BLITZER: Not necessarily San Diego though?
GREENFIELD: San Diego used to be heavily Republican. In fact, it went Republican, that's way here in the south, by 11 points but San Diego and Orange County, which is the original home of the little old ladies in tennis shoes, the Goldwater Republicans, those have both become less Republican although they did, David did lose them both last time.
The key here in terms of geography is whether or not L.A. in particular is going to turn out a huge number of voters to say no to the recall. Otherwise, Davis is toast.
BLITZER: I'm hearing from both sides that they ware getting large turnout but both sides have conflicting interpretations of what that means. What does it mean, Jeff?
GREENFIELD: Okay, first of all at this hour you've got to take all those stories and put them, take them with about a ton of salt. Somebody sees a line at the election -- at the polls, they say it's a big turnout.
But in this case a big turnout probably helps Arnold because they are counting on first time voters, younger people disaffected with politics who think, ah ha, now we can take a two-by-four to the political process. In my view, unlike normal elections, big turnout bad news for the Democrat Davis.
BLITZER: All right, Jeff Greenfield who will be by my side throughout this night, thanks very much for that.
GREENFIELD: OK.
BLITZER: We'll be getting back to you obviously a lot.
And to our viewers, here is your turn to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day is this. "Will the recall solve California's problems"? you can vote right now at cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.
And, of course, please be sure to join me 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 Pacific for the results of the California recall.
Terrifying abduction, the wife of a prominent politician kidnapped from her home at knifepoint. We'll have a live report.
Just drop it, Martha Stewart's new move to get prosecutors off her back.
And this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When Arnold wanted to propose marriage to Maria Shriver he brought her here..
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Back to his roots, we'll go live to Gras, Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger's hometown. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: I'm Jeff Flock at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas where I'll have the latest on the condition of illusionist Roy Horn as well as the tiger that mauled him coming right up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Much more on the California recall coming up from here in Los Angeles but first some other important news today.
A frightening experience today for the wife of the Republican Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. Kathleen Gregg was abducted at knifepoint from her home just outside Washington in McLean, Virginia. CNN's Patty Davis is covering the case which police say is similar to an abduction that happened last month right here in McLean -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, say they do not have any reason to believe that Kathleen Gregg's abductors knew that she is the wife of Republican New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVIS (voice-over): Kathleen Gregg's terrifying ordeal began when she arrived her at her McLean, Virginia home just before 10:00 in the morning. Police say two men were already inside.
SGT. JEFF GOSSETT, FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE: One of the men produced a knife and demanded cash. They had a discussion and it was decided to come to this bank to get some cash.
DAVIS: Police say the men forced Gregg, shown here the night before at a White House state dinner with her husband Republican Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, into the family car. They drove to this nearby Wachovia Bank, one man riding with her the other following in a silver car.
GOSSETT: The black male went inside with the victim, went to the teller's counter, received some cash and then he ran out the front door, got into the silver vehicle with the white male.
DAVIS: Police say bank employees had no idea what was happening until the man ran out with an undisclosed amount of money. A shaken Gregg stayed inside and was questioned by police for more than an hour. Police say they have no information to suggest Gregg's abductors knew who she was.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At this time Mrs. Gregg is doing fine. She has no physical injuries. There will be no statements from Senator Gregg or his family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DAVIS: Senator Gregg was traveling at the time. He rushed home to be with his wife.
Now, as you said Wolf, there was a similar abduction in this area last week a man at gunpoint abducting a woman and her two children forcing her to get in her car and drive to another bank near here and withdraw money while he held one of her children hostage. Now, police telling me that it is too early to say whether these two abductions are connected -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Patty Davis, thanks very much for that report.
And joining us now with more on Mrs. Gregg's abduction the Fairfax County Police Major Steve Sellers. Major Sellers thanks very much for joining us. What do we know about the similarity between these two abductions? MAJ. STEVE SELLERS, FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE: Well, there are some similarities in terms of taking the victim to a local bank. In the first case it was involving an ATM. In this case it involved bringing the victim up to the teller window actually so there's some differences as well but there are some similarities and we're looking at both cases to see if there's any relationship at this point.
BLITZER: Is there any identification, any sketches, any information about these two individuals?
SELLERS: Well, we're working in unison with the Federal Bureau of Investigation right now and they have rushed to print up some photographs that we've obtained from the bank here, some video photographs and some stills and we hope within the next hour or so to have some actual photographs of at least one of the suspects, possibly both of them, and get them out to you all.
BLITZER: And can you confirm, Major Sellers, that it appears the abductors did not know necessarily that she was the wife of a United States Senator?
SELLERS: We have no indication whatsoever that they had any knowledge of her identity.
BLITZER: McLean, Virginia where you are in Fairfax County, a very affluent area, a suburban area of Washington, Greater Washington, D.C. Are there any other similar cases in the area, in the region, Greater Washington, where this has been a kind of modus operandi?
SELLERS: We know of a few cases in the area within the past year in other jurisdictions in close proximity to Fairfax County and a handful in Fairfax County. This is not -- this is not a unique type of crime but it is something fairly new. We don't have a lot of cases like this and we haven't in the past year but there are some similarities between some other crimes in the area.
BLITZER: Finally, very briefly, major, any words of advice if this should happen again to viewers out there?
SELLERS: Well, just obviously be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of your surroundings when you go into your home. Be aware of your surroundings when you go to use the ATM or a bank and just be ever vigilant and call in any suspicious activity that you see to the local police.
BLITZER: Major Steve Sellers of the Fairfax County Police Department, Major Sellers thanks very much. Good luck in your hunt for these suspects.
New developments now in a closely watched terror trial. That tops our Justice File today. The government says it will appeal a ruling barring them from seeking the death penalty for Zacarias Moussaoui or linking him to 9/11.
He's the only person charged in connection with the attacks. The ruling punished prosecutors for ignoring "orders" giving Moussaoui access to al Qaeda suspects that the defense says could prove his innocence.
Hockey player Danny Heatley of the Atlanta Thrashers will be allowed to go to the funeral of teammate Dan Snyder who died after a violent wreck in Heatley's Ferrari. Charges against Heatley have been upgraded to vehicular homicide. He's free on bond but still hospitalized for injuries he suffered in the crash.
And attorneys for Martha Stewart say they've asked a judge to dismiss securities fraud and obstruction of justice charges against her. Stewart faces trial next year on those charges as well as conspiracy and making false statements. It all stems from the investigation into her sale of ImClone stock right before it tanked.
Intelligence leak and now the investigation. We'll take you live to the White House where staffers have just turned over their documents.
And down to the wire, California is casting their votes.
And, back to his roots as well, we'll take you live to Arnold Schwarzenegger's hometown in Austria to hear what the locals are saying about their man.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Much more coming up on the California recall but let's turn first to the investigation of the leak which blew the cover of a CIA operative. The self-imposed deadline set by the White House for staffers to hand over relevant documents has just passed. Meantime, President Bush is voicing doubts about the likely success of the investigation.
For all of that let's turn live to our Senior White House Correspondent John King -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, let's start with the president. He was at a cabinet meeting earlier today. The president had hoped to focus on what he sees as recent encouraging economic news, questions of course though about the leak investigation. The president was asked is he confident whoever is responsible will ultimately be found and brought to justice. The president sounded quite skeptical.
BUSH: This is a town where a lot of people leak and I've constantly expressed my displeasure with leaks, particularly leaks of classified information and I want to know. I want to know the truth. I want to see to it that the truth prevail and I hope we can get this investigation done in a thorough way as quickly as possible.
KING: Now, in the room for that cabinet meeting, Alberto Gonzales, the White House counsel. He had set that 5:00 p.m. deadline. Today the Justice Department says it does not need those documents turned over until two weeks from today but Judge Gonzalez set a five o'clock deadline today.
One of the reasons is the White House believes this is becoming increasingly a political distraction. That's spelled out to a memo to everyone here at the White House from Chief of Staff Andy Card who said this:
"The sooner we complete the search and delivery of documents the sooner the Justice Department can complete its inquiry and the sooner we can all return our full attention to doing the work of the people that the president has entrusted to us."
White House aides, Wolf, going through their records throughout the day. A good number have met the deadline, we are told. A good number expected to be here late into the night trying to keep the chief of staff's request that they comply by tonight.
One interesting footnote to the discussion today, the White House saying Judge Gonzalez will now go through the documents before turning them over to the Justice Department.
They say the goal here is full cooperation but they are not ruling out shielding, using executive privilege to keep some classified information out of the hands of investigators if they determine here at the White House it is sensitive to national security but not relevant to the investigation -- Wolf.
BLITZER: John King at the White House following that story, John thanks very much.
A brazen attack, meanwhile, in Baghdad today. A coalition spokesman says an explosion at the Iraqi foreign ministry was probably caused by a rocket-propelled grenade. It left a crater but caused no casualties this as the U.S. military reported the deaths of three American soldiers overnight. One was killed in a roadside bombing just west of Baghdad. Two others were killed, along with an Iraqi translator, just south of the capitol.
Coalition forces in Iraq may be getting some help. Turkey's parliament today approved a motion allowing the government to send peacekeeping troops to Iraq but the resolution does not set a time table.
While the United States has asked for Turkey's help, the U.S.- appointed governing council in Baghdad today said it opposes such a deployment reflecting Iraqi fears of Turkey's intentions in northern Iraq. That story not yet resolved.
And judgment day here in California, voters deciding right now whether to fire their governor and possibly hire an actor to take his place.
And fire back in downtown Washington, D.C., a city street in flames, a hospital emergency room closed.
And fighting for his life, doctors say it's a miracle Roy Horn is still alive. We're live from his hospital in Las Vegas.
All those stories and more coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Arnold's Austrian roots. A revealing report from candidate Schwarzenegger's hometown in Austria. That's coming up next.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Live from Los Angeles, the California recall.
BLITZER: Welcome back.
Here he's known as the Terminator. But in one small Austrian town, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the local boy who made it big. Actually, huge. We'll go live to Graz, in Austria.
First, though, a quick check of the latest headlines.
(NEWSBREAK)
BLITZER: More now on the major story of the day, the vote to recall California's Democratic governor, Gray Davis, a step unprecedented in that state's history.
CNN correspondents are at strategic sites as voters continue to cast their ballots right now. Dan Lothian is in Sacramento with the campaign of the Democratic lieutenant governor, Cruz Bustamante, and Miguel Marquez is with the campaign of State Senator Tom McClintock, a Republican.
Let's begin now, first of all, with Dan. Tell us what's happening from your vantage point, Dan.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, an aide for Bustamante would not talk about the mood of the campaign. What she did tell us, though, is that Bustamante would be spending time with his family here in Sacramento, where he will also be watching the numbers come in tonight.
Now this morning he began by voting here in Sacramento at an elementary school. He was speaking in both English and Spanish as he reflected on the potential for a big voter turnout. He said that is important because this is an important day. After this long and hard- fought recall campaign, he said that this is the only day that counts, Election Day.
Now, in recent weeks, he has seen his numbers slipping. Yesterday he was spending time in an east Los Angeles neighborhood, mostly Latino voters there. And he said in order for him to win, he needs to get their help -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Dan Lothian, thanks very much.
Let's move over now to CNN's Miguel Marquez. He's in Sacramento with the campaign of the Republican State Senator Tom McClintock -- Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) sort of the other big Republican in this race. He's a conservative state senator in California, Tom McClintock, cast his ballot in his home district of Thousand Oaks today, told the people there at the -- who gathered to vote their conscience. And if they thought he was the best man for the job, then they should vote for him. And at the end of the day, he would be governor. He's referring to a debate a couple of weeks ago where people were asked in polls afterwards, Who do you think the best -- did best in the debate? They said, Tom McClintock. Then they said -- asked who are you going to vote for? And they said, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It was long thought McClintock would be a spoiler in this thing. But if things shake out the way they might be looking, if Davis loses, and Schwarzenegger wins, and Tom McClintock sticks to his guns and stays in the race to the end, he may be the biggest winner of all -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Miguel Marquez covering that campaign. Thanks, Miguel, very much.
And regardless of your opinion of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and regardless of the charges and countercharges hurled against him during the recall campaign, there's one place where the former bodybuilder can do absolutely no wrong. Namely, his native country, Austria.
CNN's senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers is there along with many of Arnold Schwarzenegger's fans.
Walter, tell us what's happening where you are.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf.
Well, this is the Austrian equivalent of the Young Republicans all gathering to celebrate, a celebration of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his hometown.
Most people here have no idea what Arnold Schwarzenegger stands for politically, so we went looking over the course of the past two days, looking for Arnold Schwarzenegger's roots.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RODGERS (voice-over): Schwarzenegger's California race led Austrian TV's evening news every night the past week, especially after allegations of groping and sexual harassment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a groper. He doesn't respect women.
RODGERS: In his native Austria, however, even among women, there seems a collective disbelief he engaged in any alleged sexual misdeeds.
KURT MARNUL, BODYBUILDING TRAINER: I'm sure that's a -- that's lie.
RODGERS (on camera): Why?
MARNUL: Because he's too honest.
RODGERS (voice-over): Albert Kaufman, a well-known Austrian Jewish businessman, had a grandfather in Dachau concentration camp. He gets livid at the suggestion that Arnold ever admired Hitler.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is extremely unfair. It's so unjust. He was pro-Jewish. And he supported me in my activities against -- against Hitler ideology and neo-Nazism for 20 years now.
RODGERS: Constitutionally barred from becoming president because he was foreign-born, many Austrians believe Arnie can somehow get around that. Some suggest the White House was always his end game.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): When he was 18, he went to Munich and returned home saying, Germany is too small, I have to go to the United States.
RODGERS: His friend, restaurant owner Carl Kling (ph), says Arnold's appetite is even bigger than his ambition. The man eats four times what others eat.
(on camera): Looking for Arnold in Austria reveals a genuinely romantic streak in the man. This is the Thaler See, a local lake. When Arnold wanted to propose marriage to Maria Shriver, he brought her here. He rode her out into the middle of the lake, in this very boat, and Arnold popped the question.
(voice-over): But friends say there was another Maria in Arnold's past. His first love. Somewhere, living in anonymity, the other Maria may perhaps be found in some of these Austrian towns. But people suspect she may not want to be found now. Yet people say Arnold still asks about her when he comes back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RODGERS: Austrians seem to have blurred the line between Schwarzenegger, the man, and Schwarzenegger, the myth. All anyone here seems to care about is that he's rich, successful, and very good looking -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Walter Rodgers with an excellent report from Austria. Walter, thank you very much for that good report.
And state of the state, some reasons why Californians may be looking for a change. Taking issue. We'll hear from two California members of the United States Congress. You won't be surprised to know they have very, very different views. That's just ahead.
Also this -- tiger attack. Roy Horn in a Las Vegas hospital fighting for his life right now. We'll take you there live.
First, though, a quick look at some other news making headlines "Around the World."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): New Palestinian cabinet. Yasser Arafat swears in a new prime minister and emergency cabinet in the West Bank. The move comes as Israel steps up threats to remove the Palestinian Authority president. Officials say the new cabinet will try to persuade militants to stop attacks on Israel.
On the road again. Despite concerns about his health, Pope John Paul II traveled to the southern Italian town of Pompeii to pray for world peace. The 83-year-old pontiff looked happy, but slurred his words. Just last month, John Paul appeared weak and struggled through a four-day pilgrimage to Slovakia.
Afghan war, this is the two-year anniversary of the war to drive the Taliban and al Qaeda from Afghanistan. The American special envoy to Afghanistan warns that Taliban militants may be planning what he calls spectacular attacks against U.S.-led coalition forces still in the country.
Giants in physics. Two Americans and a Russian have won the Nobel Prize in Physics for research into how matter behaves at very low temperatures. They'll share the $1.3 million prize money.
Cutting the carpet. An Argentina group is turning the traditional male-female dance into a women's only gig. Members call themselves the dames of the tango. Asked why they're doing it, the group male producer says said it's the last male bastion and so we are going to destroy it.
And that's a look around the world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Much of the bruising campaign to recall Governor Gray Davis has focused on the state's weak economic pulse. Unemployment is almost 7 percent compared to a national average of almost 6.5 percent. More than 2 million people moved out of the state between 1995 and 2000. And the state's budget deficit projection reached $38 billion.
Joining us now in Washington, D.C. For their take on today's recall vote, two guests, Democratic Congress woman Ellen Tauscher of California, and her Republican counterpart David Drier, who also is the co-chairman of the Schwarzenegger campaign. Thanks to both of you for joining us.
Let me begin with you, Congress woman Tauscher. It looks like you have a struggle ahead of you in the hours to come.
Does Gray Davis have a serious chance of hanging on?
REP. ELLEN TAUSCHER (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, I think he does. This is an unwarranted recall. And when I was leaving California this morning, I had many of my constituents and friends were going to vote. Both Democrats and Republicans back home in Contra Costa County where I live are disappointed that we're going to have this recall going forward. And they're deeply concerned about the state of our economy in California, the state of our air quality, the state of our infrastructure investments. And they have no idea where a future Governor Schwarzenegger is on any of these issues.
BLITZER: Is it fair...
TAUSCHER: We have a big vote coming out.
BLITZER: Was it fair for the whole issue of sexual harassment, or sexual misconduct to come up by the "Los Angeles Times" in the last few days?
TAUSCHER: Don't forget, these are accusations brought by average American citizens, women in Los Angeles. Whether it's fair or not, the truth is, we don't know what what Governor Schwarzenegger would do. My colleague was very crafty in making sure Arnold Schwarzenegger only appeared in one debate where the questions were preset. So we know very little about what he's going to do about the economy, what he's going to do about air quality and infrastructure investments, and all the things that Californians care about.
BLITZER: David, what do you think about that?
REP. DAVID DREIER (R), CALIFORNIA: Well, let me say, I guess I take that all as a compliment. First I'll say that I agree on the need to focus on all of those issues. Arnold Schwarzenegger has addressed every single one of them. And the debate that was much maligned before it took place about questions being provided in advance actually was one of the freest flowing debates anyone had ever seen. A wide range of issues came to the forefront, including a focus on the most important issue that we find out there. And that is, to get the economic engine running again.
You just raised those numbers at the outset of this, Wolf. And I think that we do need to do that. The people of California are in fact angry and disappointed. And we have a chance now to have the people take the state back. If you look at the tripling of the car tax, if you look at granting driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants, potentially jeopardizing our security, these are issues, Wolf that do need to be addressed. And it's very clear where Arnold Schwarzenegger stands on them. And I'll tell you he's very pro- environment. As a Californian, he's a pro environment. But he's pro business, but he believes the two don't have to be mutually exclusive.
BLITZER: Ellen Tauscher, there's no doubt that the allegations of sexual misconduct were serious these past several days. But Arnold Schwarzenegger had his wife, Maria Schriver, his mother-in-law, Eunice Shriver a lot of other women coming to his defense. Those are significant elements of support in this state.
TAUSCHER: They are significant. But there are still many questions that need to be answered. The truth is, this is a power grab, Wolf. We don't even know who will be in charge if there's a Governor Schwarzenegger. Think about the people that he's aligned with. BLITZER: Why can't you simply assume he will be in charge?
DREIER: He will be in charge.
TAUSCHER: Because I have no experience to tell me what he will do if he's in charge. I certainly know that, except for being involved in an education initiative a few years ago, he has rarely voted. And not really shown any interest in politics. This is about power. This is about being in charge. And I still think we don't know enough about what he will do when he has that.
DREIER: Ellen is absolutely right this is about power. It's about power for the people of California. His goal is to be the people's governor. I spent three hours with him Sunday evening, and with his wife and children. And I know looking at a wide range of issues that Arnold Schwarzenegger is in control. This guy is one of the most disciplined human beings I've ever met. He is successful at virtually everything he's done to body building, to the motion picture industry, a wonderful family, and a superb business leader in California. Very successful in all those things. I'm hoping to see him take that same kind of success to address these very important challenges that exist for Californians. I say this to Ellen, we really want to come together after this election in a bipartisan way to take on the challenges that are there. And I hope very much that we can do that. The people will have spoken tonight. And I think that if in fact Arnold does win, and I want to encourage everybody to get out and vote, I think we have a great chance to see us come together now.
BLITZER: Ellen Tauscher, on a lot of the issues, the social issues, whether abortion rights for women, gay rights, gun control, Arnold Schwarzenegger's very close to your stance.
TAUSCHER: Well, he says he is. But we'll have to see, won't we. We have never heard about him supporting any issues of these in the public arena.
DREIER: Absolutely, he has consistently...
TAUSCHER: You and I both know you wouldn't support Arnold Schwarzenegger if he was in a primary right now.
(CROSSTALK)
DREIER: I was the co-chairman of Dick Riordan's campaign.
TAUSCHER: The only reason he was able to be where he is right now is that he took advantage of a glitch. This was really a Washington inspired recall election, Wolf, funded by a member of Congress that works in Washington. You've got David Dreier, who is in Washington all the time supporting him. I don't think average Californians know what Arnold Schwarzenegger stands for. They think he's popular. They think he has got some good movies.
DREIER: I was the co-chairman of Dick Riordan's campaign, and Dick Riordan actually embraced those views. And I personally am comfortable with the views that Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken on virtually every issue. And I think that is the mainstream view of Californians. And he has worked on behalf of all of those issues consistently in the past. As governor, I know he's going to pursue them vigorously.
BLITZER: Very quickly, is it going to be a long night or a short night tonight, Ellen Tauscher?
TAUSCHER: It will be a long night. With all of the absentee ballots that need to be counted, you know, I hear that we have big turnouts in Northern California. The counties that you talked about before, L.A. County, San Francisco County, Alameda County, very big turnouts. Those are Democratic areas, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Democrats coming home.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: David, you have the last word.
DREIER: I'm convinced at the end of the day that the people of California are going to win, if they get out to vote in the next couple of hours, which is absolutely essential here, and Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to be the governor of all the people, Democrats, Republicans and independents.
BLITZER: David Dreier, on behalf of Arnold Schwarzenegger, reaching out to Democrats. We'll see what happens.
Thanks to both of you for joining us. Two members of the United States Congress, Ellen Tauscher, David Dreier.
A tiger trainer in the fight of his life. Surprising comments by Roy Horn's doctor. And a live update on his condition. That's coming up.
And talk about degrees of separation. Some funny and some bizarre. Things you may not know about California's major candidates. All that still to come.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: His doctors say it's miraculous that he's still alive, four days after he was mauled by one of his white tigers. Magician and animal trainer Roy Horn is still fighting to survive. Let's go live to Las Vegas. CNN's Jeff Flock is there -- Jeff.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And his doctor, Wolf, speaking today for the first time said it is not a sure bet that he will survive, but there is some good news.
I want to take you right out to the strip right now and show you the growing tribute out there to Roy Horn. People coming with pens, coming with flowers, leaving messages for Roy Horn. All this was going on as his neurosurgeon spoke for the first time, Dr. Derek Duke, saying today indeed it's a miracle that he's still alive, but the positive is, he's communicating, although no one is saying exactly how that communication is taking place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DEREK DUKE, HORN'S NEUROSURGEON: He is not now, nor has he ever been in a drug-induced coma. While we are very pleased with his progress, Mr. Horn remains in critical condition, and will be quite some time before we know the full extent of his recovery. Every day that passes increases his chances for survival and recovery.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLOCK: And Wolf, the other headline today has to do with the show, the Siegfried & Roy show. Take a good look at it on tape, because the other headline today is that Siegfried & Roy show as we know it is probably over forever. The manager of the show, longtime manager of the show, and of Siegfried & Roy, saying today it's been a long run, but the Siegfried & Roy spectacle, quoting him now, "at the Mirage is now closed."
That's the latest, Wolf, back to you.
BLITZER: Jeff Flock. What a heartbreaking story. Thanks very much for that.
The results of our Web question, that's coming up immediately when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Here's some facts about the California recall you may not know.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): As if you needed to be convinced that this election is a little different, try on the role of action hero turned governor. If Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes that, he'd share the title with a man he knows well.
That would be former wrestler turned former action hero turned former governor, one Jesse Ventura. In the future, the two could swap stories of intrigue in their state capitols, and the various movies they starred in together.
SCHWARZENEGGER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with me.
BLITZER: Including "Batman & Robin," "The Running Man" and "Predator."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're bleeding, man.
JESSE VENTURA, FORMER MINNESOTA GOVERNOR: I ain't got time to bleed.
BLITZER: The political drama, something Schwarzenegger's in-laws know all too well. But he has a chance to do something none of those Kennedys ever could, actually win a race for governor.
Maria Shriver's cousin, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, lost her bid for Maryland's top post last year. Townsend's brother, former Congressman Joseph Kennedy flirted with running for Massachusetts governor, but he bagged it.
DAVIS: I feel absolutely terrific.
BLITZER: Not so fast, Gray Davis. You don't get off so easy. Especially if you become the first U.S. governor to be recalled in 82 years. Davis would share that hall of fame with one Lynn Frazier (ph), Republican, North Dakota, removed from office in 1921, elected to the U.S. Senate a year later.
But back to Schwarzenegger, and that ever-so-entertaining Hollywood past.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the dating game.
BLITZER: If he wins, he would be the second U.S. governor known to have appeared on "The Dating Game." The other, Jennifer Granholm, the Democrat currently holding Michigan's highest office.
MIKE MYERS, ACTOR: Yeah, baby, yeah!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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