Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
How Celebrity Candidates Did in Recall Election
Aired October 08, 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: You know, we've been a little remiss at giving you all of the numbers. We know you've been dying to know how well "Hustler" publisher Larry Flynt, actor Gary Coleman and the other celebrity candidates did in the recall election.
Well, let's take a look at the numbers, shall we?
Hopefully that will display a number soon, because all I can remember is that Gary Coleman -- oh, he's up to 12,005 votes. That'll make Chad Myers happy. As you can see, Larry Flynt was the winner amongst the celebrity candidates, with the exception of Arnold Schwarzenegger, that is. He came in with 14,440 votes. Gallagher, 4,000 votes; and Mary Carey -- you know her best as her professional name -- she came in with 9,322 votes. Just thought you'd like to know.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO")
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": Tonight is a testament of just how important one appearance on "The Tonight Show" can be, ladies and gentlemen. You know, the critics said well, Arnold can't be an administrator, he's an actor. Oh, Arnold can't be an environmentalist, he's an actor. Oh, Arnold can't be governor, he's an actor. And, of course, Arnold was thrilled. For the first time in his career, the critics are calling him an actor, ladies and gentlemen.
Apparently we have all been wrong. It is pronounced Cal-E- fornia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR ELECT: I will do everything I can to live up to that trust. I will not fail you. I will not disappoint you and I will not let you down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Yes, a historic moment in California. Austrian born action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger rises to the state's top job. It was a real Hollywood ending out in California.
The Arnold factor brings up a lot of questions, though, not just for California, but for the nation.
Time to talk party politics now.
Live to Washington and WTOP's political commentator, Mark Plotkin.
Good morning.
MARK PLOTKIN, WTOP RADIO: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: First off, democracy at its best or worst?
PLOTKIN: Well, democracy is untidy. Democracy is messy. There are 18 states and the District of Columbia that provide to throw the rascals out and they threw this rascal out. It's up to each state to determine whether or not they want to do this and California decided that they did.
COSTELLO: Gray Davis, he was recalled by some 54 percent of the voters despite the efforts of Bill Clinton and Jesse Jackson, Howard Dean, Wesley Clark, and, of course, Barbra Streisand.
What does this say about the so-called power Democrats?
PLOTKIN: Well, they just plain didn't like him. I mean his popularity rating was at 22 percent. That's a pretty good indicator. And then it sort of all came, sort of very clear, Carol, at the end is that if the recall question got on the ballot, people weren't going to come out and rescue Gray Davis. There are Democrats who will still be Democrats. They'll still vote for Democratic candidates for Senate, for the president. But they sat home or, a quarter of the Democrats just plain said no, I agree with the Republicans and a great majority of the independents and I want him out.
COSTELLO: Well, I guess I was asking what does this say about the political power of the likes of Bill Clinton? Wasn't this...
PLOTKIN: They don't have...
COSTELLO: Was it...
PLOTKIN: They don't have coattails. And I think we're in a situation where people don't vote party, they vote person. The old days of the Chicago machine where you just pull a lever and all the Democratic candidates win isn't true. Voters are sophisticated and they don't vote on the basis of party loyalty. They vote whether they like somebody, like he's the president of the student council or the president of the class. It's called the comfort level and Gray Davis made a lot of people in California uncomfortable. Given the chance to throw him out, they were glad to do it.
COSTELLO: All right, Mark Plotkin, I wish we had more time to talk to you, but we don't.
Mark Plotkin, political commentator for WTOP Radio.
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 8, 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: You know, we've been a little remiss at giving you all of the numbers. We know you've been dying to know how well "Hustler" publisher Larry Flynt, actor Gary Coleman and the other celebrity candidates did in the recall election.
Well, let's take a look at the numbers, shall we?
Hopefully that will display a number soon, because all I can remember is that Gary Coleman -- oh, he's up to 12,005 votes. That'll make Chad Myers happy. As you can see, Larry Flynt was the winner amongst the celebrity candidates, with the exception of Arnold Schwarzenegger, that is. He came in with 14,440 votes. Gallagher, 4,000 votes; and Mary Carey -- you know her best as her professional name -- she came in with 9,322 votes. Just thought you'd like to know.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO")
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": Tonight is a testament of just how important one appearance on "The Tonight Show" can be, ladies and gentlemen. You know, the critics said well, Arnold can't be an administrator, he's an actor. Oh, Arnold can't be an environmentalist, he's an actor. Oh, Arnold can't be governor, he's an actor. And, of course, Arnold was thrilled. For the first time in his career, the critics are calling him an actor, ladies and gentlemen.
Apparently we have all been wrong. It is pronounced Cal-E- fornia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR ELECT: I will do everything I can to live up to that trust. I will not fail you. I will not disappoint you and I will not let you down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Yes, a historic moment in California. Austrian born action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger rises to the state's top job. It was a real Hollywood ending out in California.
The Arnold factor brings up a lot of questions, though, not just for California, but for the nation.
Time to talk party politics now.
Live to Washington and WTOP's political commentator, Mark Plotkin.
Good morning.
MARK PLOTKIN, WTOP RADIO: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: First off, democracy at its best or worst?
PLOTKIN: Well, democracy is untidy. Democracy is messy. There are 18 states and the District of Columbia that provide to throw the rascals out and they threw this rascal out. It's up to each state to determine whether or not they want to do this and California decided that they did.
COSTELLO: Gray Davis, he was recalled by some 54 percent of the voters despite the efforts of Bill Clinton and Jesse Jackson, Howard Dean, Wesley Clark, and, of course, Barbra Streisand.
What does this say about the so-called power Democrats?
PLOTKIN: Well, they just plain didn't like him. I mean his popularity rating was at 22 percent. That's a pretty good indicator. And then it sort of all came, sort of very clear, Carol, at the end is that if the recall question got on the ballot, people weren't going to come out and rescue Gray Davis. There are Democrats who will still be Democrats. They'll still vote for Democratic candidates for Senate, for the president. But they sat home or, a quarter of the Democrats just plain said no, I agree with the Republicans and a great majority of the independents and I want him out.
COSTELLO: Well, I guess I was asking what does this say about the political power of the likes of Bill Clinton? Wasn't this...
PLOTKIN: They don't have...
COSTELLO: Was it...
PLOTKIN: They don't have coattails. And I think we're in a situation where people don't vote party, they vote person. The old days of the Chicago machine where you just pull a lever and all the Democratic candidates win isn't true. Voters are sophisticated and they don't vote on the basis of party loyalty. They vote whether they like somebody, like he's the president of the student council or the president of the class. It's called the comfort level and Gray Davis made a lot of people in California uncomfortable. Given the chance to throw him out, they were glad to do it.
COSTELLO: All right, Mark Plotkin, I wish we had more time to talk to you, but we don't.
Mark Plotkin, political commentator for WTOP Radio.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
