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CNN Live Saturday
Bill Simon Ends Candidacy For Governor Of California
Aired August 23, 2003 - 18:07 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn to CNN's Miguel Marquez who is following the story from Los Angeles. Miguel, I remember this time last weekend we were hearing Bill Simon saying he was under no pressure from the Republican Party to withdraw. So what happened?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN: Yes, he had to -- he was under no pressure to withdraw. He also -- the other thing that he was saying, Andrea, that was interesting, though is that he never said he was in it to the very end. He always kind of left the door open that he might be dropping out, certainly giving no hint that he'd be doing it this quickly and this definitively. That is the big news today.
Bill Simon, a Republican, has dropped out of the race for California governor, so now there are 134 candidates to chose from. He did say that he was dropping out because there are just too many Republicans in the race, and he felt that if he stayed in the race, it would harm their chances to take over the governorship here in Sacramento.
We are at a street fair, which happens all over the place here in L.A., and politicians come out to these things.
Arianna Huffington, another one of those people running for governor - she is not dropping out -- she is shaking hands, acting like politicians do. Shaking hands with some of the folks for Howard Dean.
You might remember there's a presidential campaign coming up that we've been talking out a while back? Well, they were here today, she was shaking hands with them, she says she's an independent candidate running for governor here and she says Simon dropping out is indicative and symptomatic of everything that's wrong with politics today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON (I), CALIF. GOV. CANDIDATE: It's really again the way the two parties operate, restricting choices for voters. You know, clearly there was a lot of strong-arming behind the scene, Congressman David Dreier, others, urging Bill Simon to pull out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, the two folks who have the most to gain from this are the three folks where they have the most the most to gain from this are Arnold Schwarzenegger, a moderate Republican, Tom McClintock, a conservative Republican (who was vying for the same voters pretty much as Bill Simon) and Peter Ueberroth.
Of course, Mr. Schwarzenegger still in the game. Mr. McClintock says he is in it till the end, as does Mr. Ueberroth. One thing that Arnold Schwarzenegger did say -- today he released a statement saying that he hopes that this dropping out of Mr. Simon will bring all Californians together, presumably to his ticket so that he can go on to become California governor -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: Well as they say another one bites the dust but there are 134 left. Miguel Marquez in Los Angeles, thanks very much.
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 August 23, 2003 - 18:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn to CNN's Miguel Marquez who is following the story from Los Angeles. Miguel, I remember this time last weekend we were hearing Bill Simon saying he was under no pressure from the Republican Party to withdraw. So what happened?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN: Yes, he had to -- he was under no pressure to withdraw. He also -- the other thing that he was saying, Andrea, that was interesting, though is that he never said he was in it to the very end. He always kind of left the door open that he might be dropping out, certainly giving no hint that he'd be doing it this quickly and this definitively. That is the big news today.
Bill Simon, a Republican, has dropped out of the race for California governor, so now there are 134 candidates to chose from. He did say that he was dropping out because there are just too many Republicans in the race, and he felt that if he stayed in the race, it would harm their chances to take over the governorship here in Sacramento.
We are at a street fair, which happens all over the place here in L.A., and politicians come out to these things.
Arianna Huffington, another one of those people running for governor - she is not dropping out -- she is shaking hands, acting like politicians do. Shaking hands with some of the folks for Howard Dean.
You might remember there's a presidential campaign coming up that we've been talking out a while back? Well, they were here today, she was shaking hands with them, she says she's an independent candidate running for governor here and she says Simon dropping out is indicative and symptomatic of everything that's wrong with politics today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON (I), CALIF. GOV. CANDIDATE: It's really again the way the two parties operate, restricting choices for voters. You know, clearly there was a lot of strong-arming behind the scene, Congressman David Dreier, others, urging Bill Simon to pull out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, the two folks who have the most to gain from this are the three folks where they have the most the most to gain from this are Arnold Schwarzenegger, a moderate Republican, Tom McClintock, a conservative Republican (who was vying for the same voters pretty much as Bill Simon) and Peter Ueberroth.
Of course, Mr. Schwarzenegger still in the game. Mr. McClintock says he is in it till the end, as does Mr. Ueberroth. One thing that Arnold Schwarzenegger did say -- today he released a statement saying that he hopes that this dropping out of Mr. Simon will bring all Californians together, presumably to his ticket so that he can go on to become California governor -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: Well as they say another one bites the dust but there are 134 left. Miguel Marquez in Los Angeles, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
