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CNN Live Saturday
Schwarzenegger Calls For Republicans To Unite
Aired September 13, 2003 - 18:02 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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, right now we begin with the battle for California. Republican candidates are courting party faithful today at the state GOP convention in Los Angeles. Delegates will hear from Arnold Schwarzenegger and his strongest Republican rival, Tom McClintock.
Our senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley, is at the convention -- Candy.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Carol, thanks.
Arnold Schwarzenegger indeed has already had his time here with Republican delegates who have gathered. And we'll hear from the two major Republican candidates for governor, and that is, of course, Schwarzenegger, as well as his rival, Tom McClintock.
Schwarzenegger began his day with a rally just outside the convention center, where he told everyone the reasons why he wanted to run for governor. He, of course, comes from humble roots. He talks about being an immigrant. Afterwards, he threw a number of T-shirts into the audience, Arnold Schwarzenegger T-shirts.
Now, here's the problem for Republicans. McClintock is a conservative. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a moderate. And basically, the line between them is social issues.
Schwarzenegger is pro-abortion rights; he is fairly liberal on gay rights. McClintock is much more conservative, anti-abortion and less liberal on gay rights. So what the party has here is what really is a perennial split in California. Do you go with a conservative in what is basically a state that votes liberal and make a point, or should you go with a moderate who has a chance of winning?
Now, the McClintock people say their man has a chance of winning. When Arnold Schwarzenegger came here to talk to this group, no mention of McClintock. But his point was perfectly clear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: We as Republicans have a choice to make: are we going to be united or are we going to be divided? Are we going to win in unity with our common fiscal conservative principles or let the liberals win because we are split? Are we going to fight Davis and Bustamante or are we going to fight among ourselves?
I say let us unite for victory. Let us unite for victory. (END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: A couple key words here, Carol, and that is the common conservative fiscal principles. That is, Arnold Schwarzenegger came here to declare himself a conservative and went through a number of fiscal policies that he has. No new taxes, cutting spending, those are all classic conservative positions. So he came here to prove to the doubters that he is a conservative. It will be interesting to hear Mr. McClintock's response this evening -- Carol.
LIN: All right. We'll be waiting for it. Candy, we'll see you in the big show at 10:00 Eastern. Thank you very much. Candy Crowley reporting in.
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 September 13, 2003 - 18:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, right now we begin with the battle for California. Republican candidates are courting party faithful today at the state GOP convention in Los Angeles. Delegates will hear from Arnold Schwarzenegger and his strongest Republican rival, Tom McClintock.
Our senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley, is at the convention -- Candy.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Carol, thanks.
Arnold Schwarzenegger indeed has already had his time here with Republican delegates who have gathered. And we'll hear from the two major Republican candidates for governor, and that is, of course, Schwarzenegger, as well as his rival, Tom McClintock.
Schwarzenegger began his day with a rally just outside the convention center, where he told everyone the reasons why he wanted to run for governor. He, of course, comes from humble roots. He talks about being an immigrant. Afterwards, he threw a number of T-shirts into the audience, Arnold Schwarzenegger T-shirts.
Now, here's the problem for Republicans. McClintock is a conservative. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a moderate. And basically, the line between them is social issues.
Schwarzenegger is pro-abortion rights; he is fairly liberal on gay rights. McClintock is much more conservative, anti-abortion and less liberal on gay rights. So what the party has here is what really is a perennial split in California. Do you go with a conservative in what is basically a state that votes liberal and make a point, or should you go with a moderate who has a chance of winning?
Now, the McClintock people say their man has a chance of winning. When Arnold Schwarzenegger came here to talk to this group, no mention of McClintock. But his point was perfectly clear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: We as Republicans have a choice to make: are we going to be united or are we going to be divided? Are we going to win in unity with our common fiscal conservative principles or let the liberals win because we are split? Are we going to fight Davis and Bustamante or are we going to fight among ourselves?
I say let us unite for victory. Let us unite for victory. (END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: A couple key words here, Carol, and that is the common conservative fiscal principles. That is, Arnold Schwarzenegger came here to declare himself a conservative and went through a number of fiscal policies that he has. No new taxes, cutting spending, those are all classic conservative positions. So he came here to prove to the doubters that he is a conservative. It will be interesting to hear Mr. McClintock's response this evening -- Carol.
LIN: All right. We'll be waiting for it. Candy, we'll see you in the big show at 10:00 Eastern. Thank you very much. Candy Crowley reporting in.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
