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California Recall Free-For-All

Aired August 08, 2003 - 15:12   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.


JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: More now on the California recall controversy.
Republican political strategist Sal Russo serves as an adviser to the Recall Gray Davis Committee. Last year, Russo managed Bill Simon's unsuccessful bid against Davis. But things have changed considerably since then.

Joining me now from Sacramento to discuss this situation is Sal Russo.

Sal, let me start with this first question. Will you be assisting Mr. Simon this time? And does he have a chance against Arnold Schwarzenegger, given all the excitement we've seen in the past 24 to 48 hours?

SAL RUSSO, ADVISER, RECALL GRAY DAVIS COMMITTEE: Well, I think he has a great chance.

His announcement is going to be tomorrow. And then he'll officially get in the race. But you've got to remember that he was the Republican nominee the last time. He has tremendous support in the grassroots of the Republican Party. And he represents really the values and the ideas that the party represents. And so he's going to be an awesome candidate.

Mr. Schwarzenegger certainly has a lot of celebrity. But after Gray Davis' failed leadership, I think he people are going to be looking for solutions. Who's got the answers to the budget problem, our electricity problem, roads, water? Our infrastructure is falling apart. Schools, we continue to rank near last in the nation. Bill Simon's got a plan. He's been talking about it for 2 1/2 years. We're going to want to listen to see what Mr. Schwarzenegger says. And I think the voters will then decide.

But we feel good about it getting in the race.

KING: And, Sal Russo, a lot of focus on the Republicans especially, because of that celebrity. You mentioned Arnold Schwarzenegger. But you believe the most significant development in the last 24 hours happened on the Democratic side. Explain why you think that.

RUSSO: Well, sure.

I think when Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante and the insurance commissioner, John Garamendi, got into the race, that really broke the back of the anti-recall effort. Now we have a kaleidoscope of candidates of every different viewpoint that every voter really prefers to Gray Davis. So I think his chance of surviving the recall now are nil and we're going to have a new governor on October 7.

KING: One of the questions back here in Washington, far away from California, is, what does the White House think about this? Karl Rove and the Bush team very much had hoped to put California in play in the 2004 election. They're watching what many concede looks like a circus right now.

What are you seeing and hearing from the White House when it comes to how involved they will be in this effort and what they would like to happen?

RUSSO: Well, I think the president's made it very clear in his statements that this is a California issue and they're going to stay away. I can't help but think that, if we can get California on the road to recovery under a Republican governor like Bill Simon, that the president's chances will greatly increase.

Today, we're clearly not in the 270 electoral votes the president needs. I don't think we're in the priority states. But if we had a Republican governor and forced the Democrats to compete in this state, I think that would make a big difference and really go a long way to reelecting the president.

KING: Many sit here and say, where is this going? If this recall succeeds and the Democratic governor is dumped, won't the Democrats be furious and could they not come up with the money and simply just do this again to whoever succeeds Gray Davis?

RUSSO: I don't think you realistically can do that.

You've got to remember, there have been 31 previous attempts at recalling a governor. They've all failed. This is not a power that the people use lightly. They have only used it this time because we had a failed governor in Davis. He lied about the budget deficit. Electricity prices are highest in the nation. Our schools are some of the worst in the nation. Our air quality is ranked last in the nation. Our roads and freeways, which used to be the model for the world, are now the worst in the nation.

So that's why this recall has happened, is because we have a fail governor. It's a grassroots effort. It's been that way from the beginning. Big business didn't support it. Big labor didn't support it. The big politicians didn't support it, but the people did. And that's why we're now up to two million signatures. They just keep pouring in, because voters really want to change, because we've had a failed governor in office for five years.

KING: Sal Russo, we need to end it there today. I suspect we'll be back to you in the hectic days ahead. Thank you for joining us today from Sacramento.

RUSSO: Thank you. KING: And now joining us in San Francisco with his take, Democratic reaction, and the likely strategy of the recall campaign -- and I suspect it's a little different than Sal Russo -- Art Torres, the chairman of the California Democratic Party.

Sir, you heard Sal Russo, what he just said. He believes the Democrats imploded yesterday and perhaps, with that, Governor Davis' chance of holding on, because you have two very prominent statewide Democrats now saying they want to be on the ballot. Are the Democrats doomed here?

ART TORRES, CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN: No, absolutely not.

And, quite frankly, I think Sal needs to unrevise his history. For 18 years, we suffered under Republican governors, who didn't do anything about our roads, our highways, didn't do anything about energy plans. Governor Davis built 17 online energy plants to avoid extortion in the future since 1999. We have a strong record to run on. And we're going to run on this record.

The best the Republicans can do is come up with a movie actor who doesn't have a script in front of him, as you saw today on "The Today Show," can't remember what family leave is. You've got a guy like Bill Simon, who is probably a stronger candidate that people are underestimating because of the conservative get-out-the-vote operation that the far right has. They hate Arnold because of his positions on issues.

But their candidate is still embroiled with a convicted drug trafficker, for heaven's sake. And then you have an alleged car thief who just stepped down, Darrell Issa, who funded this operation in the first place. The people didn't fund this. They put in $1.9 million to paid signature gatherers to get signatures. We argued that the way they collected those signatures is wrong, but that's past history.

We now know that we have an election on October 7, unless a federal court intervenes, because the Supreme Court didn't have the guts to make the right decision here in California. And now we're trampling to figure out 508 candidates, including Gary Coleman, who you just saw on your shooting. It is a circus out here.

KING: Well, Mr. Chairman, let me jump in here. You're doing a loyal and a good job as the chairman trying to hold this together. But many Democrats, California Democrats, are quite worried.

I want to read you a quote from Leon Panetta, former congressman from your state, former budget director and chief of staff to President Clinton, very well respected in California.

TORRES: And a dear friend.

KING: He says this. He says, quote: "Democrats are not united in fighting this. And that complicates the chances of winning. So it comes down to whether Gray Davis can defeat this on his own."

(CROSSTALK) TORRES: He's right. Leon is right. Leon is right.

We are divided across the board. But that's the Democratic Party. We don't march lockstep into a strategy that Karl Rove tells us to do, as these Republicans are now starting to do. And you see the evidence of that in fingerprints everywhere in California, in terms of some of these organizations that are popping up. And I don't care how many times George Bush denies it. I don't care how many times Karl Rove denies it. This is their operation and they're manipulating it now.

And I would venture to say, they're going to try and get Bill Simon out of the race. They're going to try and get other people out of the race that they think may affect Arnold, but they've got a problem here. You have a guy who cannot even trust his own staff to tell him what to do. You've got a guy that really defended and betrayed Dick Riordan, who was supposed to be a friend. If this is the way Arnold operates, we're in store for some very serious problems in California.

KING: Quickly, Mr. Chairman, we're short on time. We will you and will other prominent Democrats try to convince Mr. Garamendi or Mr. Bustamante, one of them, to get out, so that when -- if Governor Davis is recalled and people are going down to that second choice, there's only one Democrat, so you don't fracture the Democrat vote -- or one prominent Democrat, anyway?

TORRES: I think that's a very legitimate and a sound strategy. However, we are a party of diversity. And, as I said before, nobody tells anybody what to do. We come to a consensus. We might very well reach that consensus by the end of tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.

KING: Chairman Art Torres of the California Democratic Party, a very busy man these days, we appreciate your time today, sir.

TORRES: You bet, John. Take care.

KING: Thank you.

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 8, 2003 - 15:12   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: More now on the California recall controversy.
Republican political strategist Sal Russo serves as an adviser to the Recall Gray Davis Committee. Last year, Russo managed Bill Simon's unsuccessful bid against Davis. But things have changed considerably since then.

Joining me now from Sacramento to discuss this situation is Sal Russo.

Sal, let me start with this first question. Will you be assisting Mr. Simon this time? And does he have a chance against Arnold Schwarzenegger, given all the excitement we've seen in the past 24 to 48 hours?

SAL RUSSO, ADVISER, RECALL GRAY DAVIS COMMITTEE: Well, I think he has a great chance.

His announcement is going to be tomorrow. And then he'll officially get in the race. But you've got to remember that he was the Republican nominee the last time. He has tremendous support in the grassroots of the Republican Party. And he represents really the values and the ideas that the party represents. And so he's going to be an awesome candidate.

Mr. Schwarzenegger certainly has a lot of celebrity. But after Gray Davis' failed leadership, I think he people are going to be looking for solutions. Who's got the answers to the budget problem, our electricity problem, roads, water? Our infrastructure is falling apart. Schools, we continue to rank near last in the nation. Bill Simon's got a plan. He's been talking about it for 2 1/2 years. We're going to want to listen to see what Mr. Schwarzenegger says. And I think the voters will then decide.

But we feel good about it getting in the race.

KING: And, Sal Russo, a lot of focus on the Republicans especially, because of that celebrity. You mentioned Arnold Schwarzenegger. But you believe the most significant development in the last 24 hours happened on the Democratic side. Explain why you think that.

RUSSO: Well, sure.

I think when Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante and the insurance commissioner, John Garamendi, got into the race, that really broke the back of the anti-recall effort. Now we have a kaleidoscope of candidates of every different viewpoint that every voter really prefers to Gray Davis. So I think his chance of surviving the recall now are nil and we're going to have a new governor on October 7.

KING: One of the questions back here in Washington, far away from California, is, what does the White House think about this? Karl Rove and the Bush team very much had hoped to put California in play in the 2004 election. They're watching what many concede looks like a circus right now.

What are you seeing and hearing from the White House when it comes to how involved they will be in this effort and what they would like to happen?

RUSSO: Well, I think the president's made it very clear in his statements that this is a California issue and they're going to stay away. I can't help but think that, if we can get California on the road to recovery under a Republican governor like Bill Simon, that the president's chances will greatly increase.

Today, we're clearly not in the 270 electoral votes the president needs. I don't think we're in the priority states. But if we had a Republican governor and forced the Democrats to compete in this state, I think that would make a big difference and really go a long way to reelecting the president.

KING: Many sit here and say, where is this going? If this recall succeeds and the Democratic governor is dumped, won't the Democrats be furious and could they not come up with the money and simply just do this again to whoever succeeds Gray Davis?

RUSSO: I don't think you realistically can do that.

You've got to remember, there have been 31 previous attempts at recalling a governor. They've all failed. This is not a power that the people use lightly. They have only used it this time because we had a failed governor in Davis. He lied about the budget deficit. Electricity prices are highest in the nation. Our schools are some of the worst in the nation. Our air quality is ranked last in the nation. Our roads and freeways, which used to be the model for the world, are now the worst in the nation.

So that's why this recall has happened, is because we have a fail governor. It's a grassroots effort. It's been that way from the beginning. Big business didn't support it. Big labor didn't support it. The big politicians didn't support it, but the people did. And that's why we're now up to two million signatures. They just keep pouring in, because voters really want to change, because we've had a failed governor in office for five years.

KING: Sal Russo, we need to end it there today. I suspect we'll be back to you in the hectic days ahead. Thank you for joining us today from Sacramento.

RUSSO: Thank you. KING: And now joining us in San Francisco with his take, Democratic reaction, and the likely strategy of the recall campaign -- and I suspect it's a little different than Sal Russo -- Art Torres, the chairman of the California Democratic Party.

Sir, you heard Sal Russo, what he just said. He believes the Democrats imploded yesterday and perhaps, with that, Governor Davis' chance of holding on, because you have two very prominent statewide Democrats now saying they want to be on the ballot. Are the Democrats doomed here?

ART TORRES, CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN: No, absolutely not.

And, quite frankly, I think Sal needs to unrevise his history. For 18 years, we suffered under Republican governors, who didn't do anything about our roads, our highways, didn't do anything about energy plans. Governor Davis built 17 online energy plants to avoid extortion in the future since 1999. We have a strong record to run on. And we're going to run on this record.

The best the Republicans can do is come up with a movie actor who doesn't have a script in front of him, as you saw today on "The Today Show," can't remember what family leave is. You've got a guy like Bill Simon, who is probably a stronger candidate that people are underestimating because of the conservative get-out-the-vote operation that the far right has. They hate Arnold because of his positions on issues.

But their candidate is still embroiled with a convicted drug trafficker, for heaven's sake. And then you have an alleged car thief who just stepped down, Darrell Issa, who funded this operation in the first place. The people didn't fund this. They put in $1.9 million to paid signature gatherers to get signatures. We argued that the way they collected those signatures is wrong, but that's past history.

We now know that we have an election on October 7, unless a federal court intervenes, because the Supreme Court didn't have the guts to make the right decision here in California. And now we're trampling to figure out 508 candidates, including Gary Coleman, who you just saw on your shooting. It is a circus out here.

KING: Well, Mr. Chairman, let me jump in here. You're doing a loyal and a good job as the chairman trying to hold this together. But many Democrats, California Democrats, are quite worried.

I want to read you a quote from Leon Panetta, former congressman from your state, former budget director and chief of staff to President Clinton, very well respected in California.

TORRES: And a dear friend.

KING: He says this. He says, quote: "Democrats are not united in fighting this. And that complicates the chances of winning. So it comes down to whether Gray Davis can defeat this on his own."

(CROSSTALK) TORRES: He's right. Leon is right. Leon is right.

We are divided across the board. But that's the Democratic Party. We don't march lockstep into a strategy that Karl Rove tells us to do, as these Republicans are now starting to do. And you see the evidence of that in fingerprints everywhere in California, in terms of some of these organizations that are popping up. And I don't care how many times George Bush denies it. I don't care how many times Karl Rove denies it. This is their operation and they're manipulating it now.

And I would venture to say, they're going to try and get Bill Simon out of the race. They're going to try and get other people out of the race that they think may affect Arnold, but they've got a problem here. You have a guy who cannot even trust his own staff to tell him what to do. You've got a guy that really defended and betrayed Dick Riordan, who was supposed to be a friend. If this is the way Arnold operates, we're in store for some very serious problems in California.

KING: Quickly, Mr. Chairman, we're short on time. We will you and will other prominent Democrats try to convince Mr. Garamendi or Mr. Bustamante, one of them, to get out, so that when -- if Governor Davis is recalled and people are going down to that second choice, there's only one Democrat, so you don't fracture the Democrat vote -- or one prominent Democrat, anyway?

TORRES: I think that's a very legitimate and a sound strategy. However, we are a party of diversity. And, as I said before, nobody tells anybody what to do. We come to a consensus. We might very well reach that consensus by the end of tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.

KING: Chairman Art Torres of the California Democratic Party, a very busy man these days, we appreciate your time today, sir.

TORRES: You bet, John. Take care.

KING: Thank you.

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