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Recall Free-For-All
Aired August 12, 2003 - 15:07 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.
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: For a politician often characterized as bland, Gray Davis generates strong emotions among many Californians. And that's a big part of his problem. Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, is in Los Angeles.
Bill, you've been looking at the polling in recent days about this recall race. What strikes you the most?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, as this recall starts out, it cuts right across party lines. And that is very unusual today in American politics. Two big facts stand out about this race.
One, Gray Davis is widely disliked. Sixty-four percent of Californians would vote to recall him right now; 64 percent of men, 64 percent of women. No gender gap there. Under 50, adios; over 50, vamoose.
Republicans -- 91 percent of Republicans say it's time for him to go. So do almost two-thirds of Independents. The surprise is his own Democratic Party is not solidly with him. Forty percent say scram.
The second big fact, everybody likes Arnold; nearly 80 percent of men and nearly 80 percent of women. He's gangbusters with younger voters, but two-thirds of older voters like him, too. Sure, Republicans like Schwarzenegger; Independents just as much. And 69 percent favorable among Democrats means his appeal cuts right across party lines like few other candidates.
This race, John, looks less and less like a political campaign and more and more like "American Idol."
KING: Well, Bill, if voters decide to recall Governor Davis then they move on, of course, to that lengthily list of potential governors. Mr. Schwarzenegger is the favorite right now. The lieutenant governor, the Democrat, Cruz Bustamante, on that ballot. Does the Bustamante candidacy affect the race in any way, especially the competition for what could be a very important Latino vote?
SCHNEIDER: Right. The Latino vote looks like it might be up for grabs. The early polls show that, while Bustamante is the state's highest-ranking Latino-elected official, Schwarzenegger is competitive with him among Latino voters. But Arnold Schwarzenegger may have a problem with Latino voters.
Former Governor Pete Wilson is cheering his campaign. And Wilson is deeply distrusted by Latinos ever since he championed Proposition 187 back in 1994, which denied public services to illegal imgrants. In fact, the same campaign consultant who made an incendiary TV ad in favor of Proposition 187 that showed illegal immigrants crossing the border is now working for Arnold Schwarzenegger.
But, remember, Proposition 187 passed. It was later tossed out by the courts. Conservatives were very enthusiastic about that proposition. It is conceivable that what Schwarzenegger loses among Latino voters he could gain among conservatives, because conservatives, like Latinos, have other candidates they could vote for instead of Schwarzenegger -- John.
KING: Bill Schneider live from Los Angeles. Thank you, sir.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
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 12, 2003 - 15:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: For a politician often characterized as bland, Gray Davis generates strong emotions among many Californians. And that's a big part of his problem. Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, is in Los Angeles.
Bill, you've been looking at the polling in recent days about this recall race. What strikes you the most?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, as this recall starts out, it cuts right across party lines. And that is very unusual today in American politics. Two big facts stand out about this race.
One, Gray Davis is widely disliked. Sixty-four percent of Californians would vote to recall him right now; 64 percent of men, 64 percent of women. No gender gap there. Under 50, adios; over 50, vamoose.
Republicans -- 91 percent of Republicans say it's time for him to go. So do almost two-thirds of Independents. The surprise is his own Democratic Party is not solidly with him. Forty percent say scram.
The second big fact, everybody likes Arnold; nearly 80 percent of men and nearly 80 percent of women. He's gangbusters with younger voters, but two-thirds of older voters like him, too. Sure, Republicans like Schwarzenegger; Independents just as much. And 69 percent favorable among Democrats means his appeal cuts right across party lines like few other candidates.
This race, John, looks less and less like a political campaign and more and more like "American Idol."
KING: Well, Bill, if voters decide to recall Governor Davis then they move on, of course, to that lengthily list of potential governors. Mr. Schwarzenegger is the favorite right now. The lieutenant governor, the Democrat, Cruz Bustamante, on that ballot. Does the Bustamante candidacy affect the race in any way, especially the competition for what could be a very important Latino vote?
SCHNEIDER: Right. The Latino vote looks like it might be up for grabs. The early polls show that, while Bustamante is the state's highest-ranking Latino-elected official, Schwarzenegger is competitive with him among Latino voters. But Arnold Schwarzenegger may have a problem with Latino voters.
Former Governor Pete Wilson is cheering his campaign. And Wilson is deeply distrusted by Latinos ever since he championed Proposition 187 back in 1994, which denied public services to illegal imgrants. In fact, the same campaign consultant who made an incendiary TV ad in favor of Proposition 187 that showed illegal immigrants crossing the border is now working for Arnold Schwarzenegger.
But, remember, Proposition 187 passed. It was later tossed out by the courts. Conservatives were very enthusiastic about that proposition. It is conceivable that what Schwarzenegger loses among Latino voters he could gain among conservatives, because conservatives, like Latinos, have other candidates they could vote for instead of Schwarzenegger -- John.
KING: Bill Schneider live from Los Angeles. Thank you, sir.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
