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Interview With California Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Simon

Aired August 22, 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: Now back to our coverage of the California recall. Republican Bill Simon narrowly lost to Gray Davis in last year's race for governor, now, less than a year later, Bill Simon, one of 135 candidates on the ballot, hoping to replace Governor Davis.
Bill Simon is with me now from Sacramento.

Mr. Simon, thank you for joining us today.

BILL SIMON (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, John.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: Excuse me.

You had been saying for some time to Arnold Schwarzenegger, where's the beef? He did come out today -- this week, excuse me -- and say he wouldn't raise taxes unless of some disaster. He would cut spending, not education. Enough, in your view?

SIMON: No, I think we need to go further, John.

Honestly, I think, with a $12 billion structural deficit, which is what I think it will rise to, we need to tell the people of California how we plan to handle it. And fact is that I'll have a full plan shortly.

I've had a plan historically that specifies not only broadly no taxes, but also specifically what areas that I would cut. It specifies a constitutional cap on spending. It also talks about job stimulus. Once again, Arnold's right that our state has lost a tremendous amount of jobs, in fact, in many instances, more than all other states combined. But in order to stimulate job growth, we need to reform workers compensation. We need to roll back some of the job- killer legislation that Gray Davis has signed over the past four years.

KING: You were the Republican candidate against Gray Davis last November, not unfamiliar to California voters. Yet, if you look at the most recent poll, so far, things aren't looking so great for your campaign.

This is a Public Policy Institute of California poll out yesterday: Arnold Schwarzenegger at 23 percent, Lieutenant Governor Bustamante 18, Tom McClintock at 5, Bill Simon and Peter Ueberroth at 4. How do you explain that, sir? You were on the statewide ballot just a few months back.

SIMON: Well, John, actually, that poll was taken -- they started going into the field before I even announced my candidacy. And I think that very same poll would indicate that there's quite a bit of undecided voters. And the fact is, it's a very fluid situation.

KING: How do you deal with -- I know one of your frustrations is the celebrity factor in this race, all the media attention Arnold Schwarzenegger gets. How do you deal with that? And do we, my business, share some of the blame, in your view, for how things are right now?

SIMON: No, not at all, John.

In fact, I'm grateful to Mr. Schwarzenegger to coming into the race. And I think all the candidates ought to say thank you to Arnold, because it's increased the media scrutiny. It's given all of us, myself included, an opportunity to go through our vision, our agenda, for the people of California. And we are right now in the middle of what I think is the most serious financial crisis in the history of California.

And the opportunity to get to the people with my specific ideas, I view that as a great opportunity.

KING: I assume you very much want a Republican governor in your state. The state Republican chairman was on with us yesterday. He said, not now, but perhaps a week or two down the road, he might pick up the phone and ask one or two of the Republican candidates to get out. If you received that call, sir, would you do so?

SIMON: I'm always open to talking to people, John.

And I do think the field will winnow down as time goes on. But once again, it's so important that we get our ideas out to the people of California. That's what this race is all about. It's not about process. It's about people. It's about our people who have been working hard, who are overtaxed, who, in many cases, are unemployed, whose children aren't getting an education. That's what this recall is all about.

KING: Well, let's take a few minutes, then, on some of those issues.

Arnold Schwarzenegger says he would not raise taxes unless there was some sort of a disaster, terrorism, a position very much like President Bush's. Agree or disagree with him on that?

SIMON: Well, I took a pledge yesterday that I would not raise taxes, John. And there's been contradictory messages that have come out of the Schwarzenegger camp. And I'm wondering if he's willing to take that pledge as well.

KING: And on education spending, he says, leave it as is, he won't touch it at all. Do you think it needs to be touched? SIMON: Well, once again, I said that what I would do is audit the state government every square inch. And wherever there is fraud, waste and mismanagement, I'd be willing to cut.

Now, the educational system, to me, is the principal function of government. And we have to make sure our kids are getting an education. Two million children now are trapped in failing schools. So I would look hard the school system in terms of preserving it. But everything has got to be on the table, especially with respect to fraud, waste and mismanagement.

KING: One of the questions back here in Washington is, is the White House, behind the scenes, trying to do anything in this race? You've heard the president twice say Arnold Schwarzenegger would make a good governor. In one of those statements, he also said, so would some of the other candidates.

Are you getting any pressure from the White House, or do you see any White House operatives behind the scenes trying to put their stamp on this race?

SIMON: John, I'm not getting any pressure whatsoever from the White House, or any place else, for that matter. And, in fact, President Bush, as you know, has said that I'd make a good governor, too, in the past. And I'm grateful for the president, the president's vote of confidence with respect to me and with respect to other Republican candidates.

KING: Forty-seven days to go, I believe, if my math is right, give or take one or two anyway.

SIMON: That's right.

KING: What is your sense of how this will play out in terms of chances to debate? With 135 candidates, hard to bring off a forum, but what do you see coming ahead in the future, and what would you like to see in terms of major candidate debates?

SIMON: I think all the major candidates should debate, and not just one time. Gray Davis gave me one debate last year. And I don't think that was enough.

I think the people of California deserve to see where their candidates stand on all the major issues. One debate is not enough. I'd like to see five or six debates amongst the major candidates.

KING: Bill Simon, Republican candidate for governor, we thank you, sir, for joining us today.

SIMON: Thank you, John.

KING: And we would be happy to welcome you back in the 47 days still to come.

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




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Aired August 22, 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: Now back to our coverage of the California recall. Republican Bill Simon narrowly lost to Gray Davis in last year's race for governor, now, less than a year later, Bill Simon, one of 135 candidates on the ballot, hoping to replace Governor Davis.
Bill Simon is with me now from Sacramento.

Mr. Simon, thank you for joining us today.

BILL SIMON (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, John.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: Excuse me.

You had been saying for some time to Arnold Schwarzenegger, where's the beef? He did come out today -- this week, excuse me -- and say he wouldn't raise taxes unless of some disaster. He would cut spending, not education. Enough, in your view?

SIMON: No, I think we need to go further, John.

Honestly, I think, with a $12 billion structural deficit, which is what I think it will rise to, we need to tell the people of California how we plan to handle it. And fact is that I'll have a full plan shortly.

I've had a plan historically that specifies not only broadly no taxes, but also specifically what areas that I would cut. It specifies a constitutional cap on spending. It also talks about job stimulus. Once again, Arnold's right that our state has lost a tremendous amount of jobs, in fact, in many instances, more than all other states combined. But in order to stimulate job growth, we need to reform workers compensation. We need to roll back some of the job- killer legislation that Gray Davis has signed over the past four years.

KING: You were the Republican candidate against Gray Davis last November, not unfamiliar to California voters. Yet, if you look at the most recent poll, so far, things aren't looking so great for your campaign.

This is a Public Policy Institute of California poll out yesterday: Arnold Schwarzenegger at 23 percent, Lieutenant Governor Bustamante 18, Tom McClintock at 5, Bill Simon and Peter Ueberroth at 4. How do you explain that, sir? You were on the statewide ballot just a few months back.

SIMON: Well, John, actually, that poll was taken -- they started going into the field before I even announced my candidacy. And I think that very same poll would indicate that there's quite a bit of undecided voters. And the fact is, it's a very fluid situation.

KING: How do you deal with -- I know one of your frustrations is the celebrity factor in this race, all the media attention Arnold Schwarzenegger gets. How do you deal with that? And do we, my business, share some of the blame, in your view, for how things are right now?

SIMON: No, not at all, John.

In fact, I'm grateful to Mr. Schwarzenegger to coming into the race. And I think all the candidates ought to say thank you to Arnold, because it's increased the media scrutiny. It's given all of us, myself included, an opportunity to go through our vision, our agenda, for the people of California. And we are right now in the middle of what I think is the most serious financial crisis in the history of California.

And the opportunity to get to the people with my specific ideas, I view that as a great opportunity.

KING: I assume you very much want a Republican governor in your state. The state Republican chairman was on with us yesterday. He said, not now, but perhaps a week or two down the road, he might pick up the phone and ask one or two of the Republican candidates to get out. If you received that call, sir, would you do so?

SIMON: I'm always open to talking to people, John.

And I do think the field will winnow down as time goes on. But once again, it's so important that we get our ideas out to the people of California. That's what this race is all about. It's not about process. It's about people. It's about our people who have been working hard, who are overtaxed, who, in many cases, are unemployed, whose children aren't getting an education. That's what this recall is all about.

KING: Well, let's take a few minutes, then, on some of those issues.

Arnold Schwarzenegger says he would not raise taxes unless there was some sort of a disaster, terrorism, a position very much like President Bush's. Agree or disagree with him on that?

SIMON: Well, I took a pledge yesterday that I would not raise taxes, John. And there's been contradictory messages that have come out of the Schwarzenegger camp. And I'm wondering if he's willing to take that pledge as well.

KING: And on education spending, he says, leave it as is, he won't touch it at all. Do you think it needs to be touched? SIMON: Well, once again, I said that what I would do is audit the state government every square inch. And wherever there is fraud, waste and mismanagement, I'd be willing to cut.

Now, the educational system, to me, is the principal function of government. And we have to make sure our kids are getting an education. Two million children now are trapped in failing schools. So I would look hard the school system in terms of preserving it. But everything has got to be on the table, especially with respect to fraud, waste and mismanagement.

KING: One of the questions back here in Washington is, is the White House, behind the scenes, trying to do anything in this race? You've heard the president twice say Arnold Schwarzenegger would make a good governor. In one of those statements, he also said, so would some of the other candidates.

Are you getting any pressure from the White House, or do you see any White House operatives behind the scenes trying to put their stamp on this race?

SIMON: John, I'm not getting any pressure whatsoever from the White House, or any place else, for that matter. And, in fact, President Bush, as you know, has said that I'd make a good governor, too, in the past. And I'm grateful for the president, the president's vote of confidence with respect to me and with respect to other Republican candidates.

KING: Forty-seven days to go, I believe, if my math is right, give or take one or two anyway.

SIMON: That's right.

KING: What is your sense of how this will play out in terms of chances to debate? With 135 candidates, hard to bring off a forum, but what do you see coming ahead in the future, and what would you like to see in terms of major candidate debates?

SIMON: I think all the major candidates should debate, and not just one time. Gray Davis gave me one debate last year. And I don't think that was enough.

I think the people of California deserve to see where their candidates stand on all the major issues. One debate is not enough. I'd like to see five or six debates amongst the major candidates.

KING: Bill Simon, Republican candidate for governor, we thank you, sir, for joining us today.

SIMON: Thank you, John.

KING: And we would be happy to welcome you back in the 47 days still to come.

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




Simon>