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Schwarzenegger's Campaign Strategy
Aired August 27, 2003 - 15:01 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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Some Americans are watching the recall free-for-all out West and thinking, only in California. But would a certain action movie star be a viable candidate in other parts of the country?
In our new poll out this hour, we asked Americans nationwide, would you vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger for governor in your state? Well, 42 percent of those surveyed said yes; 53 percent said no. Americans may be even less eager to see Schwarzenegger in the White House; 70 percent say they oppose a constitutional amendment to permit a U.S. citizen born in another country to become president.
Well, this hour, Schwarzenegger is appearing on yet another conservative talk radio show.
CNN's Bob Franken is keeping tabs on Schwarzenegger and his campaign strategy.
Bob, what is with the Schwarzenegger strategy of doing pretty much only radio talk shows for several days?
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's the difference between dangerous interviews, where the questions might not be as friendly, and the more friendly venues that usually conservative talk radio is for a Republican candidate.
So he has been doing a lot of that. He does have some events scheduled this week where he will be a little bit more out in the public. Others are wondering whether he is going to make good any time soon on the promises from his campaign to come out with some precise programs that he would put into effect if he was governor.
Now, they just very proudly announced from the Schwarzenegger campaign that he has received the endorsement of 20 Republican members of the state assembly. And they call that an honor that Schwarzenegger would get such an endorsement.
Here is something really worth noting. There are Republican 32 members of the state assembly, meaning that 12 are not listing their names in support of Schwarzenegger, which of course illustrates the problem, that the Republican Party is not really solid yet. And that puts him at a bit of disadvantage against the Democrats. Cruz Bustamante is now lining up the vote as an alternative, in case Gray Davis fails to stop the recall -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: And, in fact, we're going to be talking to one of those state assemblymen who has endorsed Schwarzenegger in just a few minutes.
But, Bob, let's talk about Gray Davis and his strategy. What about -- are they reacting yet to the fact that organized labor in California yesterday said, not only are they going to oppose the recall, but they're going to endorse and support Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante? What are the Davis people saying?
FRANKEN: Well, the Davis people are presenting this as a bit of a victory. Their strategy seems to be to find hope, no matter how faint, wherever it is, because the AFL-CIO -- which, by the way, has over two million members in California -- did abandon its policy of strictly vote no on the recall, with no further recommendation.
But the AFL-CIO made it a point of saying, it was saying, OK, go ahead and vote for Bustamante, but it was not an endorsement. And so the Gray Davis people are saying, that tepid support for Bustamante really is something in the governor's favor, as he fights his uphill battle to avoid the recall.
WOODRUFF: OK, Bob Franken, watching it all out in California, thanks very much.
Well, Arnold Schwarzenegger may have brought a good bit of Hollywood to the recall campaign, but the entertainment industry is divided over his candidacy. And that, in and of itself, is producing quite a show.
Michael Bryant covers Hollywood on the TV show "Extra." Michael Bryant is with us now.
Just how interested, Michael, first of all, is the industry in this campaign, more or less than a usual political campaign out in California?
MICHAEL BRYANT, "EXTRA": Yes, I think they're taking it a little more personally, Judy, because one of their own, whether they choose to endorse him or not, one of their own is in the limelight in a totally different way now.
WOODRUFF: And for those who are -- we know, typically, we think of Hollywood being more Democratic, more liberal. Who is coming out and being visible in terms of supporting Governor Gray Davis?
BRYANT: Boy, in terms of -- I don't know so much if it is supporting Gray Davis as it being anti-Arnold.
But we're hearing names like Martin Sheen and Woody Harrelson, names that we hear associated with liberal causes all the time. So, I don't know that it's that unusual that they're speaking out against Arnold. But, again, I think it is more so against Arnold than in favor of current Governor Davis.
WOODRUFF: And what about pro-Arnold? Who is out there visibly supporting Schwarzenegger?
BRYANT: Well, Rob Lowe right now is certainly the biggest name and the most vocal supporter of Arnold.
And what has been kind of interesting lately, Judy, is that a lot of stars have backed off either position. Maybe their P.R. machine has gotten a hold of them and they said, look, let's tone this down a little bit. But it seems that mum is more the official word than yes or no for Arnold or for Gray Davis.
But Rob Lowe has been very vocal. He was very excited about getting to associate himself with the Arnold campaign. His role is kind of just as an ombudsman, I guess, for lack of a better word, because he is not truly an adviser. Arnold's camp has said that many times. But Rob is one of the only Republicans, back when he did "The West Wing" show, was getting support from his fellow cast members, saying, this guy is so into politics, he's going to love this.
So he has been the most vocal, no doubt about it.
WOODRUFF: Now, there was a report, Michael, that the Schwarzenegger camp was talking to the CAA, the Creative Artist Agency, which -- an agency that represents a number of big stars, like Tom Hanks, trying to get them on board. What happened to that?
BRYANT: Well, the official word was that Arnold's camp had asked CAA to get behind him, to support him, in whatever way they needed to. And, of course, I think most people think that would mean to start getting out the Rolodex and going through the names of stars who might attach their name to Arnold.
But the CAA said, no, we never intended to do that. And to give Arnold the benefit of the doubt, he never said they agreed to. He said they had been asked to. So I don't think there is a real big controversy there, except that it would have been unusual for CAA to step on board with a list of clients that were going to support Arnold. That just wasn't going to happen.
What I think is interesting with Arnold's campaign, he has a situation that not a lot of folks have had to deal with. And that is the good old fairness doctrine, the equal-time clause, where, if he has time on a given show, if it's not a true, bona fide news event show, the other candidates have to have equal time. And so that's causing him some problems, because those broadcasters who are afraid that somebody is going to claim, hey, we need equal time, they're going to back off giving him time that he might really be allowed.
WOODRUFF: Right. All right. Michael Bryant, covering Hollywood and Hollywood dipping into politics for "Extra," thanks very much.
BRYANT: Thank you, Judy.
WOODRUFF: Well, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger is just one of 135 names on the second part of the recall ballot. That translates into seven pages of candidates, as you can see on this sample ballot that was released just yesterday. Now, somewhere inside that booklet is Warren Farrell's name.
CNN's Thelma Gutierrez tells us about this relatively unknown recall candidate and why he is in the race.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARREN FARRELL, CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Hi, I am Dr. Warren Farrell. And what I can focus Californians on are father issues.
I am not a man of victims.
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Meet Warren Farrell. He is 60, has a Ph.D. in politics and is serious about becoming governor of California.
FARRELL: You have to raise money. You have to print signs. You have to put a campaign together. You have to listen to many people with many different views.
GUTIERREZ: His first public appearance, a father rights rally in Los Angeles.
FARRELL: Fathers' candidate, Warren Farrell.
We need laws to get women to share children with men.
GUTIERREZ: Farrell says his platform is not necessarily politically correct. He wants to change custody laws in California and put a stop to paternity fraud, issues that strike a chord with some men.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the first candidate I have ever heard mention anything about any father's rights or men's rights in particular.
GUTIERREZ (on camera): Does he have your vote?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, he has my vote.
FARRELL: I see myself as having two ways of winning.
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): At his home in Carlsbad, Farrell holds a strategy session with volunteers.
FARRELL: I can win the election or I can win by getting out the message that children need to be in the lives of fathers.
GUTIERREZ: Farrell is married, has two stepdaughters, and has authored several books on men's issues.
FARRELL: This was the first opportunity to have 30 years of research translated into political reality, or at least have those issues visible.
GUTIERREZ (on camera): How hard is it to run a campaign when you have $12,000?
FARRELL: It is almost impossible. I always used to say that politics was masochism. Now I know politics is masochism.
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): A new appreciation for politicians this Ph.D has just learned.
Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 27, 2003 - 15:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Some Americans are watching the recall free-for-all out West and thinking, only in California. But would a certain action movie star be a viable candidate in other parts of the country?
In our new poll out this hour, we asked Americans nationwide, would you vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger for governor in your state? Well, 42 percent of those surveyed said yes; 53 percent said no. Americans may be even less eager to see Schwarzenegger in the White House; 70 percent say they oppose a constitutional amendment to permit a U.S. citizen born in another country to become president.
Well, this hour, Schwarzenegger is appearing on yet another conservative talk radio show.
CNN's Bob Franken is keeping tabs on Schwarzenegger and his campaign strategy.
Bob, what is with the Schwarzenegger strategy of doing pretty much only radio talk shows for several days?
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's the difference between dangerous interviews, where the questions might not be as friendly, and the more friendly venues that usually conservative talk radio is for a Republican candidate.
So he has been doing a lot of that. He does have some events scheduled this week where he will be a little bit more out in the public. Others are wondering whether he is going to make good any time soon on the promises from his campaign to come out with some precise programs that he would put into effect if he was governor.
Now, they just very proudly announced from the Schwarzenegger campaign that he has received the endorsement of 20 Republican members of the state assembly. And they call that an honor that Schwarzenegger would get such an endorsement.
Here is something really worth noting. There are Republican 32 members of the state assembly, meaning that 12 are not listing their names in support of Schwarzenegger, which of course illustrates the problem, that the Republican Party is not really solid yet. And that puts him at a bit of disadvantage against the Democrats. Cruz Bustamante is now lining up the vote as an alternative, in case Gray Davis fails to stop the recall -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: And, in fact, we're going to be talking to one of those state assemblymen who has endorsed Schwarzenegger in just a few minutes.
But, Bob, let's talk about Gray Davis and his strategy. What about -- are they reacting yet to the fact that organized labor in California yesterday said, not only are they going to oppose the recall, but they're going to endorse and support Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante? What are the Davis people saying?
FRANKEN: Well, the Davis people are presenting this as a bit of a victory. Their strategy seems to be to find hope, no matter how faint, wherever it is, because the AFL-CIO -- which, by the way, has over two million members in California -- did abandon its policy of strictly vote no on the recall, with no further recommendation.
But the AFL-CIO made it a point of saying, it was saying, OK, go ahead and vote for Bustamante, but it was not an endorsement. And so the Gray Davis people are saying, that tepid support for Bustamante really is something in the governor's favor, as he fights his uphill battle to avoid the recall.
WOODRUFF: OK, Bob Franken, watching it all out in California, thanks very much.
Well, Arnold Schwarzenegger may have brought a good bit of Hollywood to the recall campaign, but the entertainment industry is divided over his candidacy. And that, in and of itself, is producing quite a show.
Michael Bryant covers Hollywood on the TV show "Extra." Michael Bryant is with us now.
Just how interested, Michael, first of all, is the industry in this campaign, more or less than a usual political campaign out in California?
MICHAEL BRYANT, "EXTRA": Yes, I think they're taking it a little more personally, Judy, because one of their own, whether they choose to endorse him or not, one of their own is in the limelight in a totally different way now.
WOODRUFF: And for those who are -- we know, typically, we think of Hollywood being more Democratic, more liberal. Who is coming out and being visible in terms of supporting Governor Gray Davis?
BRYANT: Boy, in terms of -- I don't know so much if it is supporting Gray Davis as it being anti-Arnold.
But we're hearing names like Martin Sheen and Woody Harrelson, names that we hear associated with liberal causes all the time. So, I don't know that it's that unusual that they're speaking out against Arnold. But, again, I think it is more so against Arnold than in favor of current Governor Davis.
WOODRUFF: And what about pro-Arnold? Who is out there visibly supporting Schwarzenegger?
BRYANT: Well, Rob Lowe right now is certainly the biggest name and the most vocal supporter of Arnold.
And what has been kind of interesting lately, Judy, is that a lot of stars have backed off either position. Maybe their P.R. machine has gotten a hold of them and they said, look, let's tone this down a little bit. But it seems that mum is more the official word than yes or no for Arnold or for Gray Davis.
But Rob Lowe has been very vocal. He was very excited about getting to associate himself with the Arnold campaign. His role is kind of just as an ombudsman, I guess, for lack of a better word, because he is not truly an adviser. Arnold's camp has said that many times. But Rob is one of the only Republicans, back when he did "The West Wing" show, was getting support from his fellow cast members, saying, this guy is so into politics, he's going to love this.
So he has been the most vocal, no doubt about it.
WOODRUFF: Now, there was a report, Michael, that the Schwarzenegger camp was talking to the CAA, the Creative Artist Agency, which -- an agency that represents a number of big stars, like Tom Hanks, trying to get them on board. What happened to that?
BRYANT: Well, the official word was that Arnold's camp had asked CAA to get behind him, to support him, in whatever way they needed to. And, of course, I think most people think that would mean to start getting out the Rolodex and going through the names of stars who might attach their name to Arnold.
But the CAA said, no, we never intended to do that. And to give Arnold the benefit of the doubt, he never said they agreed to. He said they had been asked to. So I don't think there is a real big controversy there, except that it would have been unusual for CAA to step on board with a list of clients that were going to support Arnold. That just wasn't going to happen.
What I think is interesting with Arnold's campaign, he has a situation that not a lot of folks have had to deal with. And that is the good old fairness doctrine, the equal-time clause, where, if he has time on a given show, if it's not a true, bona fide news event show, the other candidates have to have equal time. And so that's causing him some problems, because those broadcasters who are afraid that somebody is going to claim, hey, we need equal time, they're going to back off giving him time that he might really be allowed.
WOODRUFF: Right. All right. Michael Bryant, covering Hollywood and Hollywood dipping into politics for "Extra," thanks very much.
BRYANT: Thank you, Judy.
WOODRUFF: Well, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger is just one of 135 names on the second part of the recall ballot. That translates into seven pages of candidates, as you can see on this sample ballot that was released just yesterday. Now, somewhere inside that booklet is Warren Farrell's name.
CNN's Thelma Gutierrez tells us about this relatively unknown recall candidate and why he is in the race.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARREN FARRELL, CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Hi, I am Dr. Warren Farrell. And what I can focus Californians on are father issues.
I am not a man of victims.
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Meet Warren Farrell. He is 60, has a Ph.D. in politics and is serious about becoming governor of California.
FARRELL: You have to raise money. You have to print signs. You have to put a campaign together. You have to listen to many people with many different views.
GUTIERREZ: His first public appearance, a father rights rally in Los Angeles.
FARRELL: Fathers' candidate, Warren Farrell.
We need laws to get women to share children with men.
GUTIERREZ: Farrell says his platform is not necessarily politically correct. He wants to change custody laws in California and put a stop to paternity fraud, issues that strike a chord with some men.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the first candidate I have ever heard mention anything about any father's rights or men's rights in particular.
GUTIERREZ (on camera): Does he have your vote?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, he has my vote.
FARRELL: I see myself as having two ways of winning.
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): At his home in Carlsbad, Farrell holds a strategy session with volunteers.
FARRELL: I can win the election or I can win by getting out the message that children need to be in the lives of fathers.
GUTIERREZ: Farrell is married, has two stepdaughters, and has authored several books on men's issues.
FARRELL: This was the first opportunity to have 30 years of research translated into political reality, or at least have those issues visible.
GUTIERREZ (on camera): How hard is it to run a campaign when you have $12,000?
FARRELL: It is almost impossible. I always used to say that politics was masochism. Now I know politics is masochism.
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): A new appreciation for politicians this Ph.D has just learned.
Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
