Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Taking Sides in California Recall

Aired August 27, 2003 - 15:13   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: As we continue to track developments in the California recall, I'm joined now by two people with key roles in the recall debate.
Ann Lewis is the Democratic National Committee's senior recall adviser. She joins me from San Francisco. And Abel Maldonado is in Sacramento. He's a state assemblyman and co-chairman of the Arnold Schwarzenegger campaign, a Republican, I should say.

Mr. Maldonado, Ann Lewis, good to see you both. Thank you very much.

ABEL MALDONADO, SCHWARZENEGGER ADVISER: Thanks for having us on, Judy.

(CROSSTALK)

WOODRUFF: Thank you.

Ann Lewis, to you first.

Yesterday, the California Labor Federation said, not only are they against the recall, which we already knew, but they're saying that people should vote yes on the replacement ballot for Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante. Doesn't this seriously undermine Governor Davis' argument?

ANN LEWIS, DNC SR. RECALL ADVISER: No, not at all.

Look, I have a lot of confidence in the voters of California. Every election, when they go to the ballot, they get a ballot that has both initiatives and candidates on the same ballot. So they are accustomed to voting both on initiatives and for candidates. And in this case, I thought the AFL-CIO had it just right. They said no on the recall.

The governor of California makes decisions every day that have a real impact on the lives of working people, on issues like education, on protection for workers, on protecting the environment. We don't want to endanger that with the recall. So vote no on the recall. And then, when you get to the list of candidates, vote for the only candidate who has been elected statewide. And that is Cruz Bustamante, who is the lieutenant governor.

So don't let the recall be an excuse to replace an elected governor with someone who has never even faced an election before.

WOODRUFF: But I think the question is, is that not going to be confusing for some voters?

(CROSSTALK)

LEWIS: They've been doing it for years.

WOODRUFF: Assemblyman Maldonado, I want to turn the corner and ask a very different question of you.

Yesterday, I interviewed state Senator Tom McClintock, a Republican like you. He's also running for governor. He says he's the man with momentum in this race. And he criticized Mr. Schwarzenegger, said he has not taking the no-tax pledge. What do you say to Tom McClintock, who would also like to be governor?

MALDONADO: Well, Tom is a great friend of mine. And I have known Tom for quite some time, and obviously been in office more than 22 years.

But, at the end of the day here, I think what is important is that we look at who can win this race. And in the short period of time, Judy, of 60 days, down to 48 days, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the gentleman that has put team together that can really get elected in California,. He comes fresh. He's outside of the box. He's not a politician. This man is a person that can bring back California.

That's why I'm supporting him. That's why 20 other assembly members endorsed him. And we're looking forward to a great campaign.

WOODRUFF: Well, Ann Lewis, whether it's Arnold Schwarzenegger or any other candidate, one of the big problems Governor Davis is having is that voters are saying -- there's a new Field poll out today saying most Californians are very upset about the state of the economy. And who do they blame but Gray Davis?

LEWIS: That's right. And as Governor Davis said last night in his town hall meeting, he understands that. He takes responsibility. He's the leader. And if things go wrong, it's his responsibility.

But he also talked to people -- and this was an unscripted town meeting. He just took the people who came in and answered their questions. He said: Here's what I'm trying to do. Here's my goals. Here's how we can move forward in the future.

Remember, California is not an island in this. The national economy has lost three million jobs. So looking to Republican leadership to bring jobs back might not be a great idea. Nationally, we have lost three million jobs since George Bush got elected.

(CROSSTALK)

LEWIS: California has actually done better than the nation as a whole. We need to keep going in the right direction.

WOODRUFF: What about that, Mr. Maldonado?

MALDONADO: Well, Ann is very supportive of the governor. I can tell you that people of California signed 1.6 million signatures to recall Governor Gray Davis; 42 percent of those were Democrats. Ann has to understand that, over the last five years, her party has controlled the governorship. Her party has controlled every constitutional office in California. Her party has controlled the sputtering economy, the schools and everything else, the state assembly, the state Senate. And people are looking for a change.

They want someone that is not involved in politics. That person is Arnold Schwarzenegger. As that's why, as we're putting this campaign together, Judy -- and it has taking time to get the details out. We will in the next couple of days, to let the people know where Arnold stands on the issues.

WOODRUFF: We're going to have to leave it there.

Ann Lewis, Abel Maldonado, state assemblyman, thank you both. Great to see you.

LEWIS: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Appreciate it.

MALDONADO: 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 27, 2003 - 15:13   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: As we continue to track developments in the California recall, I'm joined now by two people with key roles in the recall debate.
Ann Lewis is the Democratic National Committee's senior recall adviser. She joins me from San Francisco. And Abel Maldonado is in Sacramento. He's a state assemblyman and co-chairman of the Arnold Schwarzenegger campaign, a Republican, I should say.

Mr. Maldonado, Ann Lewis, good to see you both. Thank you very much.

ABEL MALDONADO, SCHWARZENEGGER ADVISER: Thanks for having us on, Judy.

(CROSSTALK)

WOODRUFF: Thank you.

Ann Lewis, to you first.

Yesterday, the California Labor Federation said, not only are they against the recall, which we already knew, but they're saying that people should vote yes on the replacement ballot for Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante. Doesn't this seriously undermine Governor Davis' argument?

ANN LEWIS, DNC SR. RECALL ADVISER: No, not at all.

Look, I have a lot of confidence in the voters of California. Every election, when they go to the ballot, they get a ballot that has both initiatives and candidates on the same ballot. So they are accustomed to voting both on initiatives and for candidates. And in this case, I thought the AFL-CIO had it just right. They said no on the recall.

The governor of California makes decisions every day that have a real impact on the lives of working people, on issues like education, on protection for workers, on protecting the environment. We don't want to endanger that with the recall. So vote no on the recall. And then, when you get to the list of candidates, vote for the only candidate who has been elected statewide. And that is Cruz Bustamante, who is the lieutenant governor.

So don't let the recall be an excuse to replace an elected governor with someone who has never even faced an election before.

WOODRUFF: But I think the question is, is that not going to be confusing for some voters?

(CROSSTALK)

LEWIS: They've been doing it for years.

WOODRUFF: Assemblyman Maldonado, I want to turn the corner and ask a very different question of you.

Yesterday, I interviewed state Senator Tom McClintock, a Republican like you. He's also running for governor. He says he's the man with momentum in this race. And he criticized Mr. Schwarzenegger, said he has not taking the no-tax pledge. What do you say to Tom McClintock, who would also like to be governor?

MALDONADO: Well, Tom is a great friend of mine. And I have known Tom for quite some time, and obviously been in office more than 22 years.

But, at the end of the day here, I think what is important is that we look at who can win this race. And in the short period of time, Judy, of 60 days, down to 48 days, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the gentleman that has put team together that can really get elected in California,. He comes fresh. He's outside of the box. He's not a politician. This man is a person that can bring back California.

That's why I'm supporting him. That's why 20 other assembly members endorsed him. And we're looking forward to a great campaign.

WOODRUFF: Well, Ann Lewis, whether it's Arnold Schwarzenegger or any other candidate, one of the big problems Governor Davis is having is that voters are saying -- there's a new Field poll out today saying most Californians are very upset about the state of the economy. And who do they blame but Gray Davis?

LEWIS: That's right. And as Governor Davis said last night in his town hall meeting, he understands that. He takes responsibility. He's the leader. And if things go wrong, it's his responsibility.

But he also talked to people -- and this was an unscripted town meeting. He just took the people who came in and answered their questions. He said: Here's what I'm trying to do. Here's my goals. Here's how we can move forward in the future.

Remember, California is not an island in this. The national economy has lost three million jobs. So looking to Republican leadership to bring jobs back might not be a great idea. Nationally, we have lost three million jobs since George Bush got elected.

(CROSSTALK)

LEWIS: California has actually done better than the nation as a whole. We need to keep going in the right direction.

WOODRUFF: What about that, Mr. Maldonado?

MALDONADO: Well, Ann is very supportive of the governor. I can tell you that people of California signed 1.6 million signatures to recall Governor Gray Davis; 42 percent of those were Democrats. Ann has to understand that, over the last five years, her party has controlled the governorship. Her party has controlled every constitutional office in California. Her party has controlled the sputtering economy, the schools and everything else, the state assembly, the state Senate. And people are looking for a change.

They want someone that is not involved in politics. That person is Arnold Schwarzenegger. As that's why, as we're putting this campaign together, Judy -- and it has taking time to get the details out. We will in the next couple of days, to let the people know where Arnold stands on the issues.

WOODRUFF: We're going to have to leave it there.

Ann Lewis, Abel Maldonado, state assemblyman, thank you both. Great to see you.

LEWIS: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Appreciate it.

MALDONADO: 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