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Arnold Schwarzenegger Talks Issues

Aired August 28, 2003 - 14:05   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the California recall race, weapons of mass destruction abound. Gradually, though, the most prominent contenders are getting around to the issues.
CNN's Bob Franken is taking note, as always.

Bob, what is happening?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, gradually, Arnold Schwarzenegger is getting to the issues. He, by the way, has left the confines of his home and the cocoon of the talk radio shows, where he's been outlining his issues in the last couple of days.

And he's once again out campaigning, this time in the agricultural section of California in the Fresno area, this after some interviews on talk radio where he outlined some of the social positions, many of them we heard before, that he is pro-abortion rights, he is pro-gun control. He does believe there should be prayer in the schools. He was absolutely against offshore oil drilling, according to Arnold Schwarzenegger in these interviews.

Now, I will point out that he did not really talk any more specifically about some of the plans that his administration would have for correcting California's very serious economic problems. They did not come out. Of course, today, he's out campaigning and he's going to be talking to reporters more about all that.

PHILLIPS: All right, Bob, I guess you could say a few disclosures about some wild activities in Arnold's past. What do we know?

FRANKEN: Well, first of all, it's important to point out that these are disclosure from none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger himself, disclosures that go back to 26 years, to 1977, coincide with the release of the movie "Pumping Iron," which, of course, was what made him so famous.

Of those was in this book. It is his own book called "Arnold," as you can see. And also an interview he is reported to have done for "Oui" magazine. And they detail a variety of activities, including the use of marijuana and hashish and also some sexual activities that include a group orgy with several body builders and one woman.

Now, he was asked about this on a Sacramento radio station last night. And he said -- I'd like to give you the whole quote -- "I have never lived my life to be a politician. I never lived my life to be the governor of California." "Obviously, he continued, "I've made statements that are ludicrous and crazy and outrageous and all those things, because that's the way I always was. I was always that way, because, otherwise, I wouldn't have done the things that I did in my career, including the body building and the show business and all those things."

As a matter of fact, in this book, he said he used to think of girls as sex objects, but -- quoting -- that was a quote from him -- he went on to say, "My attitude about all that has changed radically." And, of course, that was 1977.

What we're going to, of course, find out now is what the reaction of the voters in California is to all this, the reaction to those who covered the politics, and, of course, the reaction that Arnold Schwarzenegger may have himself -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Bob Franken, 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 28, 2003 - 14:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the California recall race, weapons of mass destruction abound. Gradually, though, the most prominent contenders are getting around to the issues.
CNN's Bob Franken is taking note, as always.

Bob, what is happening?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, gradually, Arnold Schwarzenegger is getting to the issues. He, by the way, has left the confines of his home and the cocoon of the talk radio shows, where he's been outlining his issues in the last couple of days.

And he's once again out campaigning, this time in the agricultural section of California in the Fresno area, this after some interviews on talk radio where he outlined some of the social positions, many of them we heard before, that he is pro-abortion rights, he is pro-gun control. He does believe there should be prayer in the schools. He was absolutely against offshore oil drilling, according to Arnold Schwarzenegger in these interviews.

Now, I will point out that he did not really talk any more specifically about some of the plans that his administration would have for correcting California's very serious economic problems. They did not come out. Of course, today, he's out campaigning and he's going to be talking to reporters more about all that.

PHILLIPS: All right, Bob, I guess you could say a few disclosures about some wild activities in Arnold's past. What do we know?

FRANKEN: Well, first of all, it's important to point out that these are disclosure from none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger himself, disclosures that go back to 26 years, to 1977, coincide with the release of the movie "Pumping Iron," which, of course, was what made him so famous.

Of those was in this book. It is his own book called "Arnold," as you can see. And also an interview he is reported to have done for "Oui" magazine. And they detail a variety of activities, including the use of marijuana and hashish and also some sexual activities that include a group orgy with several body builders and one woman.

Now, he was asked about this on a Sacramento radio station last night. And he said -- I'd like to give you the whole quote -- "I have never lived my life to be a politician. I never lived my life to be the governor of California." "Obviously, he continued, "I've made statements that are ludicrous and crazy and outrageous and all those things, because that's the way I always was. I was always that way, because, otherwise, I wouldn't have done the things that I did in my career, including the body building and the show business and all those things."

As a matter of fact, in this book, he said he used to think of girls as sex objects, but -- quoting -- that was a quote from him -- he went on to say, "My attitude about all that has changed radically." And, of course, that was 1977.

What we're going to, of course, find out now is what the reaction of the voters in California is to all this, the reaction to those who covered the politics, and, of course, the reaction that Arnold Schwarzenegger may have himself -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Bob Franken, 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