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California Recall Delay Scramble
Aired September 17, 2003 - 15:05 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.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN ANCHOR: There is plenty of legal and political scrambling here in California. Lawyers have another two hours to file briefs for and against postponing the October 7 recall. The full 9th Court of Appeals is deciding whether to reconsider Monday's ruling by three of its judges to delay the election.
Within the past hour, Governor Gray Davis stood side by side with another '04 Democratic presidential candidate, appearing at an L.A. job training center with Senator John Kerry.
And Arnold Schwarzenegger met with immigrants and new U.S. citizens here in Los Angeles. Earlier, he got a campaign endorsement from radio shock jock Howard Stern.
With the recall in limbo, Governor Davis and the candidates running to replace him have had to rethink their strategies and their prospects.
Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, looks at how the race may play out if the court order delaying the vote sticks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Talk about cruel and unusual punishment. The court just sentenced California to five more months of campaigning.
TOM MCCLINTOCK (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: It's anti-democratic. It's authoritarian. It is un-American. It is French.
SCHNEIDER: For Gray Davis, it's good news. He's in a position to do things no other candidate can do.
GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Many people are trying to become the governor. I am the governor.
SCHNEIDER: He has an extra five months to mend fences with the voters and deliver goodies.
DAVIS: I have about 600 measures that the legislature just passed. I have to sign them within the next 30 days.
SCHNEIDER: It also gives the Democrats more time to rally voters against what some of them call the vast right-wing conspiracy.
BILL CARRICK, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: They start off saying right away impeachment, Florida, redistricting, recall, it's all the same deal.
SCHNEIDER: The Democrats' partisan strategy forces Cruz Bustamante, who is running to replace Davis, to campaign with Davis.
DAVIS: Bienvenidos, Lieutenant Governor. People wanted to see when we were going to stand together. Well, here we are.
SCHNEIDER: A big Democratic turnout could not only help Davis survive the recall, but, in the second vote, help Bustamante beat the Terminator and give him a leg up for the 2006 Democratic race for governor.
Arnold Schwarzenegger looks like the big loser from the court's ruling. He will be subject to greater scrutiny and greater pressure to get specific on the issues.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: President Bush brought leadership to Washington. And I can guarantee you, I will bring leadership to Sacramento.
SCHNEIDER: His act could get a little tired.
SCHWARZENEGGER: They have terminated jobs. They've terminated growth. And they've terminated dreams. And it's time to terminate them.
SCHNEIDER: Five more months might not be so bad for Tom McClintock, Schwarzenegger's GOP rival.
MCCLINTOCK: If my momentum continues in the first half of this race into second half, I'll be in first place in matter of just a few weeks. That's why we call it a race.
SCHNEIDER: That will make it much harder to get McClintock out of the race and diminish the chances that Republicans will unite behind one candidate.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: Oh, there's one more candidate running in California next year. A long recall campaign could be bad news for President Bush, because the recall is rallying California Democrats and creating a bitter partisan divide. And California has more Democrats than Republicans -- Candy.
CROWLEY: It does, indeed. Thanks, Bill.
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 September 17, 2003 - 15:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN ANCHOR: There is plenty of legal and political scrambling here in California. Lawyers have another two hours to file briefs for and against postponing the October 7 recall. The full 9th Court of Appeals is deciding whether to reconsider Monday's ruling by three of its judges to delay the election.
Within the past hour, Governor Gray Davis stood side by side with another '04 Democratic presidential candidate, appearing at an L.A. job training center with Senator John Kerry.
And Arnold Schwarzenegger met with immigrants and new U.S. citizens here in Los Angeles. Earlier, he got a campaign endorsement from radio shock jock Howard Stern.
With the recall in limbo, Governor Davis and the candidates running to replace him have had to rethink their strategies and their prospects.
Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, looks at how the race may play out if the court order delaying the vote sticks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Talk about cruel and unusual punishment. The court just sentenced California to five more months of campaigning.
TOM MCCLINTOCK (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: It's anti-democratic. It's authoritarian. It is un-American. It is French.
SCHNEIDER: For Gray Davis, it's good news. He's in a position to do things no other candidate can do.
GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Many people are trying to become the governor. I am the governor.
SCHNEIDER: He has an extra five months to mend fences with the voters and deliver goodies.
DAVIS: I have about 600 measures that the legislature just passed. I have to sign them within the next 30 days.
SCHNEIDER: It also gives the Democrats more time to rally voters against what some of them call the vast right-wing conspiracy.
BILL CARRICK, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: They start off saying right away impeachment, Florida, redistricting, recall, it's all the same deal.
SCHNEIDER: The Democrats' partisan strategy forces Cruz Bustamante, who is running to replace Davis, to campaign with Davis.
DAVIS: Bienvenidos, Lieutenant Governor. People wanted to see when we were going to stand together. Well, here we are.
SCHNEIDER: A big Democratic turnout could not only help Davis survive the recall, but, in the second vote, help Bustamante beat the Terminator and give him a leg up for the 2006 Democratic race for governor.
Arnold Schwarzenegger looks like the big loser from the court's ruling. He will be subject to greater scrutiny and greater pressure to get specific on the issues.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: President Bush brought leadership to Washington. And I can guarantee you, I will bring leadership to Sacramento.
SCHNEIDER: His act could get a little tired.
SCHWARZENEGGER: They have terminated jobs. They've terminated growth. And they've terminated dreams. And it's time to terminate them.
SCHNEIDER: Five more months might not be so bad for Tom McClintock, Schwarzenegger's GOP rival.
MCCLINTOCK: If my momentum continues in the first half of this race into second half, I'll be in first place in matter of just a few weeks. That's why we call it a race.
SCHNEIDER: That will make it much harder to get McClintock out of the race and diminish the chances that Republicans will unite behind one candidate.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: Oh, there's one more candidate running in California next year. A long recall campaign could be bad news for President Bush, because the recall is rallying California Democrats and creating a bitter partisan divide. And California has more Democrats than Republicans -- Candy.
CROWLEY: It does, indeed. Thanks, Bill.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
