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Arnold Schwarzenegger Expected to Meet With Gray Davis
Aired October 13, 2003 - 15:00 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: Well, it has been said that if California goes, so goes the nation. But that's not necessarily true when it comes to Governor-Elect Arnold Schwarzenegger. Our new poll out this hour shows 61 percent of people across the country say they think the actor will be a successful governor. But would they want him to lead their state? More than half of those surveyed outside of California said no.
The public also seems to have a "not in my backyard" attitude toward the concept of the recall vote. Sixty-four percent say that it's a good idea to allow the public to recall elected officials. But 72 percent of Americans outside of California say they would not vote to recall their own governor.
Well, Schwarzenegger is busy reaching out for his part to Republicans and to Democrats as he prepares to take office. He may soon find himself face to face with the man he's replacing. CNN's Frank Buckley has more on all this from Los Angeles -- Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Judy. I'm told that discussions are under way between the offices of Governor Gray Davis and Governor-Elect Arnold Schwarzenegger to have a face-to- face meeting. It would be the first time they've talked to each other since election night. That's when Gray Davis called to concede and promised Schwarzenegger a smooth transition.
Davis aides say the governor suggested the meeting. It would be the kind of meeting that takes place between all incoming and outgoing governors, basically a standard transition briefing. They're still working out the details on where and when, but that meeting could come as early as this week.
Over the weekend, Gray Davis signed a batch of bills. He had more than 200 to consider. Governor-Elect Schwarzenegger, you might remember, last week said at a news conference that he would prefer that Davis not sign the bills. But then Davis aides pointed out that in California, if bills go unsigned after a certain period, they automatically become law.
One Davis aide told me sarcastically this morning that Mr. Schwarzenegger hadn't made his position clear on that many issues during the campaign, referring to his lack of specific proposals. So the governor wouldn't have known which bills Mr. Schwarzenegger opposed. So, Judy, the campaign is over, but there's still a bit of sniping going on back and forth behind the scenes.
WOODRUFF: Sounds like the feelings are still raw, Frank. Frank, what about the plans for meeting with President Bush? What are you hearing about that?
BUCKLEY: Well, details on a meeting between President Bush and Governor-Elect Schwarzenegger still being worked out. The president's going to be here for a couple of fund-raisers on his way to Japan. Mr. Schwarzenegger has said he would be counting on Mr. Bush for a lot of favors in the months ahead. But just what the president can do immediately is unclear.
California's facing a huge operating deficit, at least $8 billion. That's Mr. Schwarzenegger's immediate concern. And few expect any kind of federal bailout to help on that front -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: OK. Frank Buckley watching it all for us from Los Angeles. Frank, thank you very much.
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 October 13, 2003 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it has been said that if California goes, so goes the nation. But that's not necessarily true when it comes to Governor-Elect Arnold Schwarzenegger. Our new poll out this hour shows 61 percent of people across the country say they think the actor will be a successful governor. But would they want him to lead their state? More than half of those surveyed outside of California said no.
The public also seems to have a "not in my backyard" attitude toward the concept of the recall vote. Sixty-four percent say that it's a good idea to allow the public to recall elected officials. But 72 percent of Americans outside of California say they would not vote to recall their own governor.
Well, Schwarzenegger is busy reaching out for his part to Republicans and to Democrats as he prepares to take office. He may soon find himself face to face with the man he's replacing. CNN's Frank Buckley has more on all this from Los Angeles -- Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Judy. I'm told that discussions are under way between the offices of Governor Gray Davis and Governor-Elect Arnold Schwarzenegger to have a face-to- face meeting. It would be the first time they've talked to each other since election night. That's when Gray Davis called to concede and promised Schwarzenegger a smooth transition.
Davis aides say the governor suggested the meeting. It would be the kind of meeting that takes place between all incoming and outgoing governors, basically a standard transition briefing. They're still working out the details on where and when, but that meeting could come as early as this week.
Over the weekend, Gray Davis signed a batch of bills. He had more than 200 to consider. Governor-Elect Schwarzenegger, you might remember, last week said at a news conference that he would prefer that Davis not sign the bills. But then Davis aides pointed out that in California, if bills go unsigned after a certain period, they automatically become law.
One Davis aide told me sarcastically this morning that Mr. Schwarzenegger hadn't made his position clear on that many issues during the campaign, referring to his lack of specific proposals. So the governor wouldn't have known which bills Mr. Schwarzenegger opposed. So, Judy, the campaign is over, but there's still a bit of sniping going on back and forth behind the scenes.
WOODRUFF: Sounds like the feelings are still raw, Frank. Frank, what about the plans for meeting with President Bush? What are you hearing about that?
BUCKLEY: Well, details on a meeting between President Bush and Governor-Elect Schwarzenegger still being worked out. The president's going to be here for a couple of fund-raisers on his way to Japan. Mr. Schwarzenegger has said he would be counting on Mr. Bush for a lot of favors in the months ahead. But just what the president can do immediately is unclear.
California's facing a huge operating deficit, at least $8 billion. That's Mr. Schwarzenegger's immediate concern. And few expect any kind of federal bailout to help on that front -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: OK. Frank Buckley watching it all for us from Los Angeles. Frank, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
