Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Schwarzenegger and Davis Meet in Sacramento
Aired October 23, 2003 - 15:02 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: Gray Davis told Arnold Schwarzenegger that being California governor is the best job he'll ever have. The outgoing and incoming state leaders tried their best to put on their best face at their meeting today, after exchanging bitter words during the recall campaign.
CNN's Frank Buckley has more from Sacramento. He's with us now.
Frank, do we know what they talked about?
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know what they talked about once they went behind closed doors in general terms, that is, policy, budget, those kinds of matters. At least that's what they were supposed to talk about. We don't have a readout yet on exactly what points they hit.
But we know that they're essentially talking about transition issues and budget and policy, of course, very important in those issues as they move forward. And there is a transition of power from the Davis administration to the soon-to-be Schwarzenegger administration.
We also got to witness, just before their proper transition meeting, more or less a photo-op, during which we had a chance to ask some questions. During that photo-op session, very friendly faces, as you said, very different tone from what we experienced during the campaign. A few of us were asking as pool reporters. And I asked governor-elect Schwarzenegger how a Schwarzenegger era will be different from a Davis era.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR-ELECT: I think that the people have spoken on the day of election. They want change. And I will provide that change. And I'm looking forward to it, working for the people, being the governor for the people. So I think that the people are very optimistic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: Now, Governor Davis has said from the first night, from election night, when he called governor-elect Schwarzenegger, that he wanted to make sure that there was a smooth transition. You heard the tape earlier in which he talked about the fact that he wants Governor Schwarzenegger to have success here in California.
Here's what -- how Governor Davis sees the transition. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Life is like a relay race. And we each run our part of the race as well as we can and then we pass the baton to the next person, which is what I'm doing in this transition.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Thank you very much. Thank you, Governor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: Now, governor-elect Schwarzenegger is continuing to have meetings with various other officers, constitutional officers, throughout the capital. Yesterday, he met with legislative leaders. Among the people he's meeting with today, in fact, he's just now meeting with Cruz Bustamante, so meeting some of his old opponents from the recall campaign, a lot of smiles, a lot of cameras following them around and, essentially, the good feelings that you expect during a transition, Judy, no one rolling up their sleeves and challenging the other guy to an arm-wrestle here -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: The Bustamante meeting must be interesting, after Bustamante told him, in effect, a few weeks ago that he could just go off and make movies while he, the lieutenant governor, would run the state. Obviously, that's not going to happen.
OK, Frank Buckley, thank you very much.
Well, joining us now is one of the California lawmakers who met with the governor-elect yesterday. The speaker of the state assembly is going to be with us in a moment.
But right now, the state Senate minority leader, Republican James Brulte, is with us.
Mr. Brulte, first of all, tell us generally what the message is that is coming across from the governor-elect and tell us whether you think he's going to get what he wants out of the state legislature.
JAMES BRULTE (R), CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR: Well, I think he'll get most of what he wants.
The message that the governor has delivered is that the people of California voted for change. For the last five years, liberals have had control of state government, and they've gotten just about everything they wanted. There's a metaphysical principle that, for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. And the recall is a reaction to that five years of governance.
The governor-elect says he wants to bring about change, wants to get our spending under control, wants to stop exporting jobs from California to other states and other regions. And I believe that, because he's willing to reach out and work in a bipartisan manner, I think this governor will get the vast bulk of what he wants.
WOODRUFF: Now the state assembly speaker, Herb Wesson, is with us.
Mr. Speaker, is Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor-elect, essentially going to get what he wants from you and other Democrats and members of the legislature?
HERB WESSON (D), CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: Well, it's a pleasure to be on show with my dear friend Senator Jim Brulte.
I slightly disagree with his analysis of what occurred on October 7. I think the voters of this state told all of us, Democrats and Republicans alike, that business as usual, they don't want to see that. They're tired of bipartisan bickering. So, yes, we are prepared to work with the governor. And I think we're going to try to build this relationship on areas of interest that we share. And I think, once we're able to do that, that, hopefully, anything is possible.
So we look forward to this new challenge. We look forward, again, to working with our dear friends, like Jim Brulte in the Senate and Kevin McCarthy in the Assembly. And I believe we're going to do the best we can to do the business that Californians hired us to do.
WOODRUFF: Well, Mr. Speaker, Herb Wesson, let me ask you, though, does that mean you're going to go along with the repeal of the car tax and with finding a way to balance the budget in the special session that we gather the governor-elect is going to call?
WESSON: Well, we haven't received the specifics yet as to the different areas that we're going to discuss when we get into the special session. Where it relates to, I don't know exactly how broad those discussions are going to be.
Where it relates to the car tax, I was in a meeting -- not the car tax. Yes, where it relates to the car tax, I was in a meeting yesterday. And the governor-elect indicated that he wanted to repeal that. I don't know if he is prepared to do that today. That I don't know. We have not had a detailed discussion about that.
Yesterday was more of a, "Hey, guys, we've got a big job ahead of us, let's work together" type of a meeting. So I would think Jim may have more information than I do. By I think, by the end of the day, I'll have more of an idea as to the types of things that we're going to address in the special session.
WOODRUFF: I want to ask Mr. Brulte, we're now hearing that what Mr. Schwarzenegger may want to do is ask the voters of the state to approve a bond issue which would help address the state's budget problem. For somebody who ran on cutting spending, is that something that you're going to be comfortable with?
BRULTE: Well, the question is, over a five-year bond, California's attorney general -- who, by the way, happens to be a Democrat -- as well as Governor Davis' lawyers within the Department of Finance, told the legislature during the budget process that to take $12 billion and borrow against it, bond it for five years, with a dedicated revenue stream would meet the constitutional challenge. The state treasurer has come and suggested that that may not be the case, although it's interesting the treasurer never mentioned that during the budget process. To the extent that that part of the budget deal that was crafted long before Governor Schwarzenegger was running for governor is found to be suspect from a legal point of view, it may be necessary to go to the voters.
I don't believe it's necessary to go to the voters with that. The California's attorney general doesn't believe that's the case and the current lawyers within the Department of Finance do not believe that's the case.
WOODRUFF: Right.
BRULTE: So this is simply giving certainty to an issue that's already been judged by the legislature and the current governor.
WOODRUFF: Very quick question to Speaker Wesson.
WESSON: Yes.
WOODRUFF: How did the governor-elect come across to you? First time you've met him?
WESSON: Well, no, it's the third time that I've had an opportunity to meet him.
Like I said yesterday, he's got a great personality. I think that he's determined to turn this state around. His personality and mine, very similar. He's just taller than I am.
(LAUGHTER)
WOODRUFF: Taller than a number of people.
All right, Herb Wesson, who is the California state assembly speaker, and James Brulte, who is the California state minority leader in the state Assembly, thank you both for being with us. We appreciate -- in the state Senate. My apologies. Thank you, gentlemen, both of you. And it's good to see you.
WESSON: Thank you for having us.
(CROSSTALK)
WOODRUFF: Appreciate it.
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 23, 2003 - 15:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Gray Davis told Arnold Schwarzenegger that being California governor is the best job he'll ever have. The outgoing and incoming state leaders tried their best to put on their best face at their meeting today, after exchanging bitter words during the recall campaign.
CNN's Frank Buckley has more from Sacramento. He's with us now.
Frank, do we know what they talked about?
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know what they talked about once they went behind closed doors in general terms, that is, policy, budget, those kinds of matters. At least that's what they were supposed to talk about. We don't have a readout yet on exactly what points they hit.
But we know that they're essentially talking about transition issues and budget and policy, of course, very important in those issues as they move forward. And there is a transition of power from the Davis administration to the soon-to-be Schwarzenegger administration.
We also got to witness, just before their proper transition meeting, more or less a photo-op, during which we had a chance to ask some questions. During that photo-op session, very friendly faces, as you said, very different tone from what we experienced during the campaign. A few of us were asking as pool reporters. And I asked governor-elect Schwarzenegger how a Schwarzenegger era will be different from a Davis era.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR-ELECT: I think that the people have spoken on the day of election. They want change. And I will provide that change. And I'm looking forward to it, working for the people, being the governor for the people. So I think that the people are very optimistic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: Now, Governor Davis has said from the first night, from election night, when he called governor-elect Schwarzenegger, that he wanted to make sure that there was a smooth transition. You heard the tape earlier in which he talked about the fact that he wants Governor Schwarzenegger to have success here in California.
Here's what -- how Governor Davis sees the transition. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Life is like a relay race. And we each run our part of the race as well as we can and then we pass the baton to the next person, which is what I'm doing in this transition.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Thank you very much. Thank you, Governor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: Now, governor-elect Schwarzenegger is continuing to have meetings with various other officers, constitutional officers, throughout the capital. Yesterday, he met with legislative leaders. Among the people he's meeting with today, in fact, he's just now meeting with Cruz Bustamante, so meeting some of his old opponents from the recall campaign, a lot of smiles, a lot of cameras following them around and, essentially, the good feelings that you expect during a transition, Judy, no one rolling up their sleeves and challenging the other guy to an arm-wrestle here -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: The Bustamante meeting must be interesting, after Bustamante told him, in effect, a few weeks ago that he could just go off and make movies while he, the lieutenant governor, would run the state. Obviously, that's not going to happen.
OK, Frank Buckley, thank you very much.
Well, joining us now is one of the California lawmakers who met with the governor-elect yesterday. The speaker of the state assembly is going to be with us in a moment.
But right now, the state Senate minority leader, Republican James Brulte, is with us.
Mr. Brulte, first of all, tell us generally what the message is that is coming across from the governor-elect and tell us whether you think he's going to get what he wants out of the state legislature.
JAMES BRULTE (R), CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR: Well, I think he'll get most of what he wants.
The message that the governor has delivered is that the people of California voted for change. For the last five years, liberals have had control of state government, and they've gotten just about everything they wanted. There's a metaphysical principle that, for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. And the recall is a reaction to that five years of governance.
The governor-elect says he wants to bring about change, wants to get our spending under control, wants to stop exporting jobs from California to other states and other regions. And I believe that, because he's willing to reach out and work in a bipartisan manner, I think this governor will get the vast bulk of what he wants.
WOODRUFF: Now the state assembly speaker, Herb Wesson, is with us.
Mr. Speaker, is Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor-elect, essentially going to get what he wants from you and other Democrats and members of the legislature?
HERB WESSON (D), CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: Well, it's a pleasure to be on show with my dear friend Senator Jim Brulte.
I slightly disagree with his analysis of what occurred on October 7. I think the voters of this state told all of us, Democrats and Republicans alike, that business as usual, they don't want to see that. They're tired of bipartisan bickering. So, yes, we are prepared to work with the governor. And I think we're going to try to build this relationship on areas of interest that we share. And I think, once we're able to do that, that, hopefully, anything is possible.
So we look forward to this new challenge. We look forward, again, to working with our dear friends, like Jim Brulte in the Senate and Kevin McCarthy in the Assembly. And I believe we're going to do the best we can to do the business that Californians hired us to do.
WOODRUFF: Well, Mr. Speaker, Herb Wesson, let me ask you, though, does that mean you're going to go along with the repeal of the car tax and with finding a way to balance the budget in the special session that we gather the governor-elect is going to call?
WESSON: Well, we haven't received the specifics yet as to the different areas that we're going to discuss when we get into the special session. Where it relates to, I don't know exactly how broad those discussions are going to be.
Where it relates to the car tax, I was in a meeting -- not the car tax. Yes, where it relates to the car tax, I was in a meeting yesterday. And the governor-elect indicated that he wanted to repeal that. I don't know if he is prepared to do that today. That I don't know. We have not had a detailed discussion about that.
Yesterday was more of a, "Hey, guys, we've got a big job ahead of us, let's work together" type of a meeting. So I would think Jim may have more information than I do. By I think, by the end of the day, I'll have more of an idea as to the types of things that we're going to address in the special session.
WOODRUFF: I want to ask Mr. Brulte, we're now hearing that what Mr. Schwarzenegger may want to do is ask the voters of the state to approve a bond issue which would help address the state's budget problem. For somebody who ran on cutting spending, is that something that you're going to be comfortable with?
BRULTE: Well, the question is, over a five-year bond, California's attorney general -- who, by the way, happens to be a Democrat -- as well as Governor Davis' lawyers within the Department of Finance, told the legislature during the budget process that to take $12 billion and borrow against it, bond it for five years, with a dedicated revenue stream would meet the constitutional challenge. The state treasurer has come and suggested that that may not be the case, although it's interesting the treasurer never mentioned that during the budget process. To the extent that that part of the budget deal that was crafted long before Governor Schwarzenegger was running for governor is found to be suspect from a legal point of view, it may be necessary to go to the voters.
I don't believe it's necessary to go to the voters with that. The California's attorney general doesn't believe that's the case and the current lawyers within the Department of Finance do not believe that's the case.
WOODRUFF: Right.
BRULTE: So this is simply giving certainty to an issue that's already been judged by the legislature and the current governor.
WOODRUFF: Very quick question to Speaker Wesson.
WESSON: Yes.
WOODRUFF: How did the governor-elect come across to you? First time you've met him?
WESSON: Well, no, it's the third time that I've had an opportunity to meet him.
Like I said yesterday, he's got a great personality. I think that he's determined to turn this state around. His personality and mine, very similar. He's just taller than I am.
(LAUGHTER)
WOODRUFF: Taller than a number of people.
All right, Herb Wesson, who is the California state assembly speaker, and James Brulte, who is the California state minority leader in the state Assembly, thank you both for being with us. We appreciate -- in the state Senate. My apologies. Thank you, gentlemen, both of you. And it's good to see you.
WESSON: Thank you for having us.
(CROSSTALK)
WOODRUFF: Appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
