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American Morning

Arnold Schwarzenegger Gives his Position on Issues

Aired August 28, 2003 - 07:16   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to California. He's running as a Republican. Some observers, though, say Arnold Schwarzenegger sounds a bit like a Democrat on a number of issues.
Yesterday, in a brief radio interview, he spelled out his position on a number of issues, not going quite as far as some would like.

To L.A. and Bob Franken, who is watching the fallout from this a day later.

Bob -- good morning there.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

And right now, you're probably asking yourself, just how does Arnold Schwarzenegger stand on a variety of issues. It's been a burning question out here. And, of course, he is very closely surrounded by various campaign aides, and he's been very, very careful with his campaign. And now, he's allowing his views to dribble out from a series of friendly talk radio interviews, including one with ABC Radio's and Fox News' Sean Hannity.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

SEAN HANNITY, ABC RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Do you support gay marriage?

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I do support domestic partnership.

HANNITY: But not gay marriage.

SCHWARZENEGGER: No. I think that gay (sic) marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman.

HANNITY: Do you support the Brady bill or the assault weapons ban, or both?

SCHWARZENEGGER: Yes, I do support that, and also I would like to close the loophole of the gun shows.

HANNITY: OK. Do you support affirmative action?

SCHWARZENEGGER: We have not gotten into the affirmative action and also Proposition 54.

HANNITY: Would you think drug legalization is a bad idea?

SCHWARZENEGGER: It's a bad idea, yes.

HANNITY: Yes.

SCHWARZENEGGER: Although I would legalize, you know, the medical use...

HANNITY: Marijuana?

SCHWARZENEGGER: Exactly.

HANNITY: OK. Would you allow oil companies to drill off the coast of California if it helps...

SCHWARZENEGGER: No, absolutely not.

HANNITY: No.

SCHWARZENEGGER: I think that we should stop the oil drilling.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Now, the reaction has been, among most conservatives, they're kind of resigned to the fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Republican's best chance to make it to the governor's mansion, although many are saying that he is not the true conservative. And they're pinning their hopes, Bill, on Tom McClintock, who is probably the biggest problem that Schwarzenegger has, to say nothing of the Democrats -- Bill.

HEMMER: And, Bob, does it help Arnold Schwarzenegger to be somewhat moderate on a lot of these positions, given the state of California's position on a number of social issues?

FRANKEN: Well, it's really a double-edged sword. On the one hand, California is considered a liberal state; in fact, primarily a Democratic state. On the other, the Republicans have been a very conservative state. They are the ones who are the true believers and the ones who rally around the conservative and the ones who might give Arnold Schwarzenegger the shortage of votes, which could be a good thing for the Democrats.

HEMMER: Bob Franken in L.A. Thanks, Bob. Talk to you a bit later today.

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 - 07:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to California. He's running as a Republican. Some observers, though, say Arnold Schwarzenegger sounds a bit like a Democrat on a number of issues.
Yesterday, in a brief radio interview, he spelled out his position on a number of issues, not going quite as far as some would like.

To L.A. and Bob Franken, who is watching the fallout from this a day later.

Bob -- good morning there.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

And right now, you're probably asking yourself, just how does Arnold Schwarzenegger stand on a variety of issues. It's been a burning question out here. And, of course, he is very closely surrounded by various campaign aides, and he's been very, very careful with his campaign. And now, he's allowing his views to dribble out from a series of friendly talk radio interviews, including one with ABC Radio's and Fox News' Sean Hannity.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

SEAN HANNITY, ABC RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Do you support gay marriage?

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I do support domestic partnership.

HANNITY: But not gay marriage.

SCHWARZENEGGER: No. I think that gay (sic) marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman.

HANNITY: Do you support the Brady bill or the assault weapons ban, or both?

SCHWARZENEGGER: Yes, I do support that, and also I would like to close the loophole of the gun shows.

HANNITY: OK. Do you support affirmative action?

SCHWARZENEGGER: We have not gotten into the affirmative action and also Proposition 54.

HANNITY: Would you think drug legalization is a bad idea?

SCHWARZENEGGER: It's a bad idea, yes.

HANNITY: Yes.

SCHWARZENEGGER: Although I would legalize, you know, the medical use...

HANNITY: Marijuana?

SCHWARZENEGGER: Exactly.

HANNITY: OK. Would you allow oil companies to drill off the coast of California if it helps...

SCHWARZENEGGER: No, absolutely not.

HANNITY: No.

SCHWARZENEGGER: I think that we should stop the oil drilling.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Now, the reaction has been, among most conservatives, they're kind of resigned to the fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Republican's best chance to make it to the governor's mansion, although many are saying that he is not the true conservative. And they're pinning their hopes, Bill, on Tom McClintock, who is probably the biggest problem that Schwarzenegger has, to say nothing of the Democrats -- Bill.

HEMMER: And, Bob, does it help Arnold Schwarzenegger to be somewhat moderate on a lot of these positions, given the state of California's position on a number of social issues?

FRANKEN: Well, it's really a double-edged sword. On the one hand, California is considered a liberal state; in fact, primarily a Democratic state. On the other, the Republicans have been a very conservative state. They are the ones who are the true believers and the ones who rally around the conservative and the ones who might give Arnold Schwarzenegger the shortage of votes, which could be a good thing for the Democrats.

HEMMER: Bob Franken in L.A. Thanks, Bob. Talk to you a bit later today.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.