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American Morning
Schwarzenegger: Democrat in Republican's Clothing?
Aired August 28, 2003 - 09:32 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: To California, again. He's running as a Republican in California's recall election. Some say, though, on some issues Arnold Schwarzenegger sounds a lot more like a Democrat.
To L.A. again where yesterday Schwarzenegger spelled out a number of his positions on issues like abortion and gay rights. Here's Bob Franken for more on that. Bob, good morning there on the West Coast.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill. And I want you to conjure up a mental image of Arnold Schwarzenegger tiptoeing, tiptoeing on the line on the conservatives who make up the Republican Party in California and the non-conservatives who make up a big part of the entire electorate in California.
Well that's exactly what Schwarzenegger has tried to do as he's appeared on some carefully controlled radio talk show interviews in the last couple of days including one with Sean Hannity of Fox News and ABC Radio.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEAN HANNITY, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Do you support gay marriage?
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIF. GOV. CANDIDATE: I do support domestic partnership.
HANNITY: But not gay marriage?
SCHWARZENEGGER: No. I think that gay 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 do want to close the loophole of the gun shows.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
FRANKEN: ... the discussion of the economic issues that require some specific solutions, solutions thus far that have defied solution. And solutions that will probably be the real problem for whomever continues as the governor -- Bill.
HEMMER: Big day tomorrow in this whole race, Bob. We're going to find out about some campaign finance contributions. Who's gaining what and where? What do you anticipate we're going to learn here in this disclosure?
FRANKEN: We're going to learn that Arnold Schwarzenegger has probably already contributed at least $2 million of his own money, at least $2 million.
But we're also going to learn that he's getting contributions from elsewhere, giving rise to criticism that he's going back on his word that it would only be the source of his money, that there would be no special interest money. Schwarzenegger's tried to say that his corporate donations are not the same special interest as those that make up the more Democratic constituents.
HEMMER: And, Bob, also this radio interview from yesterday, what's the thinking out there? Some experts are saying the information's dribbling out from the Schwarzenegger camp. Is that the sense you're getting also in L.A.?
FRANKEN: Well No. 1, that is the sense that everybody is getting out here. These radio interviews are very controlled. He calls in, they last no longer than 15 minutes. No listener has called in so far. Very few encounters with the press where there might be more aggressive kinds questioning.
His campaign is a very experienced political campaign, willing to take the criticism that is being very controlling in the message. Willing to take it, they say, if it results in a win for him.
HEMMER: All right, Bob, thanks. Bob Franken again in L.A. for us.
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 - 09:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: To California, again. He's running as a Republican in California's recall election. Some say, though, on some issues Arnold Schwarzenegger sounds a lot more like a Democrat.
To L.A. again where yesterday Schwarzenegger spelled out a number of his positions on issues like abortion and gay rights. Here's Bob Franken for more on that. Bob, good morning there on the West Coast.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill. And I want you to conjure up a mental image of Arnold Schwarzenegger tiptoeing, tiptoeing on the line on the conservatives who make up the Republican Party in California and the non-conservatives who make up a big part of the entire electorate in California.
Well that's exactly what Schwarzenegger has tried to do as he's appeared on some carefully controlled radio talk show interviews in the last couple of days including one with Sean Hannity of Fox News and ABC Radio.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEAN HANNITY, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Do you support gay marriage?
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIF. GOV. CANDIDATE: I do support domestic partnership.
HANNITY: But not gay marriage?
SCHWARZENEGGER: No. I think that gay 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 do want to close the loophole of the gun shows.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
FRANKEN: ... the discussion of the economic issues that require some specific solutions, solutions thus far that have defied solution. And solutions that will probably be the real problem for whomever continues as the governor -- Bill.
HEMMER: Big day tomorrow in this whole race, Bob. We're going to find out about some campaign finance contributions. Who's gaining what and where? What do you anticipate we're going to learn here in this disclosure?
FRANKEN: We're going to learn that Arnold Schwarzenegger has probably already contributed at least $2 million of his own money, at least $2 million.
But we're also going to learn that he's getting contributions from elsewhere, giving rise to criticism that he's going back on his word that it would only be the source of his money, that there would be no special interest money. Schwarzenegger's tried to say that his corporate donations are not the same special interest as those that make up the more Democratic constituents.
HEMMER: And, Bob, also this radio interview from yesterday, what's the thinking out there? Some experts are saying the information's dribbling out from the Schwarzenegger camp. Is that the sense you're getting also in L.A.?
FRANKEN: Well No. 1, that is the sense that everybody is getting out here. These radio interviews are very controlled. He calls in, they last no longer than 15 minutes. No listener has called in so far. Very few encounters with the press where there might be more aggressive kinds questioning.
His campaign is a very experienced political campaign, willing to take the criticism that is being very controlling in the message. Willing to take it, they say, if it results in a win for him.
HEMMER: All right, Bob, thanks. Bob Franken again in L.A. for us.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
