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American Morning
California Recall Election
Aired September 09, 2003 - 09:35 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: Absentee ballots now being cast in the California governor's recall election. Meanwhile, a statewide poll shows 55 percent of likely voters support the recall, 40 percent do not. That same poll indicates that Democratic Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante has a slight lead over Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, 30 percent to 25.
For more in L.A., back to Bob Franken again who joins us now. Looks like numbers are getting closer. What does that mean, Bob?
Good morning.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
Haven't you always wanted to answer that question with, oh, Bill, absolutely nothing? Well, it's hard to tell exactly what it does mean, except for the fact that what the poll shows that is the passion for the recall seems to have flattened. It's not growing. And, as a matter of fact, there's about a 3 percent less likely hood of people voting for the recall, which is reversing it ever so slightly, and Governor Gray Davis, who has been on hard times in this election, is embracing that as good news. It also shows that Bustamante has ever so slightly increased his lead over Schwarzenegger, has demonstrated that the Schwarzenegger campaign, with all its name recognition, all its coverage, hasn't really gotten any traction, in spite of all of the money that he spent on ads and all of the consultants that he's put together. Bustamante has opened up a slight lead, as those who would be the alternative of Governor Gray Davis is pulled out.
But the big problem for Schwarzenegger is very easy to find. It's the conservative Republican running in the race, Tom McClintock. He pulls in 13 percent in this poll, which is an increase over what he had in the last field poll which came out, by the way, August 15th. If Schwarzenegger had his votes, there would be a probable victory over Bustamante. So the question is, will McClintock stay in the race? The fact that he's improving a little bit suggests to many that he's there to stay -- Bill.
HEMMER Plenty to talk about every day. Thank you, Bob. Bob Franken in L.A.
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 9, 2003 - 09:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Absentee ballots now being cast in the California governor's recall election. Meanwhile, a statewide poll shows 55 percent of likely voters support the recall, 40 percent do not. That same poll indicates that Democratic Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante has a slight lead over Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, 30 percent to 25.
For more in L.A., back to Bob Franken again who joins us now. Looks like numbers are getting closer. What does that mean, Bob?
Good morning.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
Haven't you always wanted to answer that question with, oh, Bill, absolutely nothing? Well, it's hard to tell exactly what it does mean, except for the fact that what the poll shows that is the passion for the recall seems to have flattened. It's not growing. And, as a matter of fact, there's about a 3 percent less likely hood of people voting for the recall, which is reversing it ever so slightly, and Governor Gray Davis, who has been on hard times in this election, is embracing that as good news. It also shows that Bustamante has ever so slightly increased his lead over Schwarzenegger, has demonstrated that the Schwarzenegger campaign, with all its name recognition, all its coverage, hasn't really gotten any traction, in spite of all of the money that he spent on ads and all of the consultants that he's put together. Bustamante has opened up a slight lead, as those who would be the alternative of Governor Gray Davis is pulled out.
But the big problem for Schwarzenegger is very easy to find. It's the conservative Republican running in the race, Tom McClintock. He pulls in 13 percent in this poll, which is an increase over what he had in the last field poll which came out, by the way, August 15th. If Schwarzenegger had his votes, there would be a probable victory over Bustamante. So the question is, will McClintock stay in the race? The fact that he's improving a little bit suggests to many that he's there to stay -- Bill.
HEMMER Plenty to talk about every day. Thank you, Bob. Bob Franken in L.A.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
