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American Morning
In California, It Looks Like Recall Drama Will Never End
Aired September 19, 2003 - 08:22 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In California, it looks like the recall drama will never end. Now, at least two leading candidates say that they will boycott next week's big debate.
Bob Franken is in L.A. for us this morning with more -- good morning to you, Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
Some call it drama, some call it comedy, maybe a combination of both. But before we know exactly how this drama is going to play out, we have to know if a larger panel of appeals court judges is going to reconsider the lower panel, which was going to put a delay on the election. We're thinking that there's probably going to be an announcement today whether an 11 judge en banc panel, as those are called, would hear this, probably next week, to decide whether the election can go on.
Candidates, of course, are operating as if the election will go on October 7 and they're taking their usual wild shots. The last one came from Cruz Bustamante, the Democratic lieutenant governor, who has gotten cooperation from some of his fellow candidates proposing the idea that they send a letter to the California Broadcasters Association, which is sponsoring next week's debate, saying they should pull out unless CBA -- that's what the group is called -- withdraws its advance questions.
As we all know, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been criticized by only allowing himself to appear at that debate, the only one where questions are submitted in advance. Tom McClintock, who is the other Republican in the race, is telling Bustamante he thinks it's a good idea to boycott the debate.
As far as the broadcasters are concerned, they say that they're going to go ahead with their plans, pre-submitted questions. We've already been subjected to those. We know what they say. Schwarzenegger says he's going to appear in that debate because it's the Super Bowl of the debates, one, Soledad, that is prescripted -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: The Super Bowl with some major players missing at this point.
FRANKEN: Could be.
O'BRIEN: All right, Bob Franken, thanks for that update.
FRANKEN: Could be.
O'BRIEN: And I have a feeling all of this will change in the next few days and we'll get another update from you then.
Thanks, Bob.
FRANKEN: In the next few minutes, probably.
O'BRIEN: Right.
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 19, 2003 - 08:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In California, it looks like the recall drama will never end. Now, at least two leading candidates say that they will boycott next week's big debate.
Bob Franken is in L.A. for us this morning with more -- good morning to you, Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
Some call it drama, some call it comedy, maybe a combination of both. But before we know exactly how this drama is going to play out, we have to know if a larger panel of appeals court judges is going to reconsider the lower panel, which was going to put a delay on the election. We're thinking that there's probably going to be an announcement today whether an 11 judge en banc panel, as those are called, would hear this, probably next week, to decide whether the election can go on.
Candidates, of course, are operating as if the election will go on October 7 and they're taking their usual wild shots. The last one came from Cruz Bustamante, the Democratic lieutenant governor, who has gotten cooperation from some of his fellow candidates proposing the idea that they send a letter to the California Broadcasters Association, which is sponsoring next week's debate, saying they should pull out unless CBA -- that's what the group is called -- withdraws its advance questions.
As we all know, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been criticized by only allowing himself to appear at that debate, the only one where questions are submitted in advance. Tom McClintock, who is the other Republican in the race, is telling Bustamante he thinks it's a good idea to boycott the debate.
As far as the broadcasters are concerned, they say that they're going to go ahead with their plans, pre-submitted questions. We've already been subjected to those. We know what they say. Schwarzenegger says he's going to appear in that debate because it's the Super Bowl of the debates, one, Soledad, that is prescripted -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: The Super Bowl with some major players missing at this point.
FRANKEN: Could be.
O'BRIEN: All right, Bob Franken, thanks for that update.
FRANKEN: Could be.
O'BRIEN: And I have a feeling all of this will change in the next few days and we'll get another update from you then.
Thanks, Bob.
FRANKEN: In the next few minutes, probably.
O'BRIEN: Right.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
