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American Morning

People in California Have Spoken

Aired October 08, 2003 - 07:32   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: The people here in California have spoken last night, and how. When the outcome became certain, the governor and the governor elect addressed their supporters, both in Los Angeles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Tonight, the voters decided it's time for someone else to serve.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Today California has given me the greatest gift of all. You have given me your trust by voting for me. Thank you very much to all the people of California for giving me their trust.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: So, then, how big of a loss was this to the Democratic Party, both in the state and also across the country?

Maxine Waters, a Democrat from California, with us live this morning on AMERICAN MORNING.

She is back in D.C.

Nice to have you and good morning to you.

REP. MAXINE WATERS (D), CALIFORNIA: Good morning.

Yes?

HEMMER: What does this outcome say to you?

WATERS: Well, actually, it speaks to the anger of the California voters about the economic situation. They were dissatisfied with Gray Davis's leadership. But it's not about party. I think it's a word or a lesson for any politician, it doesn't matter what party you are from. We have disaffection even at the national level. We have governors all over the country who have deficits. People are unhappy. They're unhappy with the national deficit.

I think the Californians spoke, but Americans will be speaking about the economic situation all over the country. It's not about Democrat or Republican.

HEMMER: You say it's not that way, it's not about the party. But these numbers are staggering from last night. Hispanics and union households, almost 50 percent voted to remove a Democratic governor in Gray Davis.

How concerned are you for the Democratic base in your home state?

WATERS: They spoke to remove a governor that they felt had not provided the kind of leadership that would have avoided the kind of economic disaster that we are facing. I really don't think it was about party. It could have been a Republican. It could have been an independent.

And I think you're going to see the same kind of anger directed at the national government and you have a Republican president who is going to begin to have to pay for the economic situation that we are facing nationally.

I think it's about the pocketbook. I don't think it's about party.

HEMMER: Yes, take that a step further. Last night, Arnold Schwarzenegger says, and quoting now, now the hard work begins, starting today.

WATERS: Well, it's going to be harder, I think, Bill.

HEMMER: How much do you think can truly be improved in California?

WATERS: Well, I think that he's alluded to a lot of promises that he cannot keep. He has not been specific about how he's going to address these problems. People were so angry they wanted to just throw out the present governor. But then they are going to start to focus on, all right, what are your answers? What are you going to do? And I don't think he's going to have a lot of them.

He's going to have to work with a Democratic assembly and Senate. He has a Democratic lieutenant governor. I don't think he's going to be able to do very much.

Aside from not having the support of the legislature, I don't think there are any easy answers. The deficit situation was beginning to be reduced, but still, it's a problem. The economy is a problem. And I don't he's going to be able to live up to these promises that he's alluded to.

HEMMER: It was just last Thursday where he spelled out his first 100 days in office. You point out some of the difficulties up in Sacramento. We'll all wait now and see if anything changes.

Maxine Waters, thanks for your time, live in Washington with us today on AMERICAN MORNING.

WATERS: You're welcome.

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 8, 2003 - 07:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The people here in California have spoken last night, and how. When the outcome became certain, the governor and the governor elect addressed their supporters, both in Los Angeles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Tonight, the voters decided it's time for someone else to serve.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Today California has given me the greatest gift of all. You have given me your trust by voting for me. Thank you very much to all the people of California for giving me their trust.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: So, then, how big of a loss was this to the Democratic Party, both in the state and also across the country?

Maxine Waters, a Democrat from California, with us live this morning on AMERICAN MORNING.

She is back in D.C.

Nice to have you and good morning to you.

REP. MAXINE WATERS (D), CALIFORNIA: Good morning.

Yes?

HEMMER: What does this outcome say to you?

WATERS: Well, actually, it speaks to the anger of the California voters about the economic situation. They were dissatisfied with Gray Davis's leadership. But it's not about party. I think it's a word or a lesson for any politician, it doesn't matter what party you are from. We have disaffection even at the national level. We have governors all over the country who have deficits. People are unhappy. They're unhappy with the national deficit.

I think the Californians spoke, but Americans will be speaking about the economic situation all over the country. It's not about Democrat or Republican.

HEMMER: You say it's not that way, it's not about the party. But these numbers are staggering from last night. Hispanics and union households, almost 50 percent voted to remove a Democratic governor in Gray Davis.

How concerned are you for the Democratic base in your home state?

WATERS: They spoke to remove a governor that they felt had not provided the kind of leadership that would have avoided the kind of economic disaster that we are facing. I really don't think it was about party. It could have been a Republican. It could have been an independent.

And I think you're going to see the same kind of anger directed at the national government and you have a Republican president who is going to begin to have to pay for the economic situation that we are facing nationally.

I think it's about the pocketbook. I don't think it's about party.

HEMMER: Yes, take that a step further. Last night, Arnold Schwarzenegger says, and quoting now, now the hard work begins, starting today.

WATERS: Well, it's going to be harder, I think, Bill.

HEMMER: How much do you think can truly be improved in California?

WATERS: Well, I think that he's alluded to a lot of promises that he cannot keep. He has not been specific about how he's going to address these problems. People were so angry they wanted to just throw out the present governor. But then they are going to start to focus on, all right, what are your answers? What are you going to do? And I don't think he's going to have a lot of them.

He's going to have to work with a Democratic assembly and Senate. He has a Democratic lieutenant governor. I don't think he's going to be able to do very much.

Aside from not having the support of the legislature, I don't think there are any easy answers. The deficit situation was beginning to be reduced, but still, it's a problem. The economy is a problem. And I don't he's going to be able to live up to these promises that he's alluded to.

HEMMER: It was just last Thursday where he spelled out his first 100 days in office. You point out some of the difficulties up in Sacramento. We'll all wait now and see if anything changes.

Maxine Waters, thanks for your time, live in Washington with us today on AMERICAN MORNING.

WATERS: You're welcome.

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