Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
A Look at California Recall Election
Aired September 14, 2003 - 07:03 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: To California politics now and the state of the recall.
A rare moment for Democrats as the two men at the top appeared together for the first time since the special election was announced. The move at the state Democratic convention was seen as a positive sign for the "No on Recall, Yes on Bustamante" strategy.
In remarks to the delegates, Cruz Bustamante made it clear he wasn't running against Gray Davis but against a couple of other guys.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUZ BUSTAMANTE, LT. GOV. (D-CA): I'm not in competition with Gray Davis. I'm running against Arnold and Tom, to uphold the values of working people in California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: The party convention voted overwhelmingly to endorse Bustamante, but only if the governor is recalled.
While the Democrats in California rally behind their two representatives, it has become a two-man battle for the Republicans as well.
Our Candy Crowley reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fresh from a rally, the party of the first part, Schwarzenegger Republicans, are greeted by the party of the second part, McClintock Republicans.
So there's the problem. California's Republican Party has two parts, a moderate wing, which generally supports abortion rights, gay rights and Schwarzenegger, and a conservative wing which generally does not support abortion rights, gay rights, and does support Tom McClintock. Somebody's got to go.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, CA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Are we going to fight Davis and Bustamante, or are we going to fight among ourselves? I say let us unite for victory.
CROWLEY: Hoping to get out of their weekend convention with as little blood on the floor as possible, Republican Party leaders scheduled separate but equal events for Schwarzenegger and McClintock. The latter repeatedly and now somewhat testily has rejected the notion he should clear the decks for Schwarzenegger.
TOM MCCLINTOCK, CA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I am in this race to the finish line. Now with all of your journalistic talent you can provide me with a more unequivocal statement, I would be happy to use it.
CROWLEY: Okie-dokie then. Schwarzenegger aides say he can win with or without McClintock in the race, but to do so he'll need to pick off some of McClintock's conservative voters, which explains this speech.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I'm a conservative because I believe Communism is evil and free enterprise is good. I'm a conservative because Milton Freedman (ph) is right and Karl Marx is wrong.
CROWLEY: McClintock can't draw Hollywood-sized crowds, but he is a seasoned California state senator. He is playing this one to type.
MCCLINTOCK: We have got to have a governor that knows every inch of this government and has the demonstrated ability and experience and determination.
CROWLEY (on camera): As irritating as it is to McClintock, there are still many Republicans who believe he will eventually pull out, if only at the last moment.
Said one Schwarzenegger supporter, "McClintock has a choice. He can either be a hero or Ralph Nader."
Candy Crowley, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 14, 2003 - 07:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: To California politics now and the state of the recall.
A rare moment for Democrats as the two men at the top appeared together for the first time since the special election was announced. The move at the state Democratic convention was seen as a positive sign for the "No on Recall, Yes on Bustamante" strategy.
In remarks to the delegates, Cruz Bustamante made it clear he wasn't running against Gray Davis but against a couple of other guys.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUZ BUSTAMANTE, LT. GOV. (D-CA): I'm not in competition with Gray Davis. I'm running against Arnold and Tom, to uphold the values of working people in California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: The party convention voted overwhelmingly to endorse Bustamante, but only if the governor is recalled.
While the Democrats in California rally behind their two representatives, it has become a two-man battle for the Republicans as well.
Our Candy Crowley reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fresh from a rally, the party of the first part, Schwarzenegger Republicans, are greeted by the party of the second part, McClintock Republicans.
So there's the problem. California's Republican Party has two parts, a moderate wing, which generally supports abortion rights, gay rights and Schwarzenegger, and a conservative wing which generally does not support abortion rights, gay rights, and does support Tom McClintock. Somebody's got to go.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, CA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Are we going to fight Davis and Bustamante, or are we going to fight among ourselves? I say let us unite for victory.
CROWLEY: Hoping to get out of their weekend convention with as little blood on the floor as possible, Republican Party leaders scheduled separate but equal events for Schwarzenegger and McClintock. The latter repeatedly and now somewhat testily has rejected the notion he should clear the decks for Schwarzenegger.
TOM MCCLINTOCK, CA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I am in this race to the finish line. Now with all of your journalistic talent you can provide me with a more unequivocal statement, I would be happy to use it.
CROWLEY: Okie-dokie then. Schwarzenegger aides say he can win with or without McClintock in the race, but to do so he'll need to pick off some of McClintock's conservative voters, which explains this speech.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I'm a conservative because I believe Communism is evil and free enterprise is good. I'm a conservative because Milton Freedman (ph) is right and Karl Marx is wrong.
CROWLEY: McClintock can't draw Hollywood-sized crowds, but he is a seasoned California state senator. He is playing this one to type.
MCCLINTOCK: We have got to have a governor that knows every inch of this government and has the demonstrated ability and experience and determination.
CROWLEY (on camera): As irritating as it is to McClintock, there are still many Republicans who believe he will eventually pull out, if only at the last moment.
Said one Schwarzenegger supporter, "McClintock has a choice. He can either be a hero or Ralph Nader."
Candy Crowley, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
