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CNN Sunday Morning

Interview With Ken Rudin

Aired September 28, 2003 - 09:42   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: The California recall election and race for the White House are in the political spotlight today, and probably for many days to come. Let's get some insight now on both of them from NPR political analyst Ken Rudin.
Ken, thanks for being with us today. Always have lots to talk about on this subject, don't we?

KEN RUDIN, POLITICAL ANALYST, NPR: I'll talk fast.

COLLINS: Let's begin with California. Want to talk to you about Arnold Schwarzenegger and what we've been reporting a little bit this morning about him turning down Gray Davis's challenge to debate. Was that the right move?

RUDIN: Well, it's very interesting. Gray Davis, when he ran for reelection in 2002, said I'm only going to debate once. I don't have time to debate people because I have to serve the people of California. And now of course, he's -- obviously Gray Davis must be in some kind of trouble, otherwise he wouldn't challenge Schwarzenegger to debate.

So I think, look, Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared last week in the debate. The voters saw him. They know what they think of Arnold Schwarzenegger. A debate is not going to change it. I think Schwarzenegger probably did the right thing for him not to engage in a one-on-one.

COLLINS: But do you think the people of California understand that his reasoning, which was, hey, I'm not running against Gray Davis?

RUDIN: Well, it's a good question. Gray Davis -- the whole career of Gray Davis has been predicated on the fact that he needs somebody to go after. He always needs a villain. He either needs the republicans, the right-wing conspiracy, Richard Riordan last year. So he needs somebody to go after.

Whereas, in Schwarzenegger's defense, there are 135 candidates on the ballot. Not only Schwarzenegger, there are five alleged front- runners. Why go one-on-one? Obviously, Schwarzenegger does not want to give Gray Davis any more opportunity to make his case. He's had five years to make the case already.

COLLINS: Exactly. And you say this is a sign, in fact, that he is trying to get Schwarzenegger to debate with him. What do you think is going to happen on October 7th?

RUDIN: Well, you know, there's no way anybody can predict because this has been so unprecedented and so wacky from the beginning. Clearly...

COLLINS: Wacky? No.

RUDIN: No, did I say that? I mean, interesting.

COLLINS: Yes.

RUDIN: Really, the interesting thing here is, or the wacky thing, is that blissfully it's coming to an end on Tuesday, October 7th. But it's been fascinating. I think when we watch campaigns that go on two, three, four years, we get a little tired. But this is interesting if not instructive.

But I think Gray Davis is in trouble. I think he still has to convince a lot of democrats that he is -- deserves to stay in office and I think that, while this is a democratic state and you have two key republicans running, Schwarzenegger could do it. Bustamante, Cruz Bustamante, the democratic lieutenant governor, certainly, by the numbers, should win the second round of the question once the question of whether Gray Davis should be recalled or not. Bustamante, the democrat, should win. But Schwarzenegger is giving a good account of himself. He could do it.

COLLINS: All right. We will, of course, be watching all of that. Next time around when we have you on, we'll talk about campaign 2004 and the presidential side of things.

RUDIN: There's so much to say.

COLLINS: I know, there is. Thanks so much. Ken Rudin from NPR.

RUDIN: Thanks.

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 28, 2003 - 09:42   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The California recall election and race for the White House are in the political spotlight today, and probably for many days to come. Let's get some insight now on both of them from NPR political analyst Ken Rudin.
Ken, thanks for being with us today. Always have lots to talk about on this subject, don't we?

KEN RUDIN, POLITICAL ANALYST, NPR: I'll talk fast.

COLLINS: Let's begin with California. Want to talk to you about Arnold Schwarzenegger and what we've been reporting a little bit this morning about him turning down Gray Davis's challenge to debate. Was that the right move?

RUDIN: Well, it's very interesting. Gray Davis, when he ran for reelection in 2002, said I'm only going to debate once. I don't have time to debate people because I have to serve the people of California. And now of course, he's -- obviously Gray Davis must be in some kind of trouble, otherwise he wouldn't challenge Schwarzenegger to debate.

So I think, look, Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared last week in the debate. The voters saw him. They know what they think of Arnold Schwarzenegger. A debate is not going to change it. I think Schwarzenegger probably did the right thing for him not to engage in a one-on-one.

COLLINS: But do you think the people of California understand that his reasoning, which was, hey, I'm not running against Gray Davis?

RUDIN: Well, it's a good question. Gray Davis -- the whole career of Gray Davis has been predicated on the fact that he needs somebody to go after. He always needs a villain. He either needs the republicans, the right-wing conspiracy, Richard Riordan last year. So he needs somebody to go after.

Whereas, in Schwarzenegger's defense, there are 135 candidates on the ballot. Not only Schwarzenegger, there are five alleged front- runners. Why go one-on-one? Obviously, Schwarzenegger does not want to give Gray Davis any more opportunity to make his case. He's had five years to make the case already.

COLLINS: Exactly. And you say this is a sign, in fact, that he is trying to get Schwarzenegger to debate with him. What do you think is going to happen on October 7th?

RUDIN: Well, you know, there's no way anybody can predict because this has been so unprecedented and so wacky from the beginning. Clearly...

COLLINS: Wacky? No.

RUDIN: No, did I say that? I mean, interesting.

COLLINS: Yes.

RUDIN: Really, the interesting thing here is, or the wacky thing, is that blissfully it's coming to an end on Tuesday, October 7th. But it's been fascinating. I think when we watch campaigns that go on two, three, four years, we get a little tired. But this is interesting if not instructive.

But I think Gray Davis is in trouble. I think he still has to convince a lot of democrats that he is -- deserves to stay in office and I think that, while this is a democratic state and you have two key republicans running, Schwarzenegger could do it. Bustamante, Cruz Bustamante, the democratic lieutenant governor, certainly, by the numbers, should win the second round of the question once the question of whether Gray Davis should be recalled or not. Bustamante, the democrat, should win. But Schwarzenegger is giving a good account of himself. He could do it.

COLLINS: All right. We will, of course, be watching all of that. Next time around when we have you on, we'll talk about campaign 2004 and the presidential side of things.

RUDIN: There's so much to say.

COLLINS: I know, there is. Thanks so much. Ken Rudin from NPR.

RUDIN: Thanks.

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