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CNN Saturday Morning News

"Novak Zone"

Aired September 20, 2003 - 09:30   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.


THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: In Los Angeles Monday, an 11-judge appeals panel will hear arguments on whether to overturn a decision postponing next month's California recall election. A three-judge panel of the same court issued a ruling on Monday delaying the vote until next March over concerns about punchcard ballots.
More than 100 candidates are vying for governor in California's chaotic recall campaign. A few have made lots of headlines. But Robert Novak interviewed a few who have not, in this West Coast edition of The Novak Zone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT NOVAK, HOST: Welcome to The Novak Zone.

I'm in Plymouth Park, Los Angeles, California, reporting on the California recall election.

Joining us is David Laughing Horse Robinson of Bakersfield, California, a Democratic candidate for governor. David is a professor at Cal State University of Bakersfield, and he is the elected chairman of the Kwiasute (ph) Tribe.

Mr. Robinson, why are you running for governor of California?

DAVID "LAUGHING HORSE" ROBINSON (D), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: It's just time that we started taking care of our communities. It's time for -- to give a great education, it's time to take care of our elders, it's time to have before- and after-school programs.

It's time to take over our energy program for California, on the basis that we spend far too much money on the issue for spending -- or for building our energy program and not developing personal energy programs such as solar for each home. We've spent enough money this last year to put solar energy unit on every home in California.

NOVAK: Do you think that your experience as the elected chairman of your tribe helps you on this campaign?

ROBINSON: Not so much on the campaign, but it would help me up in office, because I am a people person dealing with the issues of people, opposed to issues of politics.

NOVAK: So the lieutenant governor, Cruz Bustamante, received a $2 million contribution from the tribe. Does that mean that your fellow Native Americans are supporting Bustamante and not you for governor?

ROBINSON: No, the issue with the money going to Bustamante from the gaming companies. Those are investors within the tribe that control the tribe with a management agreement. And Bustamante and Gray Davis holds over their head a contract which they have to have in order to do gaming in California. They forced him to take an investor and sign back a management agreement in order to be able to game here.

The tribes are held hostage.

NOVAK: Do you think you will get Native American votes in this election?

ROBINSON: I'm getting the Native American vote, you bet.

NOVAK: Now, you are opposed to the recall of Democratic Governor Gray Davis, but then you're asking people to vote for you for governor as a Democrat. How does that work?

ROBINSON: Well, the process, the whole recall thing, to me, is a little spoiled brat that doesn't like that their candidate didn't get elected. So it's just throughout the democratic process.

You know, it's ironic that the democratic process is not being listened to in the recall effect. I mean, you have an election, you listen to the voters, they elect somebody. How can you justify recalling them if they haven't done anything illegal or immoral?

The point is, is that I believe in the recall on a constitutional level. It is a constitutional issue. But on the other side, it gave me an opportunity to step in and get some of the issues heard that I believe in.

But that doesn't mean it's legitimate on the basis of getting rid of Gray Davis. A vote no on the recall is a vote yes on the democratic process.

NOVAK: David Laughing Horse Robinson, thank you very much.

We're talking now to Robert Butch Dole of San Jose, California, a Republican candidate for governor. Mr. Dole is a small businessman running a delivery service connected with the semiconductor industry.

Mr. Dole, why are you running for governor of California?

ROBERT BUTCH DOLE (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Well, the opportunity is there this time. We don't have to go through all the whole process of getting involved and going through primaries and having parties back you up. All you had to do this time was put down your money, get your paperwork, get your signatures in the race. And I felt that I could do the job if I was elected to be governor.

NOVAK: You are a former Marine.

DOLE: Yes.

NOVAK: What -- has that prepared you for combat on the political circuit?

DOLE: Well, I think a lot of that -- a lot of being in the Marine Corps has helped that, going through the ranks, up from just an E-1 to an E-6 before I left the service, you had to learn diplomacy. You had to learn how to order people around. You also had to learn how to lead. And you also had to know when to lead and when to sit back and let them do their thing once you've told them what to do.

So I think, yes, this has helped.

NOVAK: Mr. Dole, the slogan of your campaign for governor is "No Excuses, No Sniveling." What does that mean?

DOLE: Well, it goes back to my Marine Corps days. It's no excuses. You take the responsibility for what you do, and you don't pass the buck, so to speak. The no sniveling comes from, OK, if it doesn't go your way, you don't whine about it. You just take it, get it done, turn it around, do whatever you need to do to get the job done.

NOVAK: Now, you are a Republican. And a lot of Republicans say this is a great opportunity to win the governorship with somebody like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Tom McClintock. Why aren't you supporting them? Why are you running yourself?

DOLE: Well, I didn't know Arnold Schwarzenegger was going to jump into the race when I'd already taken out my papers and was getting my signatures. As a matter of fact, the day I turned in the signatures was the day that he announced he was going to run.

And as far as Tom McClintock is concerned, well, I like Tom, I like his ideas, but he's a career politician. And I thought that at this point in time, maybe it was time for a grassroots -- the citizen politician, so to speak, to give it a shot, to give it a shot and give it a try.

NOVAK: You have a famous name, if you take away the Butch, Robert Dole. Is -- how does that affect your ability to make yourself heard in this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) state?

DOLE: Well, in the beginning, it's helped me quite a bit because of that famous name. A lot of people called me up. They wanted to see if I was in it for the circus effect. And since I started out this whole thing, and turning in the interviews and being serious with the interviews, they've started to change.

And so having the famous name has really helped in the beginning get the spotlight, so to speak, from some of the media.

NOVAK: What have you learned on the campaign circuit (UNINTELLIGIBLE) running for governor?

DOLE: Well, I've learned quite a bit already. I've already learned how to do this, to get into the race. And then I learned that as we start speaking and talking with people, as I go around, everybody has their own little thing, their thing that they're worried most about. It might be illegal aliens and driver's licenses. It might be workmen's compensation, it might be, you know, taxes.

So everybody's got their own thing. And it all comes together in the one final thing where it's the governor that has the final say about what happens to all of this.

NOVAK: Robert Butch Dole, thank you very much.

DOLE: I appreciate it. Thank you very much.

NOVAK: Reporting from Los Angeles, I'm Robert Novak.

Thank you for joining me in The Novak Zone.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Bob Dole in Hollywood there.

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 20, 2003 - 09:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: In Los Angeles Monday, an 11-judge appeals panel will hear arguments on whether to overturn a decision postponing next month's California recall election. A three-judge panel of the same court issued a ruling on Monday delaying the vote until next March over concerns about punchcard ballots.
More than 100 candidates are vying for governor in California's chaotic recall campaign. A few have made lots of headlines. But Robert Novak interviewed a few who have not, in this West Coast edition of The Novak Zone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT NOVAK, HOST: Welcome to The Novak Zone.

I'm in Plymouth Park, Los Angeles, California, reporting on the California recall election.

Joining us is David Laughing Horse Robinson of Bakersfield, California, a Democratic candidate for governor. David is a professor at Cal State University of Bakersfield, and he is the elected chairman of the Kwiasute (ph) Tribe.

Mr. Robinson, why are you running for governor of California?

DAVID "LAUGHING HORSE" ROBINSON (D), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: It's just time that we started taking care of our communities. It's time for -- to give a great education, it's time to take care of our elders, it's time to have before- and after-school programs.

It's time to take over our energy program for California, on the basis that we spend far too much money on the issue for spending -- or for building our energy program and not developing personal energy programs such as solar for each home. We've spent enough money this last year to put solar energy unit on every home in California.

NOVAK: Do you think that your experience as the elected chairman of your tribe helps you on this campaign?

ROBINSON: Not so much on the campaign, but it would help me up in office, because I am a people person dealing with the issues of people, opposed to issues of politics.

NOVAK: So the lieutenant governor, Cruz Bustamante, received a $2 million contribution from the tribe. Does that mean that your fellow Native Americans are supporting Bustamante and not you for governor?

ROBINSON: No, the issue with the money going to Bustamante from the gaming companies. Those are investors within the tribe that control the tribe with a management agreement. And Bustamante and Gray Davis holds over their head a contract which they have to have in order to do gaming in California. They forced him to take an investor and sign back a management agreement in order to be able to game here.

The tribes are held hostage.

NOVAK: Do you think you will get Native American votes in this election?

ROBINSON: I'm getting the Native American vote, you bet.

NOVAK: Now, you are opposed to the recall of Democratic Governor Gray Davis, but then you're asking people to vote for you for governor as a Democrat. How does that work?

ROBINSON: Well, the process, the whole recall thing, to me, is a little spoiled brat that doesn't like that their candidate didn't get elected. So it's just throughout the democratic process.

You know, it's ironic that the democratic process is not being listened to in the recall effect. I mean, you have an election, you listen to the voters, they elect somebody. How can you justify recalling them if they haven't done anything illegal or immoral?

The point is, is that I believe in the recall on a constitutional level. It is a constitutional issue. But on the other side, it gave me an opportunity to step in and get some of the issues heard that I believe in.

But that doesn't mean it's legitimate on the basis of getting rid of Gray Davis. A vote no on the recall is a vote yes on the democratic process.

NOVAK: David Laughing Horse Robinson, thank you very much.

We're talking now to Robert Butch Dole of San Jose, California, a Republican candidate for governor. Mr. Dole is a small businessman running a delivery service connected with the semiconductor industry.

Mr. Dole, why are you running for governor of California?

ROBERT BUTCH DOLE (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Well, the opportunity is there this time. We don't have to go through all the whole process of getting involved and going through primaries and having parties back you up. All you had to do this time was put down your money, get your paperwork, get your signatures in the race. And I felt that I could do the job if I was elected to be governor.

NOVAK: You are a former Marine.

DOLE: Yes.

NOVAK: What -- has that prepared you for combat on the political circuit?

DOLE: Well, I think a lot of that -- a lot of being in the Marine Corps has helped that, going through the ranks, up from just an E-1 to an E-6 before I left the service, you had to learn diplomacy. You had to learn how to order people around. You also had to learn how to lead. And you also had to know when to lead and when to sit back and let them do their thing once you've told them what to do.

So I think, yes, this has helped.

NOVAK: Mr. Dole, the slogan of your campaign for governor is "No Excuses, No Sniveling." What does that mean?

DOLE: Well, it goes back to my Marine Corps days. It's no excuses. You take the responsibility for what you do, and you don't pass the buck, so to speak. The no sniveling comes from, OK, if it doesn't go your way, you don't whine about it. You just take it, get it done, turn it around, do whatever you need to do to get the job done.

NOVAK: Now, you are a Republican. And a lot of Republicans say this is a great opportunity to win the governorship with somebody like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Tom McClintock. Why aren't you supporting them? Why are you running yourself?

DOLE: Well, I didn't know Arnold Schwarzenegger was going to jump into the race when I'd already taken out my papers and was getting my signatures. As a matter of fact, the day I turned in the signatures was the day that he announced he was going to run.

And as far as Tom McClintock is concerned, well, I like Tom, I like his ideas, but he's a career politician. And I thought that at this point in time, maybe it was time for a grassroots -- the citizen politician, so to speak, to give it a shot, to give it a shot and give it a try.

NOVAK: You have a famous name, if you take away the Butch, Robert Dole. Is -- how does that affect your ability to make yourself heard in this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) state?

DOLE: Well, in the beginning, it's helped me quite a bit because of that famous name. A lot of people called me up. They wanted to see if I was in it for the circus effect. And since I started out this whole thing, and turning in the interviews and being serious with the interviews, they've started to change.

And so having the famous name has really helped in the beginning get the spotlight, so to speak, from some of the media.

NOVAK: What have you learned on the campaign circuit (UNINTELLIGIBLE) running for governor?

DOLE: Well, I've learned quite a bit already. I've already learned how to do this, to get into the race. And then I learned that as we start speaking and talking with people, as I go around, everybody has their own little thing, their thing that they're worried most about. It might be illegal aliens and driver's licenses. It might be workmen's compensation, it might be, you know, taxes.

So everybody's got their own thing. And it all comes together in the one final thing where it's the governor that has the final say about what happens to all of this.

NOVAK: Robert Butch Dole, thank you very much.

DOLE: I appreciate it. Thank you very much.

NOVAK: Reporting from Los Angeles, I'm Robert Novak.

Thank you for joining me in The Novak Zone.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Bob Dole in Hollywood there.

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