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CNN SUNDAY MORNING
Talk to CNN: California Recall Vote
Aired August 10, 2003 - 09:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: So, what do you have to say about the California governor recall effort? You can say it to our guest, Ron Faucheux, editor of "Campaigns and Elections" magazine, and to our own Bob Franken, who's covering the recall free-for-all live in Los Angeles. Good morning to both of you. Shall we get right to the first question? We shall. This one from Wilma. "What would happen if Gray Davis resigned before the recall? Would the recall continue?" Ron?
RON FAUCHEUX, CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS MAGAZINE: Well, I suspect that the courts would have to ultimately make that decision. I've heard different people express different things. But rest assured if anything like that happens, and it's unlikely that it would, the courts would make the decision. Probably Cruz Bustamante, the lieutenant governor, would take over as governor, but you have to decide -- you'd have to wait for the courts to decide whether or not the recall would go forward.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the courts, of course, get involved in everything. But according to state officials here, prior to what the court involvement might be, Cruz Bustamante who, of course, is also on the recall alternative ballot, would take over as governor, but the recall election to recall Gray Davis would go forward even though he had recalled himself. So that is the current setup. But, of course, as Ron points out, the courts would almost certainly get involved.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: OK. Bob, we'll let you stay with this one as well. We have a question from Marguerite in Seattle. "With all of the spotlight on Arnold S.," I wonder if she put that in there because she had trouble with Schwarzenegger. "Are you not actually starting to influence the outcome of the race?" Your thoughts, Bob?
FRANKEN: Well, probably. The fact of the matter is that this is not the pure political race, this is a story, and it's a bizarre story, and Arnold Schwarzenegger is the star of the story, not an unusual position for him to be in. But yes, there are 157 other prospective candidates out there, not all of them, of course, getting the coverage that he is getting, and the polls are reflecting that.
It's really interesting, as a matter of fact. Television stations are going to have a hard time showing any Arnold Schwarzenegger movies because of various fairness responsibilities and all that kind of thing. But yes, he is getting an emphasis, and it's called name recognition, and it could have an influence on the election. COSTELLO: Yes, and his movie's still out there and playing, too. So that's interesting.
Ron, this question for you. This is from John in Florida. "If Arnold Schwarzenegger or any other person wins, could another disgruntled millionaire immediately launch a recall and start a perpetual cycle of musical governors?"
FAUCHEUX: Theoretically, yes, somebody could do that, but I think it would be unlikely. I think whoever becomes governor, the voters are going to give them an opportunity to try to perform, particularly after this incredible effort that we're now seeing.
CALLEBS: OK. Bob, we're going to toss this one at you from Joan Vaughn. "This is a right-wing conspiracy. Connect the dots from the person who started the recall to Rove to Arnold. Of course, Bush is keeping a low profile, and the media is falling for it."
We'll let you handle that one, Bob.
FRANKEN: Well, that is certainly the position that many democrats are taking. They're saying that, in fact, this is just the conservatives, the republican conservatives, trying to overturn an election of just eight months ago. The republicans say that's not the issue. The issue is that the state is in shambles and that they say the governor, Gray Davis, is so much to blame that they were able to get the signatures necessary to bring this recall election.
That's going to be debated. You're going to hear that kind of comment for the duration of the election campaign, and it will be up to the voters to decide.
COSTELLO: All right. This one's out of California. Ron, and I know many people in California are probably upset because everybody's been making fun of the state. This one says, "People quit making a joke out of us. California is always the first, but never the last. We lead, they follow."
Is that true? This is from Sidney from California. Ron, is that true?
FAUCHEUX: Well, as the largest state in the country, it is true to some extent. California has developed, California has instigated a lot of political movements, a lot of political changes, a lot of political reforms, good and bad, that's trickled through the rest of the country. There's no question that California is a leader.
In this particular case, though, California's law is somewhat unique. Other states have recall provisions. But very few states have the provisions that they have now. So it's not likely that you're going to see something exactly like this replicated in states across the country.
CALLEBS: OK, Bob, we'll toss this at you as well, this coming from Jon in Norfolk. "I just figured out the point of the California Governor's race. All it will take now is 10,973 more candidates at $3500 a pop to solve the state's budget deficit. And to think, we all thought Governor Gray was a doofus. It's brilliant."
38 billion. Does that add up to $38 billion?
FRANKEN: I don't think so.
COSTELLO: We get what he's saying, though.
FRANKEN: Well, yes, but this may be one of these elections where the number of candidates outnumbers the number of voters.
CALLEBS: Could be like a cage match eventually.
COSTELLO: I was just talking to you earlier, Bob, if all the candidates pulled their millions and millions of dollars that they have, California wouldn't have a problem.
FRANKEN: Not a problem at all. But, of course, there are any number of millionaires out here looking for ways to spend their money. And looks like they've come up with one.
COSTELLO: All right. Let's address this one to Ron. "Arnold is an actor, not a politician. Do you want a mailman to perform a medical operation on you, or do you want the person qualified to do the job?" I guess they're asking if Arnold is qualified.
FAUCHEUX: Well, I suppose qualification and politics is in the eye of the beholder. In a conventional election, it may be difficult for somebody like Arnold Schwarzenegger to win. But this is a very unconventional election. He's an unconventional candidate.
And -- but the point that people have to remember, particularly people who don't live in California, is that when Gray Davis was first elected governor in 1998, he ran on the slogan "experience money can't buy." His whole issue was preparation and training and experience and state government. Now most voters think he's been a failure.
So Schwarzenegger is coming up and saying, hey, you know, let's look at his record of experience. It's quite an experience. It's a negative experience for the state. So let's get somebody new who isn't a politician. And that's really the appeal of Schwarzenegger.
CALLEBS: Yes, and as Bob pointed out in one of his earlier pieces, Arnold Schwarzenegger has hundreds of millions of dollars, so he's been a successful businessman over his life as well.
We have another one for you, Bob. Jump in here. This comes from Dig, but you know what? I really think it is a dig. "Why didn't Hillary move to California and run for governor?"
FRANKEN: I suppose that her supporters out here would say, in typical California-ese, for sure.
CALLEBS: Right on, dude.
FRANKEN: Can you imagine Hillary Clinton saying that?
CALLEBS: No.
FRANKEN: Which she, of course, has done her own kind of moving. She was raised in Illinois, moved to Arkansas with her husband, and has somehow become the senator from New York. Sure, maybe she'd come to California next.
COSTELLO: You never know.
FAUCHEUX: She has a better job now, I think.
COSTELLO: I think so, but our viewers are delightful in their senses of humor, aren't they? We love that.
This one to you, Ron. "While the job that Governor Davis may not be to the liking of many Californians, the recall makes a mockery of the electoral system." Does it, Ron?
FAUCHEUX: Well, when you have all of these candidates running, everything from the former baseball commissioner to Arianna Huffington to Arnold Schwarzenegger to the democratic lieutenant governor while the democratic governor is at issue being recalled, porno stars to everybody else, it certainly makes it look like a mockery. It certainly looks like a circus.
What's interesting is you know, why don't all these people run in regular elections? There was just an election a year ago, and you didn't have, you know, all of these dozens and dozens of candidates running. So there's something sort of the call of the wild, here, where you've got a governor on the ballot to be recalled. And this notion that, well, if $3500 bucks and a few signatures you can get on the ballot. Well, you can do that anyway in one of the party primaries.
So there's nothing unusual about candidates getting on the ballot. What's unusual is the circus excitement about this election, and it's being undertaken now without a lot of other things going on in the country. So there's a lot of focus on it.
CALLEBS: Well, let's hope it dies down so the citizens can benefit.
Bob, we're going to ask you this one, because you stood toe to toe with the terminator, even though, I'm sure, a few people and podiums were between you.
The question comes from Pat in L.A. "I can't believe that Arnold is leading in the polls. Yes, he has name recognition, but no positions on any issues. When is he going to be ready to answer questions on where he stands and how to solve our problems on October 8?" And Bob, you posed that question to him at least two times yesterday.
FRANKEN: And he said he'd be the one to determine how and when he does that. His communications director said later, they would not be pushed around the media. They'll decide the agenda. To put it the way that President Bush, in his very tightly disciplined staff put it, they're going to stay on message, and it will be their message.
CALLEBS: OK. Bob Franken out in our bureau in Los Angeles, as always, thanks for your insight. Ron Faucheux, thanks as well. A lot of good questions from our viewers, as well.
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