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Some classic one liners...While Huffington was in one of her many attacks last night,Arnie told her to switch over to decaf...
MSNBC STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
SACRAMENTO, Sept. 24 — With less than two weeks to go before the election, the top candidates vying to replace Gov. Gray Davis took to the stage at a state university campus Wednesday night to engage in some spirited squabbling over the state of California’s economy and take some personal jabs at each other.
THE STAKES were high for the nationally televised debate: One in five voters in a recent poll was undecided, and two-thirds said they would be swayed by the face-off, which could be the most-watched debate in California political history.
All eyes were on Republican front-runner Arnold Schwarzenegger in what was expected to be the actor’s only debate appearance during the brief campaign before the Oct. 7 election. He didn’t disappoint, aggressively attacking his rivals but receiving a barrage of criticism in return.
Schwarzenegger drew laughter and applause by saying that California’s political system has a “three strikes” rule and that it was time for the Democratic administration to go.
‘NOT FINE AND DANDY’
Independent Arianna Huffington and Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante accused Schwarzenegger of not knowing the facts and he responded by saying: “Everything is not fine and dandy here in California. You are trying to put wool over the people’s eyes.”
When the action star attempted to cut in during Huffington’s answer to a question, she said, “This is the way you treat women, we know that.”
The moderator, Stan Statham, called that a “direct and personal attack” on Schwarzenegger and gave him a chance to respond.
“I would just like to say that I just realized I have a perfect part for you in ‘Terminator 4’,” Schwarzenegger shot back, apparently alluding to a scene in “Terminator 3” in which his character pushes the head of a female terminator into a toilet.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is not Comedy Central, I swear,” Statham said, referring to the U.S. cable network.
Bustamante and Schwarzenegger — leading polls among replacement candidates — clashed on the economy and on recent worker’s compensation reform, which Schwarzenegger called “total pre-election bogus and you know it.”
“On Oct. 7, you guys are out,” he said.
He lashed out at Huffington, saying she had paid almost no personal income tax over the past two years.
“Your personal income is the biggest loophole; I can drive my Hummer through it,” he said. She shot back that this was nonsense and that the line was scripted — as she had read it in that morning’s paper and that she pays plenty of taxes despite not “making $20 million violent films.”
WORKER’S COMP
The forum bogged down early over the issue of worker’s compensation insurance with Schwarzenegger, Huffington, Bustamante, Republican state Sen. Tom McClintock and the Green Party’s Peter Camejo all talking over each other to the point that Statham had to scold them. “Excuse me! Excuse me! Excuse me!” Statham said, imploring the candidates to take turns. “I am a traffic cop but not a very good one.”
The candidates were given a dozen questions in advance on such topics as how to balance the budget, the meaning of a colorblind society and services for senior citizens.
The campaign was put back on track Tuesday when a federal appeals reversed course and unanimously ruled the election could go forward next month despite the risk of confusion from the use of punch-card ballots in some counties.
The scripted format prompted criticism, particularly among Schwarzenegger opponents who said he has been deliberately dodging more spontaneous candidate forums.
Election will be recalled as silly
Schwarzenegger did not take part in debates held on Sept. 3 and Sept. 17. Although another major debate is set for Sept. 30, Schwarzenegger’s campaign said the intention is to attend only Wednesday’s.
In a poll last week by the Public Policy Institute of California, 67 percent of likely voters said the debate would influence their vote. The poll also showed that one in five voters remains undecided about who to support if Davis is recalled.
The debate comes as the campaign has taken a distinctly negative turn. On Monday, Schwarzenegger broke a vow to stay positive, and began airing a television commercial attacking Davis and another taking aim at the state’s powerful Indian gambling tribes and implicitly criticizing Bustamante and McClintock for taking large tribal campaign contributions.
On Tuesday, Bustamante hit back, airing an ad that called Schwarzenegger an elitist outsider from “Planet Hollywood.” Schwarzenegger released a new radio ad Wednesday attacking tribes that criticizes Davis, Bustamante and McClintock by name.
“If there is a real shootout at the debate, it can only help Davis,” said Republican political strategist Arnold Steinberg. “Davis has to hope everyone does badly here, including Bustamante.”
Davis, who is not participating in the debate, was the target of new attacks from Schwarzenegger as well. In an essay Wednesday on the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal, Schwarzenegger wrote that Davis “has created a counterproductive culture in Sacramento where businesses and entrepreneurs that dare make a profit are treated as if they are enemies of the state.”
He referred to Bustamante as “Gray Davis — The Sequel” and said the two Democrats have created “an endless litany of taxing schemes.”
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
MSNBC STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
SACRAMENTO, Sept. 24 — With less than two weeks to go before the election, the top candidates vying to replace Gov. Gray Davis took to the stage at a state university campus Wednesday night to engage in some spirited squabbling over the state of California’s economy and take some personal jabs at each other.
THE STAKES were high for the nationally televised debate: One in five voters in a recent poll was undecided, and two-thirds said they would be swayed by the face-off, which could be the most-watched debate in California political history.
All eyes were on Republican front-runner Arnold Schwarzenegger in what was expected to be the actor’s only debate appearance during the brief campaign before the Oct. 7 election. He didn’t disappoint, aggressively attacking his rivals but receiving a barrage of criticism in return.
Schwarzenegger drew laughter and applause by saying that California’s political system has a “three strikes” rule and that it was time for the Democratic administration to go.
‘NOT FINE AND DANDY’
Independent Arianna Huffington and Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante accused Schwarzenegger of not knowing the facts and he responded by saying: “Everything is not fine and dandy here in California. You are trying to put wool over the people’s eyes.”
When the action star attempted to cut in during Huffington’s answer to a question, she said, “This is the way you treat women, we know that.”
The moderator, Stan Statham, called that a “direct and personal attack” on Schwarzenegger and gave him a chance to respond.
“I would just like to say that I just realized I have a perfect part for you in ‘Terminator 4’,” Schwarzenegger shot back, apparently alluding to a scene in “Terminator 3” in which his character pushes the head of a female terminator into a toilet.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is not Comedy Central, I swear,” Statham said, referring to the U.S. cable network.
Bustamante and Schwarzenegger — leading polls among replacement candidates — clashed on the economy and on recent worker’s compensation reform, which Schwarzenegger called “total pre-election bogus and you know it.”
“On Oct. 7, you guys are out,” he said.
He lashed out at Huffington, saying she had paid almost no personal income tax over the past two years.
“Your personal income is the biggest loophole; I can drive my Hummer through it,” he said. She shot back that this was nonsense and that the line was scripted — as she had read it in that morning’s paper and that she pays plenty of taxes despite not “making $20 million violent films.”
WORKER’S COMP
The forum bogged down early over the issue of worker’s compensation insurance with Schwarzenegger, Huffington, Bustamante, Republican state Sen. Tom McClintock and the Green Party’s Peter Camejo all talking over each other to the point that Statham had to scold them. “Excuse me! Excuse me! Excuse me!” Statham said, imploring the candidates to take turns. “I am a traffic cop but not a very good one.”
The candidates were given a dozen questions in advance on such topics as how to balance the budget, the meaning of a colorblind society and services for senior citizens.
The campaign was put back on track Tuesday when a federal appeals reversed course and unanimously ruled the election could go forward next month despite the risk of confusion from the use of punch-card ballots in some counties.
The scripted format prompted criticism, particularly among Schwarzenegger opponents who said he has been deliberately dodging more spontaneous candidate forums.
Election will be recalled as silly
Schwarzenegger did not take part in debates held on Sept. 3 and Sept. 17. Although another major debate is set for Sept. 30, Schwarzenegger’s campaign said the intention is to attend only Wednesday’s.
In a poll last week by the Public Policy Institute of California, 67 percent of likely voters said the debate would influence their vote. The poll also showed that one in five voters remains undecided about who to support if Davis is recalled.
The debate comes as the campaign has taken a distinctly negative turn. On Monday, Schwarzenegger broke a vow to stay positive, and began airing a television commercial attacking Davis and another taking aim at the state’s powerful Indian gambling tribes and implicitly criticizing Bustamante and McClintock for taking large tribal campaign contributions.
On Tuesday, Bustamante hit back, airing an ad that called Schwarzenegger an elitist outsider from “Planet Hollywood.” Schwarzenegger released a new radio ad Wednesday attacking tribes that criticizes Davis, Bustamante and McClintock by name.
“If there is a real shootout at the debate, it can only help Davis,” said Republican political strategist Arnold Steinberg. “Davis has to hope everyone does badly here, including Bustamante.”
Davis, who is not participating in the debate, was the target of new attacks from Schwarzenegger as well. In an essay Wednesday on the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal, Schwarzenegger wrote that Davis “has created a counterproductive culture in Sacramento where businesses and entrepreneurs that dare make a profit are treated as if they are enemies of the state.”
He referred to Bustamante as “Gray Davis — The Sequel” and said the two Democrats have created “an endless litany of taxing schemes.”
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
