RINOld warrants my "Tagline Award" for the week. LOL
Posted on 04/28/2006 1:47:41 PM PDT by calcowgirl
Interview with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on ABC This Week with George Stephanopoulos, April 23, 2006
Transcript below. Video available at ABC website:
STEPHANOPOULOS: (intro): Our next guest California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.He marked Earth Day this weekend with a beach clean up in San Pedro, a day after meeting up with President Bush in San Jose. As they both try to recover from record low approval ratings, Schwarzenegger and Bush are locked in an uneasy embrace.
When I sat down with the Governor in Sacramento before his summit with the president, it was clear that Schwarzenegger thinks the key to his comeback is keeping some distance from the White House while reaching out to Democrats on issues like gas prices, immigration and global warming.
SCHWARZENEGGER: It's not any more a debate. Is it real? Is it not? Are we guessing? Is there different opinions out there? The science is in. The facts are there, that we have created - man, as a self-inflicted wound - that man has created the global warming - because of the kind of pollution that we create - because of the emissions that was, that are, being raised all the time.
STEPHANOPOULOS: If that is true, why isn't the president, why isn't Washington acting?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, you hang out with the President more than I do so you should ask him that question.
I think that the federal government is doing things but I think that they are not aggressive enough and I think that the whole world is not aggressive enough.
STEPHANOPOULOS: The President is the leader of your party. Are you going to push him on it?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, it has nothing to do with the party. You see that I think is a big mistake - to even bring party into this whole thing. Because, you know, if you talk about the health of our children, those children come from Democratic families and Republican families. They all have to be taken care of. And this is why I think it is important that the State of California takes on that responsibility of leadership. We can lead.
STEPHANOPOULOS: California has also led the way in cleaner fuel and now you may be paying a price. Just this morning--highest fuel prices, highest gas prices in the nation. I was struck by the San Francisco Chronicle that said "Get used to $3.00 gallon gas say the experts." Is that your message that the people just have to get used to this?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Not really. I think that we have to fight that. And I have encouraged people here in this state that we should fight back. First of all we should, uh
STEPHANOPOULOS: How do you fight back?
SCHWARZENEGGER: First of all, by buying vehicles that are fuel efficient. This is why we provide - we passed a law - that says that people that have vehicles - like hybrid cars that get this great gas mileage - more than, better than 45 miles a gallon - that they can use the HOV lanes for instance. We want to inspire people to buy cars that are fuel efficient and also drive less, do more car-pooling and so on. Because remember the oil price is all based on supply and demand.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Refiners I think have shown a 53% increase in profits.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Yes, unbelievable.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Just since February.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Yeah. Absolutely. I think that's outrageous. And I - believe me - I am all for profits. I love when businesses are booming. But there is a certain point when it deals with having a product that everyone needs, and that everyone is relying on, because of the situation that we have created, I mean it's something that we have created, that we've got to protect the people.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So we need a windfall profits tax?
SCHWARZENEGGER: We have to look, first of all - that maybe is an idea even though I am against taxes - but we have to look at all different possibilities and especially the gouging.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Another bit issue that Washington has been dealing with is immigration. You've been outspoken on it as well. You wrote in the Wall Street Journal that we have to base any solution on two principles: control of the border and compassion for immigrants. I want to flush that out a little bit. When you talk about control of the border one of the big proposals out there is, in the house, they want a 700 mile wall down across the southern border. Are you for that?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, I think that it would be ludicrous to limit yourself to just building a wall. I mean, we're going back to the Stone Ages here. I mean, we are landing man on the moon, and we are in outer space and we are doing all of those great things. I think there is other technology that we can secure the borders. If I say now, yes, let's build a wall, but what prevents you from building a tunnel. How many tunnels have been built in these last 10 years? I mean we've detected tunnels left and right that people just drive trucks through. And there are air conditioned systems in these tunnels and water flow and food supply and everything. I think that it is crazy to think a wall alone will do it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You've also talked about compassion for immigrants. And President Bush, Senator McCain, Senator Kennedy all look at that principle and say we need a path to earned citizenship. If you're here illegally, that you but pay back taxes, pay a fine, wait in line, work hard, you should be able to become a citizen. Do you agree with that?
SCHWARZENEGGER: I agree that there should be a way to earn your citizenship, especially people that have been here for a long time, people that have contributed to our economy, that have contributed to our society, they have done community work, they been great citizens. I think we should give them a chance for redemption and for, you know, earning their way in by paying, doing more community work and all of those things and passing a test, a language test, a citizenship test, and all of those things. Yes. We should. Because the other thing that people talk about which is let's send them all back. I mean think about that. How do you do that logistically? How does that work? To send 12 million people back. It would cost $500 Billion dollars. Who's gonna pay for that? I mean it's ludicrous to think this way.
STEPHANOPOULOS: As you know, the critics of earned citizenship call it amnesty. Just in March you wrote in the LA Times "granting citizenship to people that are here illegally is not just amnesty, it's anarchy." So you have changed your view?
SCHWARZENEGGER: No. Not at all. I don't believe in amnesty at all. I think that amnesty doesn't work. I think that's why I said one has to be able to earn their citizenship. There's a difference between just, you know, saying from now on, you know, 12 million can stay here and we will give you citizenship. That's amnesty.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You're about to see President Bush today. You know, Ed Koch, the ex-mayor of New York, used to have this phrase. He'd go up to everybody and say "How am I doing?" If President Bush comes to you and asks that question, what do you tell him?
SCHWARZENEGGER: I don't think, first of all, that he would. I don't think he is going to ask me "How am I doing?" I don't think -
STEPHANOPOULOS: You don't think he wants your advice?
SCHWARZENEGGER: I doubt it. He has a lot of people a lot more experienced than I am that give him advice and all of this. And I am absolutely convinced that he is making decisions based on what he thinks is best for the country. That doesn't mean that it is in sync with my opinion. It doesn't mean it's in sync with your opinion or with someone elses. But I am sure he is doing his best job.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But his approval ratings here in California, your state, are well down in the 30s. Are you worried that he's going to be a drag on you in November?
SCHWARZENEGGER: You know something, I don't really care about that at all. I don't look at it where a President's approval ratings are when I meet with the President. And also, you know, when I leave. The people will judge me in November based on what is my performance, what have I done. The economy is booming. So I will be judged based on that, not what, you know, not what President Bush is doing or what anyone else is doing, even though it does have an effect and we have seen endless amount of stories all around the country where they say, you know, he's dragging the people down with the poll numbers and so on. I think in the end the people have to perform, the individual politicians need to perform to get their poll numbers up. It's all based on that.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You say the economy is booming yet, by 2 to 1, Californians think they are going the wrong direction. How do you explain that?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, you know, I don't know how to explain that. All that I can tell you is that we are very happy with the way things are going. And obviously people want to have more performance. But the fact is, we are working together is it doesn't go as fast in politics as sometimes you expect or as fast as it goes in the private sector. So, you have to be more patient and I learned that last year. You sometimes have to wait and you have to get people on board with your ideas and stuff like that. And, uh, you know Senator McCain has told me that he has been working on a health care bill for six years.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So you are learning to be patient?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Absolutely. It is one of the things I have learned in this job. That doesn't mean I will give up my will to make California better. We can be much better if we redo our transportation system, our education system, build more schools, fix our levees and really create a California that is for the 37 million people that we have now and the 45 million people that we will have very soon. That's what I want to do. That's my vision
STEPHANOPOULOS: The levees here in Sacramento, the flood protection levees. You've been very critical of the federal government and the cabinet of the President for not helping you fix them. Do you think the federal government has not learned the lessons of Katrina?
SCHWARZENEGGER: No. I think the federal Government has not learned its lessons. I think they have dealt terribly with Katrina and I think there is a great potential there that they make the same mistake in California. I have been asking the federal government. I said look at our levees. They are soaked in water right now. They are so vulnerable, the only thing that keeps us from a disaster is sandbags.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Why is that a federal issue? If people choose to live there, shouldn't they absorb the risk?
SCHWARZENEGGER: No, not at all. I think it is the number one responsibility of government is to protect the people. Look, we have an earthquake prone state. We have a state that is prone to all kinds of disasters. We have had the hugest fires. Mudslides, rains, earthquakes. We have everything. Levee breaks we've had in the past. We've got to protect the people.
STEPHANOPOULOS: We're just about out of time. I just want to ask you one more question. I assume you think you're going to win in November. After you finish serving as Governor, can you see a dynasty where Maria follows in your place.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I doubt it. I doubt it. I mean, Maria, as you know, loves public service. Her whole family was in the public service. That is all her father and mother ever talked to me about was public service. But I think that because she grew up in a political family, I think that she is not as much into this whole thing. She loves serving the people. She loves being the first lady. But for her, the most important thing is to raise the children and for us to be together as a family. She doesn't even like the job that I have now. She doesn't like the idea that I am running again. She's supportive.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Did she tell you not to run?
SCHWARZENEGGER: I wouldn't say she said that I shouldn't run. I think that she made it very clear that she would rather have me at home. She doesn't say "don't run". She puts it in a different way. She would just say "I need you to be home. I love you to be home." But I mean, I told her, I cannot walk away from this job. Not because I need the job. But I am a person that likes when I start something I want to finish it. I believe very strongly - again the message you get, or a lesson you learn from sports - because a lot of my things I have learned is from sports - in sports - everything is about follow through. In golf swing it's about follow through. Tennis, it's about the follow through. In skiing, complete your turns. It's all about follow through. I think the same is in this. You cannot start something and not finish it.
I will walk away from this when we have rebuilt California - when we are very well on our way. I want to see cranes everywhere. I want to build, build, and build California. Our highways systems, our schools, thousands of new classrooms, spending on universities, fixing our levees. I really want to get California to the level where it ought to be so we can live up to 100% of our potential. And I will fight for that.
Yeah, don't reach out to Republicans Arrrnold, you wouldn't want to stand behind your party policy.
And I thought I didn't like him.
Does he believe what he is saying, or is he really that stupid?
SCHWARZENEGGER: No, not at all. I think it is the number one responsibility of government is to protect the people.
Oh so you want taxpayers to build levees to protect farms that are being taken on environmental grounds so that Eli Broad et al can make money converting them into houses?
From each according to his means, to each according to his needs, right??? Imagine That!!!
Arnold doesn't need to protect us from the outcome he really desires for us, or he wouldn't have instituted the Sierra-Nevada CONservancy!!!
I didn't say I liked everything about him. This just struck me as reasonable on a couple of points.
That title is a chuckler..
Going Green? Ha!
What did you find reasonable? The feds paying to enhance developers land value? Illegals being referred to as "good citizens" deserving of "earned citizenship"? Global warming being a "self inflicted wound" by the evil man? A windfall profits tax to "protect" us from gouging by evil oil companies? His "build, build, build" plan to spend, spend, spend? Did you find any of this unreasonable?
Gangreen, maybe. ;-)
That tagline has been quite apropos for many, lol.
It's a keeper!
Just curious.....what is Arnold driving these days since he's saying we must drive fuel efficient vehicles?
Private jet, limos, Hummers...
Translation: I don't want to look to conservative.
Thanks...that's what I thought.
I don't think there is any risk of that. :-(
That's the part he doesn't get.
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