Posted on 09/11/2003 5:24:10 PM PDT by SierraWasp
TOTAL RECALL
Calif. debate not that scripted But tough for Schwarzenegger to avoid advance viewing
By Russ Britt, CBS.MarketWatch.com Last Update: 6:02 PM ET Sept. 10, 2003
LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) - The most anticipated debate of California's recall election is not as scripted as you might think, say the event's sponsors.
And Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to avoid taking questions in advance may not actually be as heroic as he'd hoped it would appear.
Why?
It's not that Schwarzenegger and the other four top-ranked candidates are supposed to get questions for the debate in advance. Heck, everyone will get the questions in advance -- candidates, voters, non-voters, you name it.
That's not the point, says Stan Statham, chief executive of the California Broadcasters Association.
"Anybody running for governor for the state of California is scripted to some degree in any debate," Statham said. "I mean, hello?"
The group representing 962 television and radio stations is trying to generate more interest in this debate by having voters deliver the questions to candidates instead of reporters. It also wants to have voters discuss the issues -- ahead of time.
Here's how it'll work: the association is sifting through hundreds of questions submitted by voters. It is picking the best 12 or so and going to those voters to tape them reading their questions before a camera.
Those taped questions will be broadcast the night of the Sept. 24 debate at California State University, Sacramento. Next week, though, CBA plans to circulate the questions to candidates and the general public.
Statham says he hopes to stimulate discussion on the issues among voters before the debate by releasing the questions in advance. He thinks talk shows will use the questions as springboards to further discussions about the recall.
So where's the drama on recall night? Statham says the debate's format is the hook. He plans to simply throw a question out there, have one candidate answer it and then let the others engage in a free-flowing exchange. It is that format he hopes will set this debate apart from others.
In the two debates conducted thus far, candidates gave timed responses to questions asked by reporters in a more rigid format. Statham says he will make sure all candidates get equal time for responses, but thinks voters want to see them interacting with each other.
"It's not going to be a shouting match. I will control that," Statham said.
Last week, Schwarzenegger's campaign staffers insisted he won't take any questions in advance. That was in response to criticism he was only attending the debate that was scripted. Schwarzenegger representatives even sent a letter to Statham asking that he not release questions in advance.
"It is our belief that spontaneous questions will provide a greater opportunity for the voters to observe the candidates in an unrehearsed way," U.S. Rep David Dreier wrote in his letter to the group on behalf of Schwarzenegger.
But it appears Schwarzenegger will have to spend the next two weeks in a cave if he is to avoid learning what the questions are in advance.
Besides, the Schwarzenegger camp is not putting up a vigorous protest to the debate format. Statham says he has heard nothing from the campaign since Dreier's Sept. 3 letter.
"It surprises me that I haven't heard a word since," Statham said.
Schwarzenegger said last week he was declining to take part in the other debates because he thought he could reach a greater number of voters by holding rallies and a series of town hall meetings. He harkened back to his bodybuilding days to offer an example.
"I didn't go to the Mr. Venice Beach event," Schwarzenegger said. "I went to the Mr. Olympia event."
On that count, Schwarzenegger may be on target. Statham says many in his group's membership, which includes virtually every broadcast station in the state, is likely to clamor to cover the event live. The last of four debates on Sept. 30, sponsored by CNN and the Los Angeles Times, is expected to carry on the cable channel and its affiliates only.
"You'll have to hit the remote more than a couple of times to get away from (our) debate," Statham said.
Along with Schwarzenegger, Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, Republican State Sen. Tom McClintock, Independent commentator Arianna Huffington and Green Party candidate Peter Camejo will take part. There will be no substitute for Republican Peter Ueberroth, who dropped out this week.
Gov. Gray Davis, the subject of the recall, will not participate and instead be the subject of a town hall meeting sponsored by CBA.
The 6 p.m. broadcast probably will benefit from a later starting time. The first debate started at 4 p.m. and this week's event with Bustamante, Huffington and Camejo started at 10:30 a.m.
The real attraction, however, will be Schwarzenegger, Statham says.
"I believe our audience will triple or quadruple because of his participation," he said. "I sincerely believe that we'll beat 'Judge Judy' and the reruns of 'Friends'."
Russ Britt is the Los Angeles Bureau Chief for CBS.MarketWatch.com.
A civil thread wouldn't be as much fun for some, but would still be appreciated. "Do what you can, but behave yourself." - (Jim Easum)
What makes you think a fiscal conservative like Arnold won't do any better than a tax and spend liberal puke like cruz bustamante?
Vote for Mcclintock, elect bustamante.
Riiiight.
He's as fiscally conservative as Monica Lewinsky is chaste.
So you think cruz is a fiscal conservative.
You don't drive, do you?
So that's your new argument?
It won't fly, no more than any of your others.
And we know how miserably they've failed.
As a side note, this morning on the Lee Rodgers and Meleanie Morgan show on KSFO 560 AM radio in SF, Bill Simon had been scheduled to come on at 730 am to talk about the recall in a role as a "commentator".
They announced at 7 am that he wouldn't be able to make it.
Lee then offered that Bill and Cindy had dinner with the Schwarzeneggers a couple of nights ago, and Lee also offered earlier in the show that he was not going to couch his questions for Bill had he come on their show.
It makes you wonder why Bill, who used to be pretty accessible, would not be available. No reason for his not coming on the show was forthcoming, but .. one wonders but it is likely osmeone heard the show and called BIll and told him , don't go on.
What happened to make Issa and Simon and Ueberroth all become so guarded about offering who they were going to endorse in the Recall?
It just shows you what this state's Republicam party has become, the ugly stepchild with no hope but lots of promises to its base and then foresaking them and principles... All to just Win, Baby!!!
I don't want Busty and I definitely don't want Davi$ to stay, but I can not stomach Arnold either as he is nothing more than a stealth and evasive candidate, making crowd controlled appearances and TV and radio appearances, that to me , sound canned and scripted.
Will the convention prove to be anything different? Will the media report what really is happening and will the behind scenes goings on ever see the light of day?
What happened to our political system and why does the CAGOP hate the grassroots so?
Is it because we don;t belong to country clubs and sip wine and eat quiche, or is it because they really don't care to have the people's will imposed on "their" show or in place of a greater agenda?
You can say all you like about the 9th circus folks but the CA GOP leadership is no better than them, imo. They too override the people's will with impunity.
They are a 3rd party that rules that is neither Repub or demRat, it is moderate and enjoys as much support of the media as do the demRats and the state legislature as they continue to rape this state socially and economically.
How much more can We the People take? How much more can We afford?
I sit here at my laptop day in and day out and am told just do what we tell you, have Tom and all the conservatives stepa aside and everything wil be alright, but why should I believe that any longer.
Our voices are not heard anyway, polls shout over the top of our cries for change and tell us a very rich amateur politician supported by the country club elite is the answer.
Quite frankly, I have forgotten what the question was that yielded that answer.
I am only one of many, unemployed, disenfranschised, and now vilified for supporting Tom. And all I hear are the echoes in the corridors of power are rich men's footsteps walking away with another election and a chance at real change.
Hiram was able to win many battles but that was a different time and age. Today the media and the elite rule whether we like it or not.
They produce the polls and we are told to accept the results without question. There is little bitterness left inside me, only rage, rage that so many good people buy into the continuation of the Reign of the PoliticalMachines.
And now, the Terminator is come, unwilling to debate the one man who could lick his chops face to face over ideas, but is not considered good enough or is seen as too pious or bug-eyed or self-serving by those who claim to knw what is best.
Who is serving who and who is the slavemaster and who really benefits in the end?
I sure know who is being set-up to take it in the end, literally, the rear end. Taxes will go up .. unless We stand together now or We will all get taxed to death separately.
We have made our own snare and caught ourselves in it. Who will FRee us? Who will care? Don't look to Washington, they won't tell you or een try to make it right because there are those who serve there who are complicit in this charade and that is all this Recall has become.
Next week, We shall all see what is our fate and our state's direction. Will We have hope for Real Change or will we have a party mascarading as a party that is inclusive of those who gave it birth and life and not just trying to win by leaving its faithful behind..
Thanks for the Ping, FRiend.
I'm gonna go eat some ribs and sweet corn and drink a beer before they raise the tax on beer as well.
I'll Be Back. The question IS.. Will the late great CA GOP be back *-?
Please spare us your insults There is only one conservative running for Governor.
Please spare us your insults There is only one conservative running for Governor.
It wasn't an insult, it was a reality.
And it doesn't matter what mcclintock is, he can't win.
Touché!
Spoken like a true fatalist. Tell me, was there ever a time you supported Tom or were you just waiting for a Hollywood star to come along?
I'd love to support Tom. He's obviously the most qualified, most conservative, and would make the best governor.
But my opinion of the man has absolutely zero to do with the fact that he has no chance of winning.
So what are our alternatives? Vote for him anyway when that's exactly what cruz needs to get elected?
I'll pass.
And it has nothing to do with Arnold's celebrity. I'm quite sure you know that. So why the intellectual dishonesty?
Now... It's a secret ballot, a free country and you are not being influential, no matter how many times you continue to be an inflaming crackpot. You may be right with your one "fact," and the majority of Freepers, according to the Freeper poll taken after the last debate, would like to discuss ways of overcoming an insurmountable challenge.
You, on the other hand, want to spam every other reply with your one "fact" with a snotty twist of everyone's tail that wants to discuss this, without the hate & discontent that you seem to thrive on. Then one of your little buddies eggs you on and you thrill yourself with the thought of a "direct hit!"
Well, congratulations! You are hereby honored as the latest Freeper to win the "O.B. Noxious" award!!!
Now go do something else to thrill yourself, like starting your own thread, or like intellectual self-stimulation with an aging bodybuilding magazine and a flashlight out in darkest corner of the woodshed!!!
This was my post to you...
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What makes anyone think Arnold will do any better that Jesse's lackluster performance???
What makes you think a fiscal conservative like Arnold won't do any better than a tax and spend liberal puke like cruz bustamante?
Vote for Mcclintock, elect bustamante.
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And this was your response to me...
Listen, turkey! Your snide, repetitive, boring, beligerent barrage of trite sniping is not appreciated when I politely asked for civil discourse at the beginning of this thread! Now stop be such a rude peckerhead and back off!!!
Now... It's a secret ballot, a free country and you are not being influential, no matter how many times you continue to be an inflaming crackpot. You may be right with your one "fact," and the majority of Freepers, according to the Freeper poll taken after the last debate, would like to discuss ways of overcoming an insurmountable challenge.
You, on the other hand, want to spam every other reply with your one "fact" with a snotty twist of everyone's tail that wants to discuss this, without the hate & discontent that you seem to thrive on. Then one of your little buddies eggs you on and you thrill yourself with the thought of a "direct hit!"
Well, congratulations! You are hereby honored as the latest Freeper to win the "O.B. Noxious" award!!!
Now go do something else to thrill yourself, like starting your own thread, or like intellectual self-stimulation with an aging bodybuilding magazine and a flashlight out in darkest corner of the woodshed!!!
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And you call me obnoxios?
You've got issues pal.
Now, I'm going to shun you as you just can't seem to stop the behavior I described. Momma always taught me not to wrestle with the pigs, cause I'd only git dirty and the pigs like it way too much. Bye!
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