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Posted on 09/25/2003 1:40:37 AM PDT by kattracks
WASHINGTON - Arnold Schwarzenegger faced his opponents last night for the first and only time in a debate that had been billed as scripted, but turned into an unruly free-for-all - like the rest of the recall race. The questions had been issued in advance, allowing the Terminator's opponents to paint him as a girly-man who can't face his rivals without a script.But the moderator lost control almost immediately, allowing the five wanna-be California governors to interrupt each other and lob personal attacks.
"I'm a traffic cop, but not a very good one," admitted moderator Stan Statham.
Schwarzenegger drew first blood when he interrupted independent candidate Arianna Huffington's rant about corporate tax loopholes to note that because she paid no taxes last year, she must be familiar with at least one good loophole. "I can drive my Hummer through it," he said to laughter.
Schwarzenegger and Huffington tangled again and again, leaving the rest - Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, conservative state Sen. Tom McClintock and Green Party candidate Peter Camejo - struggling to get attention.
When Schwarzenegger interrupted Huffington again, she snapped, "I know the way you treat women, but not now."
Schwarzenegger fired back, "I just realized that I have a perfect part for you in 'Terminator 4.'"
With the election 12 days away, the debate could make or break the race.
Schwarzenegger's camp had said the Republican front-runner needed only to avoid a debate flameout to maintain or enhance his standing in the polls. "I thought it was a very good debate for me," he said. "It was lively."
Another winner may have been Gov. Gray Davis, who did not participate because he is not a candidate. Polls have shown voters are having second thoughts about ousting him from his second term as they see his would-be successors squabble.
The festivities were broadcast live on the three cable news networks, as well as every Los Angeles network station. That meant Schwarzenegger was competing against himself: the USA Network aired his 1986 flop "Raw Deal" during the debate, while Cinemax showed last year's "Collateral Damage."
Originally published on September 25, 2003
Is the election really 12 days away?
What are they smoking?! Davis was last nights loser big time.
But he got in some good hits on her foolish arguments.
But enough about Ted Kennedy. I think you left the word 'out' off the end of your sentence. ;)
Oh yeah, Davis was a winner alright. I think the line that really help him was when Bustamante said "We overspent".
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