Text of Arnold Schwarzenegger's remarks Tuesday night declaring victory in recall election

Associated Press | October 8, 2003 | Arnold Schwarzenegger

[HAL9000]

JAY LENO: Tonight is a testament on how important one appearance on 'The Tonight Show' can be. You know the critics say 'Well, Arnold can't be an administrator, he's an actor. Oh, Arnold can't be an environmentalist, he's an actor. Oh Arnold can't be governor, he's an actor.' Well of course Arnold was thrilled. For the first time in his career, the critics are calling him an actor, ladies and gentlemen. This is a historic night. Apparently we have all been wrong. It is pronounced Cal-ee-fornia. Ladies and gentleman, the governor of the great state of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER: Thank you, what a great celebration. Thank you all for being here today. Thank you. Thank you. You know there are so many people that I want to thank. And I want to start first with my wife, Maria. I want to thank her for the love and the strength she has given me. I want to thank her for being the greatest wife and the most spectacular partner. I know how many votes I got today because of you.

I also want to thank my parent-in-laws, Eunice and Sargeant Shriver right over here, and also all my brother-in-laws and extended family. As a matter of fact, all the people behind me are the Shrivers, OK? So I want to thank them also for coming out here. I want to thank them all for coming out here. I really appreciate their support. And I want to thank all our children, Catherine and Christina, Patrick and Christopher. I want to thank them for being so understanding even though they ask me everyday, 'When is this campaign gonna to be over?' I know, that's what I tell them, 'When it's over.' So I really appreciate their understanding. And I want to thank also all the people that's worked on this campaign. All the people that volunteered, the hard workers who did their jobs. All you people here. I want to thank them for manning the phones, to stuffing the envelopes, to handing out the fliers, handing out the yard signs, handing out the bumper stickers, raising the money. A fantastic job they've done. Working around the clock, all of them on my behalf. I wouldn't be standing up here today if it wasn't for you all. I want to thank all the volunteers, all of you for the great work.

I want to also thank the people of California. From the time I came over to this country, you opened your arms to me, you received me, you've given me opportunities, endless amounts of opportunities. Everything that I have is because of California. I came here with absolutely nothing and California has given me absolutely everything. And today California has given me the greatest gift of all. You've given me your trust by voting for me. Thank you very much to all the people of California for giving me their great trust.

And let me tell you something. I will do everything I can to live up to that trust.

I will not fail you. I will not disappoint you. And I will not let you down. For two months, I've been speaking out about the need of bringing back fiscal responsibility to this state, bringing back a positive business atmosphere, bringing back businesses, bringing back jobs, bringing back our education. It's very important that we need to bring back trust in the government itself.

For two months, I went up and down the state and listended to the people. I met good, honest, hardworking people. People who just want to raise their famililes here. People who want to do business here, or their jobs here or to educate their kids here. People that want to enjoy the clean air and the clean water. And I have heard your voice. I heard your voice loud and clear.

We have tough choices ahead. The first choice that we must make is the one that will determine our success. Shall we rebuild our state together or shall we fight amongst ourselves, create even deeper divisions and fail the people of California? Well let me tell you something, the answer is clear. For the people to win, politics as usual must lose.

I will reach out to Republicans, to Democrats, independents. To those who supported the recall and those who did not. Those who supported me and those who did not. I want to reach out to everybody, the young or old, rich or poor, people of all religion, all colors and all nationalities. I want to be the governor for the people. I want to represent everybody.

I just received a gracious phone call from Gov. Davis. Yes, a very gracious phone call from Gov. Davis, who promised me that he would, no no, gracious phone call from Gov. Davis, OK? I really appreciated that call because he promised me he will work hard to make this transition smooth and I really appreciate that phone call, yes.

I believe very strongly that a smooth transition is very important for the people of California. And this is why I instructed my transition team to treat their counterparts with the utmost respect.

I will call all the leaders of the Legislature, both Democrats and Republicans, and I will let them know that my door will always be open. That I want to work with them together for the good of California.

The same goes to the members of the Legislature, it doesn't matter if they're to the left, to the right or to the center. I extend my hand to them. I want to work with you. I need your help.

And to the other candidates for governor, I want to extend to you the olive branch of political reconcilation so that we can move California forward. Tonight we are all here celebrating, and we have reasons to celebrate, but tommorrow the hard work will begin. Oh yes.

And in closing, I want to say something to you that I've been saying for the last two months traveling up and down the state. I want to be the people's governor. I want to represent everybody. I believe in the people of California and I know that together, we can do great things. I know that together, we can make this again the greatest state of the greatest country in the world. Thank you. And god bless all of you. Thank you.

[goldstategop]

One wonders if he will be marked for greatness like frat boy President Bush who people thought had every thing come to him easy. We shall see if he can surmount challenges that have stymied lesser men.

[Support Free Republic]

Flame warriors, unite!
	Donate Here By Secure Server Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD- It is in the breaking news sidebar!

[CyberAnt]

The most impressive moment of the speech was when Arnold said he had received a very gracious phone call from Davis. Some of the people down in the front started to make a fuss about it, but Arnold pointed his finger at them and said, NO! NO! The audience was stunned to silence.

Then Arnold repeated, "I am very grateful for Gov. Davis' phone call". Wow! all he did was point his finger and say NO! and the people shut up. The comments about Davis were disrespecful, and Arnold knew it, and that's why he stopped them.

I suspect the dems have no idea who they're going to be dealing with. Maybe a few of the other repubs will take notes and start copying Arnold's actions ..?? Well .. it's a nice thought.

[goldstategop]

If he does govern as a conservative, I expect Freepers to take back everything they ever said about his being a backstabbing RINO. Well like I am fond of saying, I have always believed Arnold should be tested not by what he says but by what he does.

[CyberAnt]

Well .. don't look at me .. I never called Arnold names.

[AmericaUnited]

That my friend is how people react to a real leader.

[Paul_B]

Thanks for that insight. Last cycle there were a few Dems who were most ungracious in victory - Lautenberg, who won illegitimately, comes to mind. I have to admit it, this was a classy speech, at least in print.

p.

[Moonmad27]

I also thought that was the most memorable moment of the speech, when he calmed that member of the audience's reaction about Davis. Not only does it show extreme class on Arnold's part, compare the respectful Republican crowd to the raucous booing of the Davis supporters at his concession speech earlier in the evening!

[BSunday]

And god bless all of you

God with a little g ? I guess the AP means Atheistic Press.

[BibChr]

Pingable

We waited up longer than we should have, but this was too late for this 4:15-riser. Glad to be able to read it.

Gracious, realistic, positive speech.

Dan

[BibChr]

Dream on.

I wish you were right. But last night, one self-anointedly highly religious poster (holier than I, (s)he certainly has stated) is still calling him "Arnold the pig." And one promised that at his first mistake, they'd bring Hell to bear. Nothing about what they'd do when he did something good.

Arrogant, stubborn, stupid pride dies hard.

Dan

[BibChr]

Are you noticing that that little typographic blasphemy is becoming more and more popular?

Dan

[BibChr]

Then it would contrast with Davis, who allowed boos and taunts with feeble, ineffective flutters.

I disagreed with the media. I found nothing particularly gracious nor eloquent nor stirring about Davis' speech. It was self-serving and delusional, and only superficially gracious.

Bummer on us, we had to watch Davis, but Schw was on too late for us.

Dan

[EllaMinnow]

...feeble, ineffective flutters...

Gray Davis in a nutshell!

[BSunday]

You bet. I thought I heard Arnold yesterday say something yesterday about it's up to the gods now, but it sounded like he tried to correct himself in mid sentence and it came out sounding like 'its up to the God now.' Probably it was just his Austrian accent coming out, but at the time it sounded really strange.

[Walkin Man]

Now that the RINO's have elected their very own Bill Clinton, they will have to live with the results.

I'm sure Pete Wilson and Warren Buffet have a nice little plan worked out for raising taxes.

[carton253]

Wow, it's way too early for sour grapes...

[BibChr]

Austrian accent or syntax. I know nothing about the Austrian dialect, but I believe German, like Greek and Hebrew, uses the article more than we with "God."

Dan

[BSunday]

True. Good point.