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Recall Forum Transcript: Candidates Debate No. 5

Posted: 10:02 p.m. PDT September 3, 2003

Shandobil: THE FIRST CHANCE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION TO SENATOR MCCLINTOCK.

McClintock: THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA SPOKE CLEARLY ON THAT SUBJECT. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NO RIGHT TO INTERVENE.

Camejo: I'M IN COMPLETE -- COMPLETELY IN SUPPORT. IN FACT, I THINK IT IS CRAZY WHAT WE DO IN THE UNITED STATES TO PROMOTE TOBACCO, THE MOST ADDICTIVE DRUG KILLING MILLIONS THROUGH THE WORLD AND CRIMINALIZE SOMETHING UNDOCUMENTED, COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, NOT A ADDICTIVE DRUGS AND KILLS NO ONE.

Ueberroth: WE MAY HAVE A UNANIMOUS DECISION HERE. IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE. WHEN PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING, YOU GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN POSSIBLY DO TO TAKE AWAY THAT SUFFERING.

Bustamante: I SUPPORT THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE. THEY CLEARLY WERE VERY, VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND I THINK PETER IS RIGHT. WHEN PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING, AND THAT IS THE OPEN THING THAT IS AVAILABLE, AS LONG AS IT IS PROPERLY DISTRIBUTED, I THINK IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

Huffington: I SUPPORT IT TOO. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT I WOULD ACTUALLY FIGHT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS, NOT JUST ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA, BUT ON OUR CLEAN AIR POLICIES, ON OUR OIL DRILLING POLICIES, TO TRY CONSTANTLY DESPITE THE PRETENSIONS THAT THEY LIKE STATE'S RIGHTS, TO TRY TO CIRCUMVENT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLEOF CALIFORNIA.

Morrero: DO YOU SUPPORT THE CURRENT LAW ALLOWING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS WHO RESIDE HERE HAVING GRADUATED WITH A MINIMUM OF THREE YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO PAY THE SAME TUITION THAT OTHER RESIDENTS IN THE STATE PAY?

Camejo: YES, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK OF THE MILLIONS OF WORKERS THAT WE HAVE WHO LIVE TODAY UNDER AN APARTHEID SYSTEM. IT IS TOTALLY UNJUST AND WE HAVE TO END IT. NO ONE HERE SAYS THAT I WANT TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IF THEY ARE GOING TO STAY HERE, THEY HAVE TO BE TREATED FULLY AS EVERYONE ELSE. THEY HAVE TO BE GIVEN FULL HUMAN RIGHTS.

Bustamante: YES, I DO.

Shandobil: YOU DO GIVE SHORT ANSWERS. YOU ARE KEEPING ME ON MY TOES HERE.

Huffington: CAN I HAVE HIS EXTRA TIME?

Shandobil: NO, YOU CANNOT.

Bustamante: PLEASE, PLEASE. COULD YOU GIVE HER THE EXCESS OF MY TIME?

Huffington: WHAT A GENTLEMAN.

Shandobil: YOUR CHANCE, MS. HUFFINGTON.

Huffington: Yes, I WOULD SUPPORT IT. AND ALSO, AS MY FIRST ACT OF GOVERNOR, I WOULD ROLL BACK THE TUITION FEE HIKES FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS UNFORTUNATELY MISGUIDED ENOUGH TO SIGN INTO LAW.

McClintock: NO, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT INSTATE TUITION PRIVILEGES SHOULD BE GRANTED TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION UNDERLIES THE PROCESS OF LEGAL IMMIGRATION, A STRENGTH OF THIS NATION.

Ueberroth: I WOULD SUPPORT IT. I WOULD SUPPORT THE CHANCE FOR ANYONE IN THIS STATE THAT WE'VE ACCEPTED BECAUSE OF FEDERAL LAW, WE'VE ACCEPTED THESE PEOPLE INTO OUR STATE, AND WE OUGHT TO GIVE THEM THE FAIR CHANCE FOR EDUCATION. I WOULD TURN TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND SAY, YOU ARE PROTECTING THE BORDERS, IT IS YOUR DECISION TO BRING 2 MILLION PEOPLE INTO OUR STATE.

YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. BECAUSE WE COULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, FOLKS, TO PAY FOR IT.

Shandobil: BUT WE DO HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE ROUND OF SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND DAN I HOPE YOU HAVE ONE READY.

Borenstein: I DEFINITELY DO. THE FIRST SUMMER HE WAS IN OFFICE GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS SIGNED A BILL REQUIRING OVERTIME FOR WORKERS ON THE JOB MORE THAN EIGHT HOURS A DAY. THE NEW LAW REVERSED THE DECISION BY GOVERNOR PETE WILSON TO REQUIRE EXTRA PAY ONLY AFTER 40 HOURS OF WORK IN A WEEK. DO YOU AGREE WITH DAVIS?

Bustamante: I SUPPORT THE PAYMENT OF OVERTIME PAY AFTER EIGHT HOURS A DAY. I ALSO SUPPORT MAKING SURE THAT WORKERS HAVE THE -- A DECENT PLACE TO WORK AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE PROPER BENEFITS AS WELL.

Camejo: THE LAST TEN YEARS, THE WEALTHIEST 5% HAVE GAINED 113% OF THEIR INCOME, THE AVERAGE PERSON HARDLY GAINED AT ALL, 8%, I'M FOR ANY LAW PROTECTING WORKING PEOPLE, THEIR FAIR SHARE, MEANING OVERTIME AFTER EIGHT HOURS.

McClintock: NO, I VERY MUCH OPPOSE THAT MEASURE. IT WAS A TERRIBLE THING TO DO TO WORKERS, TAKING AWAY THEIR RIGHT TO -- FLEXIBLE RIGHT IN THEIR WORK SCHEDULES, TAKING AWAY THE RIGHT OF A MOM TO TAKE OFF A FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND WORK EXTRA HOURS ANOTHER DAY. IT WAS A BIG MISTAKE.

Huffington: I SUPPORT THE OVERTIME MEASURE. SEEING HOW MANY WAYS THAT CORPORATIONS HAVE TO TRY TO DEFRAUD THE WORKERS, ANY PROTECTIONS I WOULD WELCOME.

Ueberroth: I OPPOSE IT. IT DRIVES OUT JOBS AND PLUS I HAVE MY OWN WORKERS, I'M A SMALL BUSINESSPERSON, HAVING GROWN UP IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND I HAVE BUSINESSES HERE. AND WOMEN ESPECIALLY COME TO ME AND SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO WORK THREE DAYS, THAT IS THE ONLY TIME THAT I CAN GET A BABY-SITTER, I WANT TO WORK OVERTIME AND GET MY 40 HOURS IN, IT RESTRICTS IT, NOT FAIR TO THE WORKER, NOT FAIR, IT DRIVES JOBS OUT, LESS MONEY IN THE STATE AND IT IS NOT SMART.

Shandobil: I THINK, IF SOMEONE CAN CONFIRM IN MY EAR, WE'RE NOW SUPPOSED TO MOVE TO CLOSING ARGUMENTS, CLOSING STATEMENTS, EXCUSE ME. WE CHOSE THE ORDER BY LOTTERY. AND THE FIRST CHANCE TO ISSUE THEIR CLOSING STATEMENT GOES UP TO SENATOR MCCLINTOCK.

McClintock: AS I SAID EARLIER, THE REASON THAT WE'RE ALL HERE IS BECAUSE I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE COULD NOT CONTINUE ANOTHER THREE YEARS DOWN THIS ROAD WITH THE POLICIES THAT HAVE BANKRUPTED OUR STATE AND DECIMATED OUR PUBLIC WORKS.

THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY OF OUR GENERATION, THIS HISTORIC TURNING POINT, TO ROLL BACK THE TAXES, THE REGULATIONS DESTROYING OUR ECONOMY, AND TO REIGN IN OUR OUT-OF-CONTROL BUREAUCRACIES, RESTORE OUR CRUMBLING PUBLIC WORKS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE A GOVERNOR THAT KNOWS EVERY INCH OF THE STATE BUREAUCRACY AND WHO IS READY AND WILLING TO CHALLENGE AND CONFRONT THE SPENDING LOBBY CONTROLLING OUR GOVERNMENT.

I BELIEVE THAT THE HOUR HAS COME. THIS IS OUR GENERATION'S OPPORTUNITY. TO RESTORE TO OUR CHILDREN THE GOLDEN STATE THAT OUR PARENTS GAVE TO US.

MY FOLKS CAME HERE IN 1965 LOOKING FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR THEIR KIDS. THEY FOUND IT IN THIS STATE. ABUNDANT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. CHEAP ELECTRICITY, PLENTIFUL JOBS, LOW TAXES.

THAT STATE TODAY IS GONE. AND I BELIEVE THAT THE SIMPLE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF SOME ACT OF GOD STRIKING DOWN OUR STATE. IT IS BECAUSE OF A LOT OF VERY STUPID ACTS OF GOVERNMENT. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE RESPONSIBILITY AS A GENERATION TO CHANGE THAT IN 34 DAYS.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO LEAD THE STATE IN THE NEW DIRECTION BACK TO THE GOLDEN STATE THAT MY PARENTS FOUND HERE, WHEN THEY CAME IN 1965. I'VE GOT KIDS ABOUT THE SAME AGE NOW AS MY SISTER AND I WERE WHEN WE CAME OUT HERE.

I WONDER WHAT KIND OF STATE ARE WE GOING TO LEAVE TO THEM IF WE CONTINUE DOWN THIS ROAD?

Ueberroth: LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT I AM AND WHAT I'M NOT. I'M NOT A POLITICIAN. I'M NOT GOOD ON TV. I DO NOT TALK IN SOUND BYTES. BUT WHAT I AM, I'M A LEADER. I'M A PROBLEM-SOLVER. I'M A BUSINESSMAN.

AND I'VE SEEN CALIFORNIA IN ITS VERY BEST DAYS, TIMES WITH THE OLYMPIC GAMES WHEN PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER, CALIFORNIANS, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, LEADERS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, RONALD REAGAN, LEADER IN DEMOCRAT TOM BRADLEY.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO CONFOUND PEOPLE, THE DOOM-SAYERS WHO SAID CALIFORNIA COULDN'T DO IT, AND WE DELIVERED A OLYMPIC GAMES.

I WAS IN THE RIOTS. I SAW REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS COME TOGETHER AND DO SOMETHING. THAT IS WHAT I'M ALL ABOUT.

I'M ABOUT LOCKING UP THE DEMOCRATS AND THE REPUBLICANS, THE FIRST DAY, EMERGENCY SESSION. LOCK THEM UP. KEEP THEM THERE UNTIL WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT WORKS AND IT IS NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY.

I'M NOT GOING TO RUN FOR OFFICE AGAIN. I WILL NOT BE OUT THERE COMPETING REPUBLICAN AGAINST DEMOCRAT AT COCKTAIL PARTIES AT NIGHT RAISING FUNDS, I WILL STAY WITH THEM UNTIL WE GET IT DONE.

THAT IS WHAT I DO. WHEN I GET IT DONE, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WILL ASK THEM TO DO IS ONE THING: THEY HAVE TO QUIT BEING -- WE ARE 49TH IN TERMS OF JOB FRIENDLINESS, 49TH. WE CANNOT BE.

OUR NEIGHBORS ARE PREYING ON US. IT IS ARIZONA, NEVADA, OREGON, TEXAS AND FLORIDA. THEY ARE PREYING ON US, TAKING OUR JOBS OUT. THE PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA KNOW THAT. WE HAVE TO THEN -- WE HAVE TO PASS LEGISLATION THAT SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO TURN CALIFORNIA AROUND AND BECOME JOHN FRIENDLY, PUT A STAKE IN THE GROUND, PUT A SIGN UP THERE THAT SAYS, NOW, NO LONGER ARE WE THROWING JOBS OUT OF THE STATE OR ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT. WE'RE JOB FRIENDLY. ALL THE PACIFIC RIM COUNTRIES, ALL OF THE REST OF THE STATES.

WE HAVE TO COMPETE. THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE, THE BEST PEOPLE AND WORKFORCE. WE NEED TO HAVE THE JOBS, HIGH-PAYING JOBS. JOBS PAY FOR GOVERNMENT, THAT IS HOW WE SOLVE THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND WE HAVE TO DO IT NOW.

Camejo: AS THE GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR, I WANT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. BY TAKING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PAYING THE LOWEST TAX RATE, THE RICHEST 5% AND HAVE THEM PAY THE SAME TAXES YOU ARE, THAT WOULD BALANCE THE BUDGET. IF WE CLOSED THE TAX LOOPHOLES FOR CORPORATIONS, GET RID OF THE WASTE, WE COULD HAVE A SURPLUS AND START TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY.

DO YOU KNOW THAT WE CAN RAISE TAXES?

WE ARE 36TH IN THE NATION IN PROPERTY TAXES. WE ARE 19TH IN TAXES. THE REPUBLICANS TALK ABOUT PEOPLE LEAVING, WHERE WILL THEY GO, ARIZONA, UTAH, WYOMING, REPUBLICAN-RUN STATES WITH HIGHER TAXES THAN WE DO.

WE NEED TO CREATE THE BALANCED BUDGET THROUGH A FAIR TAX, THEN WE CAN TAKE THE MONEY, CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHICH WE DESPERATELY NEED.

I WANT TO SEE CALIFORNIA BECOME THE WORLD LEADER IN RENEWABLE ENERGY. WE SHOULD BECOME LEADERS IN RENEWABLE ENERGY. THAT IS THE FUTURE. THAT IS THE NEXT WAVE THAT IS NEEDED.

THE GREEN PARTY FAVORS A LIVING WAGE FOR ALL AND UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE AND WE ARE FOR FULL EQUALITY IN CALIFORNIA, MEANING MARRIAGE AND DRIVERS LICENSES FOR ALL, AS WE'VE SAID. AND WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SAVING THE LAST 4% OF OUR ANCIENT FORESTS WHICH SOON WE MAY LOSE IF THINGS CONTINUE THE WAY THEY ARE.

WE WANT TO OPEN UP THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM. LOOK AT THE DEBATE TODAY. DO YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO THE DAY WHEN THERE ARE ONLY TWO PEOPLE HEARD.

IF A PERSON GETS 20% OF THE VOTE, THEY SHOULD GET 20% OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE WAY IT IS ALL OVER THE WORLD, EXCEPT IN AMERICA. WE HAVE A 200-YEAR DYSFUNCTIONAL, MONEY-DOMINATED, WINNER-TAKE-ALL SYSTEM.

WE NEED TO HAVE RUNOFFS AND INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING, A SYSTEM USED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, SO THAT THE WILL OF THE ELECTORATE IS RESPECTED. THE RECALL ELECTION IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE.

WE NEED TO OPEN UP THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM, GIVE PEOPLE CHOICES, HAVE MORE THAN TWO PARTIES, BRING THE PEOPLE BACK TO POWER. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO CHANGE THE RULE OF MONEY OVER OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM IN OUR OWE SIGHT AND WANT TO PUT IT BACK INTO THE HANDS OF PEOPLE, VOTE FOR THE GREEN PARTY, VOTE CAMEJO FOR GOVERNOR.

Huffington: I'M NOT A CONVENTIONAL POLITICIAN BUT THESE ARE NOT CONVENTIONAL TIMES. I WILL ALWAYS TELL YOU THE TRUTH, RATHER THAN WHAT THE POLLSTERS TELL ME WE WANT TO HEAR.

WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO CLEAN UP THE MESS IF WE KEEP ELECTING THE SAME POLITICIANS, FUNDED BY THE SAME SPECIAL INTERESTS, WHO GOT US INTO THIS MESS IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS IS NOT A QUESTION OF LIGHT OR LEFT.

THIS IS A QUESTION OF RIGHT OR WRONG. AND IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO CHANGE GOVERNORS, WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE GOVERN. THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA DO NOT REALLY WANT A RECALL. THEY WANT A REVOLUTION. AND I PROMISE THAT I CAN BE THAT INDEPENDENT LEADER WHO WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

I WILL MAKE THE PRIORITIES OF OUR STATE THE PRIORITIES OF A MOTHER. A GOOD SCHOOL. HEALTHCARE. A CLEAN AND SAFE WORLD TO LIVE IN. I WILL BALANCE THE BUDGET BY MAKING CORPORATIONS AND GAMING INTERESTS PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES.

AND ULTIMATELY, THE TRUTH IS, THAT THE FIRST AMERICAN REVOLUTION TOOK PLACE ON THE EAST COAST. AND IT WAS ABOUT FREEING OURSELVES FROM AN OPPRESSIVE KING. THE NEXT AMERICAN REVOLUTION IS TAKING PLACE RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. AND IT IS ABOUT FREEING OURSELVES FROM OPPRESSIVE SPECIAL INTERESTS.

JOIN ME. AND,TOGETHER, WE CAN REALLY TAKE BACK OUR STATE AND TOGETHER WE CAN REBUILD IT. THANK YOU.

Bustamante: THE VOTERS OF THIS STATE, TWICE, HAVE VOTED FOR ME TO BE THE PERSON TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE GOVERNOR IN THE EVENT HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE. TWICE, OVER 5 MILLION PEOPLE SUPPORTED MY EFFORT.

BUT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH. PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SAY, AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ON OUR BEHALF? THE FIRST THING THEY ARE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW IS WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

I'VE PRESIDED OVER A LEGISLATURE REFORMING WELFARE IN CALIFORNIA, AND WE CUT COLLEGE TUITION BY 5%. WE ADDED 600,000 CHILDREN TO THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM OF CALIFORNIA. AND THEN, AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, I HAVE BEEN TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M GOING TO BE PREPARED IN THE EVENT THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE.

AND THE ONLY WAY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT IS THROUGH THE KIND OF IDEAS THAT I'M PRESENTING. SO AT THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT TOOK PLACE ON MY CANDIDACY I SAID NOT JUST A CONCEPT ABOUT HOW TO GET RID OF THE CAR TAX, I GAVE A CLEAR, DECISIVE PLAN ON HOW TO DO THAT.

THE SECOND WEEK I PRESENTED ANOTHER PLAN, TO TAKE CARE OF THE STATE BUDGET PROBLEMS WE HAVE HERE IN CALIFORNIA. THE ONLY CANDIDATE SO FAR TO DO THAT. I TOOK AWAY, AND I CUT THE CAR TAX. I RESTORED EDUCATION FUNDING, AND I TOOK CARE OF THE BUDGET HOLE.

THE THIRD WEEK, I CAME OUT AND I SAID THAT THE GASOLINE COMPANIES, THE OIL COMPANIES, ARE HAVING AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. THEY ARE DOING EXACTLY THE SAME THING THAT THE ENERGY COMPANIES WERE DOING TO US JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.

INTERESTING, SIX COMPANIES, JUST LIKE DURING THE ENERGY CRISIS HERE IN CALIFORNIA, SIX COMPANIES HAVE 90% OF THE MARKET SHARE HERE IN CALIFORNIA.

THE PEOPLE IN CONTRA COSTA HAVE THE REFINERIES RIGHT HERE PROVIDING PLENTY OF FUEL, AND THEY ARE SENDING THAT FUEL TO NEVADA. AND YET PEOPLE FROM NEVADA PAY MORE THAN THE PEOPLE IN WALNUT CREEK. THAT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL.

IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. THE PEOPLE IN NEVADA, THEY ARE PAYING MORE THAN THE PEOPLE HERE. I'M SORRY. I'VE SAID THAT TWICE. AGAIN. I'M SO EXCITED.

THE FACT IS THAT CALIFORNIANS ARE BEING GOUGED, THE CALIFORNIANS ARE GOUGED. AND THE HIGHEST PROFIT MARGINS IN THE COUNTRY ARE TAKING PLACE RIGHT HERE IN CALIFORNIA, EVEN HIGH-TAX STATES LIKE NEW YORK CITY, THOSE FOLKS PAY LESS IN GASOLINE THAN HERE.

THE PEOPLE IN NEVADA ARE PAYING LESS THAN WE DO IN CALIFORNIA, FOR THAT WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE OIL COMPANIES WE COME UP AND WE ENSURE THEY ARE NOT GOUGING US.

Shandobil: THANK YOU TO ALL. AND THANK YOU TO GOVERNOR DAVIS, WHO WAS WITH US FOR THE FIRST HALF-HOUR OF THE BROADCAST.

Editor's Note: This is a rough transcript.