Did anyone else watch this? I tuned in for personal curiosity. Wow, this was way entertaining. Especially between Arnold and Arianna whom obviously despise each other. They were at each others throat from the get go, trabing snipes and barbs big time. I wasn't all that impressed with Arnold. Unfortunately the questions were given ahead of time, and he came off as being inexperienced in this type of arena. He gave an occasional scripted one liner from time to time. I loved Arianna telling him that she is not easily intimidated by him. I think the person that most impressed me and I was surprised by this was the Green Party candidate, Camejo. Its to bad that this is supposedly the only debate Arnold will participate in, because the feud between him and Arianna is more than worth the price of admission.

I watched it and thought it was pretty interesting. It was so brave of Arnold to show up for this one debate.

Id taking any of these guys over the nitwit who is the "leader" of my state.

Very fun and interesting debate to say the least. I noticed lots of sexual tension between Arnold and Arianna. They were just like a divorced couple who insults each other, and despise each other, and then engage in angry sex. LOL.
Cus Bustamante seemed a bit dry and I am glad the issue of his receiving camaign contributions from the Indian Gaming Board came up.

Puckman -- I was going to start a thread on this. I also watched for curiosity. It was well worth it -- at times I was laughing hysterically.

Now for the serious "stuff(to use Swartzenegger's favorite word) -- I think Arnold is way in over his head, McClintock is even further to the right than many Reagan Republicans, Bustamante has no pizzazz -- he spent the entire debate agreeing with everyone else. Apparently, he was trying to look reasonable. I thought he looked smug, arrogant and also in it over his head.

I haven't been following the entire debacle very closely although I have some interest because I attended College there and love the State. The information regarding the lack of money being spent on infastructure, the poor business climate and the extent of the deficit frankly came as a big surprise to me. California is in serious trouble. I just don't see any of these characters solving anything.

Maybe some of our California friends can answer this question -- are there any potential leaders in California that can rise to the top in the next few years?

One final point, I think it was Bustamante who noted that the next recall is already being planned -- when will it end?

Bust-a-move... his favorite line.. "you dont know how these things work"... ie if you're not an insider in SAC, you cant get it done.

Please tell me how he would be any different than gray-out?

the green party dude should have just pulled out his commie-pinko flag and waved it for each answer... and why toots was there when only 2% would currently vote for her, i dont know.

At least California has taken the place of Florida as the biggest political joke in the country.

When will the insanity end??

I'll just be glad when it's over - I'm over it.

I beg to differ -- in California there is actually a law in place allowing the recall -- in Florida the law was broken and the election was stolen.

Oh Phillyfan, you made my day! Even though I totally disagree with you on all accounts, this was damn funny! I'm still laughing! "Bust-a-move"....

Too bad you couldn't comment on Schwarzenoodles...he's about as thick-headed as a brick and, as others have said, WAAAYYYYYY in over his head....

I never said the law wasn't broken, nor the election not stolen in Florida. In fact, the WHOLE thing was a joke (Katherine Harris, W. Campaign Manager AND FL Secretary of State that "certifed" the votes, AND his brother Govenor of the state), just glad the spotlight is on another state and it looks as goofy as Florida did a few years back.

At least we are in the last term of the other Bush here in Florida....

Now just holdup a second.

When Bust-a-Move's response is.. you dont know how these things work.. to me that is frickin scary. The man is a career politician. Same goes for McClintock. They are the status quo. Anyone who votes for busta is getting what they already have... mcclintock, well... same thing but a repug.

arnie and chicky are rich folks who seem like they really care. I think that is what CA needs more than a career politician. Put in an outsider and shake things up.

As far as calling arnie dumb.. look at politicians everywhere... i'm not seeing a ton of brain surgeons.

Pewter -- I know. Just had to bust you a bit in return for some of your Eagles comments wink

And what the hell is this world coming to -- Fantamos and PF making nice?????

The problem with both the Dems and the GOP in CA is that leaders are "tracked" in each and it's very hard for truly innovative individuals to rise rapidly within each party. For the Dems, you need to kowtow to the permissive politics of the Burton-Brown-Pelosi machine; for the GOPers, you need to accomodate the radical right. For those of us who will do neither in either party, it's a long haul to making a difference. Sure, having bucks helps, but it isn't everything, as Michael Huffington demonstrated a few years ago and, in a sense, Bill Simon did more recently.

As a GOPer, I thought Arnold came off the best, and feel that he defended himself against Arianna's harping and issue-shifting ("Was that President Bush you're talking about?) well. McClintock's reference to the beautiful natural features that "God gave Californians" ticked me off; the right just HAS to get its little Bible School cliches in whenever they can. Camejo was sensible enough, but his views are just too New Age and leftist for me. Arianna made no sense, especially to someone like me who's seen her speak live over the years and watched her disappointing slide into fanaticism. Cruz was a pro, like a well fed cat licking his chops as he watched the other candidates tear into each other, which is precisely why I find him and his views so dangerous.

Some had criticized the format beforehand, but I found it refreshing and conducive to orderly proceedings, for the most part. Do I wish Arnold would appear and debate more? Of course, and not only because I think he would learn and do well from it. He's got the basic instincts of a good leader, but needs training in learning the facts behind the issues, defending his stance on them and convincing others in public discussions why he merits peoples' votes. Of all these candidates, though, I think he's got the best and truest heart and that's what ultimately tips the balance for me in voting. We've seen what Rhodes Scholars and their Ivy-wives can do when entrusted with power - and it ain't pretty.

I didn’t realize this debate would be broadcast outside of CA. I suppose it does make for good entertainment.

My thoughts:
Cruz Bustamante was a smug, patronizing ass.
Ah-nold had some great one-liners but is in over his head.
Camejo made a few good comments, but thankfully kept his mouth shut most of the time.
Arianna was feisty, held her ground, and made good sense, but came across as too much of a shrew.
McClintock had the best performance by far, but his views don’t mesh well with most of the state.

Leave it to a commie-pinko to try and stir me up. He just thought the line was funny. I mean, who doesnt think PF is funny? Dont answer that.

Hey, i just wanna see arnie win this cause he comes comes across as genuine. That is 50% of what i look at when voting.

Busta is just a big ole dork. He has stabbed gray out in the back.

CNN reports that Darrell Issa (and Bill Simon) will endorse the Governator. Didn't Issa just say recently, that because Bustamente is so much more "liberal" than Davis, he was gonna vote AGAINST the recall?

People who refer to themselves in the third person are never funny. (Exception: Rickey Henderson.)

Hitler was genuine.

[ September 25, 2003, 01:38 PM: Message edited by: Bill W ]

Ditto.

I only caught a couple of minutes of the debate as I was flipping channels. Had I known Arnold & Zsa Zsa were going to get into it, I would've wathced more! It just seemed like the whole thing was a skit out of SNL or MAD TV. I was expecting to see Darrel Hammond somewhere on the screen.

And maybe it a bad camera angle, but is McClintock cross eyed? It was very distracting watching him speak because I kept thinking about Mike Myers' character in "A View From The Top".

Let's just say his vision is skewed. :cool:

I listened to it on the radio as I drove home...during the time when it was turned over to California's Secretary of State, I wondered what was going on at the "debate"--I imagined them all throwing chairs at each other. Sadly, now Gray Davis is considering sitting down for a one-on-one with Arnold Schwarzenegger. I don't see how this in any way benefits Davis; by not being involved in last night's embarassment, he gained some stature. Was the Game Show Network's "Who Wants to be the Governor," with some of the lesser candidates, aired at the same time as the debate? Could it have been any more ludicrous?

~Adam

Holy Shit! We're doooomed! I look at the available candidates, and all I see are reasons why we should all vote "no" on the recall;
1. Bustamante - Indian gaming funds used for "issue ads"...my ass! And the Mecha thing makes we wanna puke. I suspect that if Bustamante could open the border and let half of Mexico through, he would.
2. Huffington - Bitch avoided taxes better than Richard Simmons has avoided a makeover. I cannot support any politician that cheats the IRS. And she was married to a gay guy for how many years? How intelligent is this woman?
3. Camejo - Nader politics...'nuff said.
4. Arnold - Came across as glib, full of punch lines and devoid of specifics. The man has absolutely NO plan to move California forward. And I cannot bear to hear "Killafornia" one more time from his Austrian lips.
5. McClintock - way right; totally unlike the majority of Californians. He is, however, the only one capable of getting this deficit under control through "tough love." It'll mean pissing off alot of people by slashing worthless programs that are draining the state. Oh well, too bad the man is closer to Simon/Quayle style beliefs. He'd probably have done a good job. But his social positions are out of line here.

AU Im with you...I think McClintock won the debate, But I am voting no..

So it was his "performance" in that circus that gas given The Schwarz a bigger lead in the polls? Which issue did it, the death threat against Huffington?

You Kullyfawnians deserve what you get.