(COMTEX) B: NBC says Schwarzenegger will announce governor intentions on W
dnesday
B: NBC says Schwarzenegger will announce governor intentions on Wednesday
LOS ANGELES, Aug 01, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Californians may have
to stay up late watching TV on Wednesday night to discover if Arnold
Schwarzenegger intends to convert his Hollywood glamour into a political run to
replace Gov. Gray Davis.
NBC and representatives of the actor said Thursday that Schwarzenegger plans to
make his decision public Wednesday on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." That
would come three days before the Aug. 9 deadline for candidates to declare plans
to run in the Oct. 7 recall election.
In the special election, which required nearly 900,000 signatures to be held,
voters will determine whether Davis, a Democrat, should be recalled, or removed
from office. Voters will also be able to select from a field of successors.
The recall effort has been fueld by discontent over the state's weak economy,
California's $38 billion budget deficit and an energy crisis that the state
suffered in 2001.
Meanwhile, another famous name emerged as a potential candidate: Hustler
magazine publisher Larry Flynt. Flynt is one of the 200 people statewide who
have filed paperwork with county registrars - the first step in the process to
run on the recall ballot.
"California is the most progressive state in the union," said Flynt, 61, a
Democrat. "I don't think anyone here will have a problem with a smut peddler as
governor."
So far, the only declared Republican candidate is Rep. Darrell Issa, who funded
the recall petition drive.
As recently as last week, Schwarzenegger's political aides said they expected
him to run, but after the recall qualified and Schwarzenegger returned from
promoting the third "Terminator" movie, his interest in a candidacy appeared to
sour and speculation swirled that he was bowing out.
NBC didn't say what Schwarzenegger's answer would be, but an adviser to the
actor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Schwarzenegger is still leaning
against running.
"He has not made a final decision, but nothing has changed about his leaning
against," said the adviser. The adviser said it also was possible Schwarzenegger
might make a statement before the show and elaborate when he speaks with Leno.
A decision by Schwarzenegger, 56, not to run would open the door for former Los
Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, who has said he would seriously consider running
if Schwarzenegger does not.
The two men are friends and fellow moderate Republicans who are considered more
of a threat to Davis than the more conservative Republicans expected to be on
the ballot.
A spokesman for Davis' campaign committee, Californians Against the Costly
Recall, dismissed the potential candidacy of Schwarzenegger as irrelevant.
"So? This does nothing to change the fact that this is a right-wing effort to
pursue a conservative agenda that will cost taxpayers $60 million," said the
spokesman, Gabriel Sanchez.
Democratic leaders maintain that they stand united behind Davis. Earlier in the
week, three congressional Democrats urged Sen. Dianne Feinstein to run as a
Democratic alternative in case Davis loses.
---
Associated Press writer Greg Risling contributed to this story.
By ERICA WERNER
Associated Press Writer
Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved
-0-
APO Priority=r
(PROFILE
(WS SL:BC-NA-GEN--US-California-Schwarzenegger; CT:i;
(REG:EURO;)
(REG:BRIT;)
(REG:SCAN;)
(REG:MEST;)
(REG:AFRI;)
(REG:INDI;)
(REG:ASIA;)
(REG:ENGL;)
(LANG:ENGLISH;))
)
KEYWORD: LOS ANGELES
*** end of story *** |
