Characterizing the upcoming recall election as a “stark
choice” between defeating the recall election and witnessing
Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming governor, Arianna Huffington urged
students and members of the UCLA community on Thursday to vote
against the recall.
The rally took place at the Ackerman Grand Ballroom where about
300 people congregated to hear the recall candidate who recently
bowed out of the race.
Huffington, a nationally syndicated columnist and harsh critic
of Gov. Gray Davis, accused Republican front-runner Schwarzenegger
of vacillating on important issues and prior statements.
Huffington criticized Schwarzenegger’s extensive fund
raising after initially saying he would not accept any outside
contributions. She also accused the Schwarzenegger campaign of
crafting an “expensive masquerade of deceptions.”
“It’s a question of trust. Do you trust someone who
says one thing but does another?” she inquired from the
audience.
Huffington questioned the value of the numerous polls conducted
during the recall campaign and how it affected media coverage of
the recall race.
The columnist had not drawn widespread support during her
campaign as some of the latest polls showed she had gained 2
percent of the vote or less.
“I don’t believe the polling numbers are
accurate,” she said, going so far as to ask those present to
hang up when pollsters call their homes.
However, she later said polls revealed general trends among the
electorate.
Throughout the recall race, Huffington remained a steadfast
opponent of Proposition 54, a ballot measure designed to prohibit
the state from collecting or classifying most types of information
based on race, ethnicity, color or national origin.
After drawing cheers from the crowd for her strong
anti-Proposition 54 position, Huffington discussed the influence
and effect of special interests and government, promoting a
movement to reform state election campaign financing.
“Why don’t we have better schools? Better health
care? It’s because special interests have control (of the
state government),” she said.
According to her official campaign Web site, Huffington filed
papers with the state for the Clean Elections Initiative, a measure
designed to implement substantial public financing of statewide
elections.
In order to get the initiative on the 2004 ballot, the measure
will need 600,000 valid signatures.
Huffington, a Greek-born author who has often joked about her
Greek accent, drew laughs from the audience when she commented
about California’s democratic processes.
“We (the Greeks) gave you democracy, and you guys have
screwed it up,” she said.
After her speech, Huffington took questions from the
audience.
Joanna Lampkins, a third-year political science student,
questioned Huffington for drawing similarities between President
George W. Bush and Schwarzenegger.
Huffington responded by saying Bush and Schwarzenegger share
“the same special interest contributors.” She also drew
a parallel between the outcome of the recall election and the 2004
presidential election, when Bush will be seeking a second term.
“The first way to stop Bush in 2004 is to stop a
Republican takeover (of California),” she said.
Although Lampkins felt Huffington responded well to her
question, she remained unmoved.
“I still believe there is a great difference between Bush
and Schwarzenegger,” she said.
Lampkins, who signed the initial recall petition and intends to
vote for the recall and for Schwarzenegger, believes a successful
recall of Davis on Oct. 7 will help the state’s political
system.
“The recall will keep governors accountable to the
people,” she said.
After the question-and-answer period, Huffington proceeded to a
scheduled book-signing event.
Waiting in line to have her book signed, Celeste del Rio, a
fourth-year English student, said she enjoyed Huffington’s
participation in the recall.
“I thought the exchanges between her and Arnold were
great,” she said, referring to boisterous exchanges between
Huffington and Schwarzenegger during the only debate in which the
actor participated.
Huffington added that a future gubernatorial run isn’t at
the top of her list.
“I haven’t given it much thought,” she
said.
With reports from Daily Bruin wire services.