Discussion Questions

Aired August 19, 2003

In the California recall election, the alternate candidate with the most votes wins if voters choose to recall Gov. Davis. Arnold Schwarzenegger hopes his image will give him more votes than the other possible 200 candidates on the list. Explore the issues facing voters and analyze how political outsiders like Schwarzenegger position themselves on those issues.

1. Which political personalities does CNN's Bill Schneider call "indie dudes"? Why does he give them this title?

*

*

2. According to Schneider, with which demographic group are the "indie dudes" especially popular? What reasons does he provide to support this statement?

*

*

3. What does "Washington establishment" mean? In what ways are the "indie dudes" different from "the establishment"?

*

*

4. What do you think Schneider means when he states that for each of these men, "politics is the enemy of problem-solving"?

*

*

5. What is an ideology? How does Schneider describe the "indie dude" ideology? What is libertarian?

*

*

6. What do the terms "liberal", "conservative" and "moderate" mean in the context of politics?

*

*

7. What is a fiscal policy? What is a social policy? How do the "indie dudes" describe their fiscal and social policies?

*

*

8. Do you agree with Schneider's assessment of Arnold Schwarzenegger, John McCain, Jesse Ventura and Ross Perot as "indie dudes"? Why do you think that this group of "political outsiders" appeals to young male voters? Do they appeal to you? Why or why not?

*

*

Related Links

CNN.com: Rival asks where Schwarzenegger stands on issues(http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/08/17/california.recall/index.html)

CNN.com: ACLU seeks California recall vote postponement(http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/08/18/california.recall/index.html)

Keywords

Ross Perot, Jesse Ventura, John McCain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, establishment, mantra, libertarian, religious right, conservative, liberal, moderate