Gov. grilled on CNN by Bruins

Answering questions about his campaign, Gov. Gray Davis was on
campus Wednesday afternoon as a guest of CNN’s Moneyline,
which broadcast live from the Anderson School of Management.

An audience of undergraduates, MBA students and professors
gathered to hear host Lou Dobbs interview Davis in a ten-minute
segment that focused mainly on the governor’s business
ethics.

Pressing the governor about his reputation for rewarding
campaign contributors, undergraduate Stephan Mihalovits opened the
discussion and was the only member of the public allowed to address
Davis during the taping.

“What … would you do to get the focus back from
corporate influence to democratic power … and assure us that
corporations will not have such influence on the laws of our
state?” he asked Davis.

“I’m pleased (to have) signed three bills that deal
with corporate accountability,” Davis responded.
“We’ve also beefed up a number of reporting
requirements for accounting firms.”

Dobbs pushed for specifics, asking the governor to respond to
accusations that many of Davis’ appointees have been
significant contributors to his campaign.

“We operate fully within the law. People know within 24
hours who you’ve taken a contribution from, and they can make
a judgement,” Davis said.

“You know what I’ve done, you can vote for me or
not.”

Candidates for state office are required to report campaign
contributions 24 hours after they receive them.

Dobbs asked if simply obeying the law is sufficient. “Is
there not a higher standard perhaps we should all be setting for
the state?” he asked.

“I think we are ““ the laws I’ve signed make a
sitting governor a target. I knew the focus would be on me, but I
knew the scrutiny was in the public interest,” Davis
responded.

“For ten years I’ve accepted less than my full
salary. I’ve taking only 95 percent, I’ve sent $50,000
back to the treasury ““ I didn’t have to.”

After the segment, Davis answered questions from professors and
students.

Students who attended the taping were impressed to see the
governor on campus, but were less impressed by what he had to
say.

“I didn’t think Gov. Davis answered the
questions,” said Nicolas Amato, a first-year MBA student at
the Anderson school.

Mihalovits, a third-year political science student, agreed his
answer was off-topic.

“I was aiming more at campaign finance,” Mihalovits
said, but added that he was satisfied with the response.

“I was just trying to get the words out of my
mouth.”

Dobbs will be speaking at the West Coast Business Leadership
Conference today at the Staples Center.

Among those present will be former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud
Barak, former Secretary of State James Baker III and former NBA
player and current businessman Magic Johnson.

The event will focus on such issues as marketing, sales and
management. It is co-sponsored by the Anderson School.

With reports from Shane Nelson, Daily Bruin Contributor.