The Other Arnold

This is a partial transcript from Hannity & Colmes, October 8, 2003, that has been edited for clarity.

SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: Joining us from Detroit, actor, friend of Arnold Schwarzenegger (search), also host of The Best Damn Sports Show…are you sure it's the best?

TOM ARNOLD, ACTOR: I don't…yes, it is. I had to think.

HANNITY: Have you talked to Arnold yet?

ARNOLD: I haven't talked to him since Monday night. Monday night we had a dinner because I was going to Detroit to support the red wings.

So we had a private dinner late Monday night. Smoked a cigar. He was very confident. I put in a call. Very happy for him.

HANNITY: He's…you know, we're just get into this whole issue with Newt Gingrich (search) at the top of the show, Tom.

And you know, this idea, Alan saying well, he's going to have to break his tax…I'm not saying that is not the guy that I think I got to know in the course of this campaign.

He seems really passionate about the things he believes in, and I think when he says he's going to do something, I mean, you know him. He's a guy that's going to do it, right?

ARNOLD: It scares me that Newt Gingrich and I are agreeing on something. You've had…Counting me, you've had the three most unlikable people in America on your show so far.

HANNITY: Who? Alan? I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

ARNOLD: No offense. But you know what? He's not…If he says he's not going to do it, he's not going to do it. The great thing about Arnold is from your father, you always wanted him to say, "Hey, everything's going to be all right" so you can sleep at night.

HANNITY: Yes.

ARNOLD: Arnold's going to be governor. So everything's going to be all right. I don't know how he's going to do it, but it's going to be all right.

HANNITY: Give me a behind the scenes. My wife and I had a discussion this morning…I was talking about it on my radio show today…about his wife Maria. And I'm sure I don't agree with her on any political issue.

I think this woman showed remarkable, phenomenal strength in all of this. And her ability to support the guy she loves here, frankly, inspiring even at times, especially in the last seven days of this campaign.

ARNOLD: Yes. I mean, he obviously got elected because of Maria. I mean, that was a big thing, because people believe in her. The people that don't believe in him, believe in her.

You know, it was a terrible attack. These things from the past, you know, he was contrite about certain things. He's a better man now than he was 10 years ago or 20 years ago, like I am, like you probably are.

HANNITY: I am. Colmes, I don't know about.

ARNOLD: I don't think he does horse play at work anymore, you know. So she stood by him. She loves him unconditionally, and I think that inspired a lot of California voters.

HANNITY: Is this common on movie sets, where is it's just a, you know, frat, you know? Frat, you know, mentality there?

ARNOLD: It used to be. It used to be. You know, there's a lot of grab ass. There used to be. But now I think people are a little smarter and more careful.

HANNITY: Are you admitting to it now before you run for office one day?

ARNOLD: I've already written a book describing all the bad things I've done that you can buy. And so all my skeletons are out there already.

HANNITY: Yes. Do you think we go…Look, I'm not the person I was 20 years ago. I've matured, like everybody else. And, you know, I just wonder at the end of the day…

Why is that funny to you? Why is that funny to you?

ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: You're not the person you were yesterday?

HANNITY: Well, I mean, there's a dramatic shift. I mean, and I've grown into the adult that I am today.

I mean, is it unfair, do you think, when you look at what he's gone through, and all the stuff, they dredge it up here, final days of a campaign, he's got to drag his wife and family through this.

Are we hurting the process? Are we telling people that have things to contribute, "Don't come in here because if you do we're going to muddy you up so bad you're going to detest being here?"

ARNOLD: I'm sure a lot of the best and brightest people aren't going to run for office because of this exact thing. But Arnold knew, he said all along, "This is how it's going to happen, close to the end they're going to try something. They always do. I'm prepared for it." But honestly, he acts like nothing hurts him, but it did hurt him.

COLMES: Tom, as a Democrat…first of all, good to have you…I denounce it. I want no part of that dirty tricks campaign. Not what I would do. I want no part of that.

ARNOLD: Me, too. I was very…I was embarrassed about Art Torres (search), who is the Democratic chairman out here. He went a little too far.

COLMES: Let me ask you first of all, in terms of tax cutting. A person said he would have to raise taxes as one of a number of possibilities, Dick Riordan (search), former mayor, who is, according to Arnold, is one of his advisers. He said it with David Asman earlier today on FOX News Live. So that's where that quote came from.

I just wondered, you know. I like him. I'm not trying to put him in a box, as Newt Gingrich said. I'm trying to get him to keep his promises, like you would hope any elected official would.

ARNOLD: Right. I think he's going to keep his promise. I don't know that Dick Riordan is his main adviser. I think he's a friend of his. You know, I don't see…if Arnold says he's not going to raise taxes, he's not going to raise taxes.

COLMES: Let's talk about the reports that you have spent time in Iowa. You've gone back there. You have a lot of friends there. You've made some connections. You're well liked. We've got a little trend here. Would you consider running for governor of Iowa?

ARNOLD: Well, of course, it would be my dream to be governor of Iowa. But I'm too selfish right now, because I work in the entertainment business and we get paid very well, as you guys do. And when I'm ready to give back and give up the money and that, then I'd...

COLMES: Well, Hannity would never take the pay cut. But would you ever consider…I mean, at one point in your career do you look toward a time when you would actually do that?

ARNOLD: I'd say in about 10 years, eight to 10 years. You know, I'm 44. I'm younger than Arnold.

But I will say this, if Cruz Bustamante (search) doesn't get in line, I'm willing to become the lieutenant governor of California immediately.

COLMES: And would you…when that day comes…Kelsey Grammer not long ago, said he would run as a Republican, like a Senate seat one day. Would you run as a Democrat?

ARNOLD: Yes, absolutely run as a Democrat. I'm from Waffle County, Iowa, the biggest Democratic county in the whole country percentage.

HANNITY: That's your biggest problem in life, Tom, right there.

ARNOLD: Wait a minute.

COLMES: You're Arnold's friend, and you support him politically. Do you share many of his positions?

ARNOLD: I do. And I think you do if you really look at it.

COLMES: Well, I do.

ARNOLD: Gun control, the gay rights, the right to choose. All this stuff. There's a whole group of Californians called the New Majority. There are these young Republicans that are like Democrats, sort of like Arnold is sort of like that.

HANNITY: Come on.

ARNOLD: They're in the middle, and I think it's a fun group.

COLMES: But you see, a lot of conservatives…I, if I was a conservative, would have voted for Tom McClintock (search).

I like Tom McClintock and I think he's certainly more qualified to be governor. We'll see. I mean, I'm open to…Look, he's got the job. There's no sense debating it. I'm just hoping to see how he does.

What makes you so confident as his friend that he has what it takes to run a state?

ARNOLD: I just believe in him. Everything that he's said he was going to do in his life, he's done. You know, he's done some incredibly hard things and succeeded at it.

Tom McClintock is sort of your typical conservative Republican. He's, you know, I'm not sure what he feels about being pro-choice. He's against that kind of stuff. That's why he'll never get elected.

He wants to be the senator from California. He would have dropped out if they would have made promises for him to become senator. Maybe if he'd have gotten some money or whatever. But Arnold beat him anyway.

HANNITY: Well, Tom, I'm going to have to cure you of this liberalism. We need more time together. But we always appreciate having you on the program. Thanks for being with us.

ARNOLD: I love you guys.

Copy: Content and Programming Copyright 2003 Fox News Network, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Transcription Copyright 2003 eMediaMillWorks, Inc. (f/k/a Federal Document Clearing House, Inc.), which takes sole responsibility for the accuracy of the transcription. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No license is granted to the user of this material except for the user's personal or internal use and, in such case, only one copy may be printed, nor shall user use any material for commercial purposes or in any fashion that may infringe upon Fox News Network, Inc.'s and eMediaMillWorks, Inc.'s copyrights or other proprietary rights or interests in the material. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation.