>> announcer: tonight on "the axe files," arnold schwarzenegger on president trump's closing arguments ahead of the midterms. >> i'm very little interested in politics, because it sucks, because i'm more interested in policy. >> the former california governor takes on immigration, climate, the me too movement, and what he sees as the most pressing issue in america right now. >> for more than 200 years now, they have been rigging the system and this is why i said, enough is enough. >> and his journey from austrian immigrant to action star to american politician. >> if you had been a native born

american, do you think you could have been president? >> announcer: welcome to "the axe files." >> and action. thanks, governor. good to be here with you in this office, which is as colorful and as eclectic as your amazing life. we're here just days before a really consequential election, and i want to talk about that, but i have to take advantage of being here with you to talk about the issue of celebrity and politics, because we have a celebrity president now, and you, in certain ways, were a trail blazer in this modern era. i mean, i remember very well watching the "tonight show" when you announced your candidacy, and you were -- you sold a persona that people knew from film. i mean, you were an action hero.

tell me about that experience of making the transition from film to the gritty real life of politics. >> well, i think that i had become somewhat addicted to the idea of, you know, the policy idea and that you can really create change. because i was in with special olympics and worked with that organization and saw the impact that we have and the celebrity power that i could bring to the special olympics and how much more of a crowd we could attract and therefore how much more media we could get and so on and we could really move forward the agenda of special olympics to have it all over the world and it didn't matter if i went to the middle east or if i went to asia or south africa and stood there with mandela. celebrity power has a certain power of influence, and i think that's what led me to run for governor, and as a huge advantage because, first of all, you have the make recognition factor. name recognition. you have a huge popularity.

people like your movies so you build this huge fan club out there. >> and it wasn't just the recognition, though. you were the -- you were the terminator. you were going to take a sledge hammer and smash a system that wasn't working. you actually took a sledge hammer during that campaign and smashed a car, i remember, because there was a car tax that you were going to repeal. >> hasta la vista, baby, to the car tax. >> and people have felt that, you know, maybe this guy, because of his persona, because of the vibe that he sends, he's not part of the system, that he can change things. >> well, and it is true. i mean, you can, as an outsider, change things because you go in there fresh, you don't owe anyone anything, but also because of naivete. so when someone comes to you and you are in there and they say, well, this is impossible, and i say to them, right away, well, my whole life, people have told

me it's impossible. it's impossible to be a world champion in body building when you come from austria, it's impossible as a foreigner that you can become a leading man in movies and become the highest grossing star in the movies. all of this was impossible. i'm not going to take this as impossible. the advantage of being a celebrity and being the terminator and the action hero is that people buy into that and so in a state that is 60% democrats, and a much smaller percentage of republicans, and then independents, it was very hard for a republican to win, but the important thing was that i was the terminator, so there were people -- there were democrats that said, well, he's the terminator, he's going to terminate the problems. that was the advantage. that's how you get into office. but the disadvantage of it is, when we had a drought in california and there were -- there were 42% unemployment

because we didn't have enough water, so eventually i went up to a town hall meeting and at the town hall meeting, it became very clear that the guy -- one of the farmers screamed loud. he says, i voted for the terminator. i envision that you're going to go up there and break the chains and the water's going to flow and it's going to go and bring all this water to our farms and we can farm and have all the farm. that's what i expected of you. so, this is the disadvantage. they really believed that i would just break the chain and do all of those things because that's what i would do in a movie as terminator, but that's not reality. so i had to explain to them, no, this is the real life, this is not a movie. >> yeah. but you did sell the persona was something that you sold. you weren't naive about that either. you live by the terminator, you die by the terminator. and it helped you get elected. so, let's talk about the guy in the white house. you are very different in many ways, but in the way of celebrity, you had this thing in

common. he had a persona that he sold. he had a character that he sold, this uber business guy who -- this infallible businessman who makes things happen and fires people who aren't doing their job and so on. that was a powerful thing. >> that's what made him win, you know? i think that people really bought into the books that he has written, they bought into the show, the celebrity apprentice, the character that he was, and so he played that role. and the people bought in on it and he won. >> when you watched him, did you see immediately that dynamic? >> i felt that it could have the same dynamics as my campaign had, that people wanted someone from the outside. people were sick and tired of what was going on in washington, and look, people had all right

to be very upset. i mean, you know, for how long can you talk about building more infrastructure in america. how much longer can you talk about immigration reform? how much longer can you talk about having -- everyone having health care or having equal education, paying down the debt, all of those kind of things, and nothing is happening. so, people felt like, okay, we need an outsider to come -- to bring in and maybe he can clean house. maybe. you know, let's give it a shot. and that's, i think, what happened. >> you replaced him on "the celebrity apprentice" and he kind of turned on you, i guess the ratings were not what he wanted. he was the executive producer. and he went to a congressional prayer breakfast and kind of punked you at the congressional prayer breakfast, and you, in turn, released a video. >> hey, donald, i have a great idea. why don't we switch jobs. you take over tv, because you're

such an expert in ratings, and i take over your job. >> did you ever speak privately with him about all of that? >> no, we didn't really have any more conversations after that. look, trump asked me to support him in the campaign and i said to him i won't because of the environmental stance that he had. i said, anyone that talks about bringing back coal is going backwards rather than forward. i was instrumental and was the force behind passing some of the toughest environmental laws in california where we made a commitment to roll back our greenhouse gases by 25% and i told him all the things that we have done here. i said, so now, endorsing you and going with you would mean going back on all this work we have done in california. he understood when i told him that, and i think that that maybe had something to do with why he wanted to kind of say that about the celebrity apprentice. >> you're still angry about

that. >> the thing is, what you say in public, i understand it because i've made mistakes, what i've said in public. i've called politicians girly men that i regretted later on because i realized it sounds good for my crowd, they were screaming, yeah, schwarzenegger, yeah, he's the terminator, but then when i sat down with them, with the legislators and started negotiating, i felt like it was not the right move. you know, that if you want to work with these people and if you want to bring them in and make them feel comfortable and that you are with them, that's not the right thing to say. so i made mistakes in the past. so i understand when he says these things. >> talk about playing to the crowd, though. he does that. that's sort of his -- i mean, it's quite different than what you're describing, the sort of reaching across, trying to find -- he relentlessly plays to his crowd. is that the right thing to do? >> i'm not going to tell him what he should do and what he shouldn't do. we are two different people.

my approach is a little different. my approach is inclusive. >> so, put your political hat on for a second. we've got a few days until this next -- until this midterm election, a lot riding on this election, including on some of the issues that you're -- that you're working on. trump is out there now and he said this election boils down to the caravan and kavanaugh and the economy. is that an effective pitch? >> you're asking me a political question. >> yeah. >> and i have to say to you that i am very little interested in politics because it sucks. because i'm more interested in policy. the reality of it is, we are at that stage because for 20 years, they have promised to create immigration reform, and they haven't. >> well, let me ask you about that. >> i think it's embarrassing. the same is, like i said earlier, for decades, they've

talked about to rebuild our infrastructure, the bridges falling apart, and we need freeways and we need to high speed rails and all this kind of stuff and nothing is getting done, so therefore, to me, it's more important to get the job done rather than to worry about is the caravan coming or not. if immigration reform, where we a secure the border and also deal with the people that are actually here, the law-abiding citizens and bring them into our system officially and make them be part of and grant them to stay here. if that is worked out, democrats and republicans, then we wouldn't have any of this problem. >> but governor, when the president is out there or any leader kind of stoking up sort of this nativist sentiment against immigrants, you're an immigrant. you must have feelings about that. >> well, first of all, there's a difference between a legal immigrant and an illegal immigrant. so, one should never kind of make the mistake --

>> i'm the son of an immigrant. >> i came over here legally, and i think that without -- even though we are talking about all the problems that america have right now, and the screaming and the fighting that's going on, it's still the best country in the world, let's be honest. none of the things that i have accomplished i would have been able to accomplished if it weren't for america. >> isn't that why people want to come here. >> yes, but you've got to come legally. >> so he wants to cut immigration in half, legal immigration, as part of his program. you can't be enthused about that. >> i believe that we are a country that has been -- has become great because of immigration and because of immigrants that have worked very hard here and they've contributed and i'm all for people coming in here legally and working and filling the jobs and if they would create immigration reform where they actually expand the amount of people that come in here,

legally, because we need them in farming. we need them in construction. we need them in the restaurants. so, there is a demand over there when you go south of the border here, there's a demand to come here. and there's a demand over here for those people to come here. so, i mean, you have supply and demand, you have everything right there. why not bring it together? >> announcer: coming up on "the axe files." >> you had your own issues about allegations of groping and unwanted advances. what are your reflections on it now at this stage in your life? the new capital one savor card. earn 4% cash back on dining and 4% on entertainment. now when you go out, you cash in.

what's in your wallet? they work togetherf doing important stuff. the hitch? like you, your cells get hungry. feed them... with centrum micronutrients. restoring your awesome, daily. centrum. feed your cells. our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition... for strength and energy! whoo-hoo! great-tasting ensure. with nine grams of protein and twenty-six vitamins and minerals. ensure. now up to 30 grams of protein for strength and energy! well you remember what happened last year. you can't bring a backup thanksgiving to my sister's house. it's not like we're going to walk in with it. we'll bring it in as we need it. ...phase it in. phase it in? yeah, phase it in.

each of us is different. and each cancer is different. how it reacts, how it evades and adapts. and how we attack it. that's why at cancer treatment centers of america, we use diagnostic tools that help us better understand what drives each person's cancer. this is what we mean by outsmarting cancer. and for some, it may uncover more effective treatment options. like christine bray. after battling ovarian cancer for several years, her test results revealed a potential treatment not considered previously a drug therapy that targeted her tumor.

today, christine's metastatic cancer is in remission. this is precision cancer treatment. because at cancer treatment centers of america. we're not just fighting cancer. we're outsmarting it. visit cancercenter.com and schedule an appointment with our cancer care specialists today. (door bell rings) it's ohey. this is amazing. with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis, are you okay? even when i was there, i never knew when my symptoms would keep us apart. so i talked to my doctor about humira. i learned humira can help get, and keep uc under control when other medications haven't worked well enough. and it helps people achieve control that lasts. so you can experience few or no symptoms. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure.

before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. be there for you, and them. ask your gastroenterologist about humira. with humira, control is possible. i want to talk a little bit more about the midterms and the arguments that are being made. one of them is about now justice kavanaugh, it's kind of galvanized both parties and it ran head long into this me too movement, and you had your own issues when you ran for governor

about allegations of groping and unwanted advances. you had personal issues that were well publicized in your own life and family. a lot of very significant figures in our society, movie executives, politicians, and others have lost their job over these kinds of charges. the president's been rallying people and saying this is the me too movement has gone too far and so on. i mean, what is your thought about all of that? you've got a couple of daughters. >> i think that some people can think that it went too far. i think the time was perfect, and i think it is good that there's a time where women could speak up and really be heard for the first time. because so many times, women have not been listened to and have not been heard. so, i think that's good. yes, it sometimes goes to the extreme, but that's okay.

it was about time that it happened. >> you heard that "access hollywood" tape. >> i just start kissing them. it's like a magnet. and when you're a star, they let you do it. >> was that sort of the culture in entertainment that you grew up in? >> look, i don't want to comment about his tapes or anything like that. >> no, i'm just asking you a broader question. >> but i mean, it's like -- you know, everyone has their issues, and he dealt with it in his way. >> i'm not actually talking about him, though. i'm asking, culture changes. was that sort of a culture in the entertainment -- >> it falls into the same category. >> when you were -- when you were an -- when you were a young actor. >> it doesn't matter if you're an actor, not an actor. i think that people have a right to look into your background and to dig up those things if they want to and this is opposition research, and they're going to throw that stuff at you. and they threw at me all kinds of things about steroid usage and about smoking marijuana and

all of this kind of stuff they threw at me, and i explained it and we moved on. >> what were your interactions with women fair game and what are your reflections on it now at this stage in your life? >> well, let me tell you something. when i became governor, one of the first things that they did was we organized a sexual harassment course in the governor's office so that everyone can listen to it so there's no mistakes made. and after i listened to that course, when the instructor told us that if your chief of staff, which is a woman, comes in here to the office and says -- and you say to her, i love your dress, it's a beautiful dress, and then within the same breath say to the man, and by the way, your tie, that green tie, really looks great, she could go and take this as sexual harassment. so, based on the that, of what we have learned, i have to say

that i sometimes stepped over the line and i have to say i was the first one to feel bad about that because that was not intentional, because i respect women, and you know, one has to just say, look, if i made a mistake, sorry about that. >> but the mistakes that you were -- the allegations against you, and i think you've acknowledged some of them went beyond saying that someone had a nice dress, right? >> well, it was similar things like that. >> so it wasn't groping or anything. you didn't do any of that. >> someone could interpret that as groping, yeah, absolutely. >> there are republicans out there who say, whatever the president's style, we've got tax cuts, we've got deregulation, we've got conservative judges, and in fact, those republicans who have been critical of the president, that was their hasta la vista, baby, moment. they were out. how do you feel about that?

and the kind of the state of the republican party right now? it's really trump's party right now, isn't it? >> i always felt the republican party is a big tent party, and so even when i was governor, there were people way to the right, and then there were people in the center, and i think that as i looked into it, what creates that atmosphere of the extremism is because of gerrymandering and in gerrymandering, you know, you lock in the democrats on one side and if they're really far to the left, you can't beat them in that district, and the republican is locked in there and you cannot beat them because he will be as far to the right but then when the far right and the far left go to the capital, if it's a state capital or in washington, they cannot get together. that's the problem because they are too far apart. that's why we have created a

reform here. redistricting reform where a citizen's commission is drawing the district lines, not based on politics but based on what makes sense, drawing a map. >> even if you're in a district that may be skewed to one party or the other, the two finalists have to face the entire electorate so you may have a more moderate republican and a more conservative republican or moderate democrat and more -- >> you have choices. but the key thing is that we have seen that out of 265 congressional elections, in 10-year period in california, because we have 53 seats, in these 10 years, only one changed party hands. so they didn't have to perform. no one can touch them. now, within -- as soon as we had the reforms, within the first two years, 23% changed, and so i think that is the direction that we have to go. politicians should never feel safe in their seats. it should be just like any other job that if you don't perform

well, you are out, and that's why politicians like to draw their own district lines so they can fix and rig the system. for more than 200 years now, they have been rigging the system and this is why i said, enough is enough, and it is not a popular thing to do. >> you were just in michigan and colorado. that's two states where -- those are two states where -- >> i was in utah and missouri. so, those are the four states now, and they all four have a chance of winning if they win, i think this will be a big step forward again, and you have to take incremental steps, but you know, as i say, i'm an alabama tick on this. i'm not going to go away. i'm going to continue on doing that because it's the best thing for the country, because this is the number one country in the world, and i want to keep it the number one country in the world. and the only way we're going to do that is if we make our politicians accountable. >> announcer: up next on "the axe files" -- >> you see it in germany and austria and hungary, italy, no

matter where you go. people had enough, so they're looking for something else. ron! soh really? going on at schwab. thank you clients? well jd power did just rank them highest in investor satisfaction with full service brokerage firms...again. and online equity trades are only $4.95... i mean you can't have low cost and be full service. it's impossible. it's like having your cake and eating it too. ask your broker if they offer award-winning full service and low costs. how am i going to explain this? if you don't like their answer, ask again at schwab. schwab, a modern approach to wealth management.

♪ whoa! (phone rings) daddy, mommy's on the phone! hi! how are you guys? at&t proudly offers wireless

and tv discounts to military, veterans, first responders and their families. visit att.com/hero. (burke) so we know how to cover almost anything. even a huge drag. nothing worth losing sleep over, because we covered it. talk to farmers. we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two. ♪ we are farmers. bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ♪

so, let's talk about conference calls. there's always a certain amount of fumbling. a lot of times it doesn't work. we have problems. comcast business goes beyond fast. by letting you make and receive calls from any device using your business line. and conference calls you can join without any dial-ins or pins. (phone) there are currently 3 members in this conference. i like that. i like that too. i would use that in a heartbeat. get started with innovative voice solutions for a low price when you get fast, reliable internet. comcast business. beyond fast.

let me talk to you about climate change, which is, as you point out, something you're passionate about. you guys did some very far-reaching environmental reforms when you really led the country in terms of setting standards and -- for the reduction of greenhouse gases. you did a kind of cap and trade system here and so on, and you even after you left office, you were in paris promoting the paris accord that was signed. you mentioned earlier that the president -- you didn't support him because of his position on these issues, and to give him credit, he's held fast to that. he withdrew from the paris accords, the epa is repealing many of the emissions standards that came into being under the obama administration, and now at war with california over its standards. can this momentum be turned

back? >> well, i think it's unfortunate that he's going in that direction. and whatever the reason is, it doesn't really matter, because the fact of the matter is, we have to adjust to that new environment, and to tell everyone, wherever i go, and hold a speech about the environment, that we cannot rely just on one person and we cannot rely on the federal government. and this is not just trump. remember that when i was governor, i fought the federal government also during my time, because the federal government said, you cannot have a waiver to regulate your own air, because greenhouse gases is not a pollutant and i said, what? greenhouse gases is not a pollutant? i took them to court. my own party was in control then, and it went all the way up to the supreme court and the supreme court of the united states decided that, yes, greenhouse gases is a pollutant.

well, duh. how much brain power does it take? it's crazy because we are polluting the world and it's not just about global climate change, but it is the amount of people that it kills every day all over the world. i mean, every year, 7 million people die because of pollution, so if the responsibility of government is to protect people, then why would i let that happen? >> you mentioned that you took on republican administrations over this issue. you know, i saw a poll earlier, a couple of months ago, and it said the single biggest issue dividing democrats and republicans is this one, climate change. >> but david, first of all, i think that environmentalists have done a terrible job in selling this. because the more they talk about global climate change, which no one understands what that is, you know, they talk about what's going to happen 20 years from now and the sea level rising and the polar bear and all of this kind of things. no one cares about that when you want to have a job and you want to bring food on the table

today. but what people care about is if you say, this is going to cause cancer. this is going to make your child have asthma early on. and as soon as they hear the health aspect of it, because that's how we sold it to the people in california, this is the difference, it has to be sold the right way and it has to be communicated the right way to the people, not to talk about something that is happening 20 years from now but today, every day, 19,000 people are dying because of pollution worldwide. and this is an embarrassment that politicians and leaders cannot sit down and really fix this problem once and for all. >> let me just ask you this. you said earlier, politics sucks. and i bet you there are a lot of people who are nodding, but it's important for people, if we don't have faith in this process of democracy, which i know you value, it just doesn't work. but how do you restore faith in

that democracy? because all over the world, we're seeing liberal democracies on the run. you're in europe a lot. you're familiar with what's going on there. give me a hopeful thought on this. >> i don't understand when you say democracy is being challenged here because it's not. as far as i'm concerned. i think the liberal politics is being challenged here, because i think that people are sick and tired everywhere of what was going on, and they see it in germany, you see it in austria and hungary, in england with brexit, italy, no matter where you go, people had enough. they say to themselves, how much longer can we take of ringing up a huge deficit every year, a huge debt, who is going to pay that off? when are we ever going to pay that off? they feel like there's too much spending going on and not enough kind of people sitting down and really agreeing and fixing problems and all this. so they're sick and tired so they look for something else. so it's not that --

>> but that something else they look for, governor -- >> what they're looking for the opposite. so the say, okay, if the liberal politics didn't work, let's get someone conservative. >> but there's a difference between liberal and conservative. you may consider yourself a conservative and i may consider myself a liberal, but when you have, for example, in hundred dpa -- hungary or poland, you have leaders who are cutting back on fundamental institutions, the courts, the media, that's a problem, isn't it? >> look, america sometimes makes a mistake. to always think that only our rules and our way of government is perfect and the way we deal with issues. this is great for america, but the hungarians feel differently with the issues. the polish feel in a different way. the italians deal in a different way, so they look at our system and they say, this is totally flawed. we look at their system and we say, they're totally flawed. and congress is getting 18% approval rating so that is --

until we fix the system. so they're looking at us and saying, that's not what we want, a fixed system where you can't get rid of those politicians. this is why i say the most important thing is not politics. the most important thing is to go and to get off your couch and to do something about it. that's what we teach our people at usc, at the schwarzenegger institute. we tell people, stop complaining. do something about it. go do everything you can to unseat your congressman or your senator or whatever it is. what do you do rather than just sit in front of the television? it's terrible, everyone is arguing, i don't know what's going on in the world now, everyone is fighting. that's bogus. that doesn't do anything. nor does it solve the problem when you see people on television screaming at each other. >> i agree on both counts and it's probably a good time to offer an admonition to people who are watching that, go out and vote, there's an election. >> vote, but do more than that. democracy is not a spectator sport. you got to go and fight for what

you stand for. >> i agree. >> and if you believe that your congressman or your senator or your governor or your assemblyman or whoever it is is not performing well, go out and do something about it. einstein always said that, you know, the more you do the same thing and expect different results, that's insanity. that's what we are doing. i think we should just give more of those jobs to women, let's see what will happen because the guys have screwed it up so far. that's why i welcome the idea that now more and more women are running for office, because maybe they have a totally different life experience and they look at it in a different way. maybe they can solve some of the problems. >> announcer: ahead on "the axe files" -- >> i never actually thought about that body building thing as a way into movies. that's why i never took it up, you know? >> i understand. but no one recognizes and realizes the wash board that you have underneath that shirt. >> i know it. a once-in-five hundred year storm should happen every five hundred years, right?

fact is, there have been twenty-six in the last decade. allstate is adapting. with drones to assess home damage sooner. and if a flying object damages your car, you can snap a photo and get your claim processed in hours, not days. plus, allstate can pay your claim in minutes. now that you know the truth... are you in good hands? welcome to emirates mr. jones. just sit back, relax and let us entertain you... ...with over 3,500 channels of entertainment, including the latest movies and box sets from around the world. ( ♪ ) we even have live sports and news channels. ( ♪ ) and your free wi-fi will start shortly. enjoy your flight mr. jones. world's best inflight entertainment. fly emirates. fly better. world's best inflight entertainment. oh! oh! ♪ ozempic®! ♪ (vo) people with type 2 diabetes

are excited about the potential of once-weekly ozempic®. in a study with ozempic®, a majority of adults lowered their blood sugar and reached an a1c of less than seven and maintained it. oh! under seven? (vo) and you may lose weight. in the same one-year study, adults lost on average up to 12 pounds. oh! up to 12 pounds? (vo) a two-year study showed that ozempic® does not increase the risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke, or death. oh! no increased risk? ♪ ozempic®! ♪ ozempic® should not be the first medicine for treating diabetes, or for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. do not share needles or pens. don't reuse needles. do not take ozempic® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to ozempic®. stop taking ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, itching, rash, or trouble breathing. serious side effects may happen, including pancreatitis.

tell your doctor if you have diabetic retinopathy or vision changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase the risk for low blood sugar. common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation. some side effects can lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. i discovered the potential with ozempic®. ♪ oh! oh! oh! ozempic®! ♪ (vo) ask your healthcare provider if ozempic® is right for you. gavin newsom has lived the rich made him powerful. but he's done nothing to help us.

every day i work harder. rent, food, and gas prices climb. poverty, homelessness-- gavin admits it. we created-- it happened on our watch. what you see out there on the streets and sidewalk happened on our watch. now he says he'll have courage, for a change, but gavin's had his chance for eight years, and he never lifted a finger. it's time for someone new. john cox, governor.

this is what i call the austrian room, and this room was entirely built by austrians. here is a stove. this is a stove that my mother cooked on, and i brought it over here. and this room is what a farmhouse room would look like because the farmhouse in the old days were very little. they ate in the same room as they slept, as the bed, they cooked in the same room and the grip, which is austrian made and each one of my kid laid in their crib. >> so this is very familiar to you. >> it's like if i want to switch over and feel like i'm in austria, then i come into this

room, i have a lot of meetings in this room. we have, as you can see, the shot glasses there so we drink schnapps in this room. >> it reminds you of -- >> and it's a calming effect. the wood panelling and all that stuff has a calming effect. so out there -- >> the schnapps probably has a calming effect too. >> absolutely. the stogey has a calming effect. let's sit down. >> so, i had a chance to read your book and i know a lot about your story, and it's a really remarkable story, because as uplifting as this room is, your childhood wasn't uplifting. you were born in a small town in austria right after world war ii. your dad, who had been a storm trooper -- tell me a little bit

about what that was like. >> well, you know, i grew up, like you said, after the second world war, and my parents were fantastic, but it was the environment then. they were very strict, and my father wasn't cold. he was very affectionate and very warm, but when he was drunk, then he was a different person. he changed personality. not a really good atmosphere. but in another way of it was that he was very disciplined and he made us do push-ups in the morning, as he always said, we have to earn breakfast, and we had to do knee bends, 200 knee bends and push-ups and all those kind of things. we had to go and bring the coal up to the oven every morning, so there was certain ritual there and i think that was very helpful for me to create the discipline. >> you applied that famous discipline to body building. you started as a teenager, 14. >> yes, it gave me the drive to do something about it.

i knew that my only ticket out of austria is to be good in some sport. so i just had to search and what sport could i excel and become a world champion, and within a short period of time, i became the european junior champion, won my first trophy, and from then, everyone started really paying attention to my success. >> but your parents were unhappy about the choice that you made. they were unhappy about the posters you put up on your wall. they didn't understand. >> my mother didn't understand. she called the local doctor, and she said, look, you've got to look at this wall here. there's pictures of naked men, and i'm really concerned. this was basically muhammad ali, it was power lifters, it was wrestlers, weightlifters, body builders but all in the little trunks and stuff like that and the little outfits and my mother just couldn't understand it. >> did you have to see the doctor? >> he came to the house. it was one of those things where you have a house doctor to come by and he calmed my mother down

and said, look, there's nothing wrong here. he's going through a period now where he idolizes strong men, that's very good, he works out every day so you should be very happy about this progress that he's making. and so my mother then calmed down. >> and was it always, in your mind, that you were going to come to america? >> yeah. because america was the mecca of body building. i thought that will be my ticket to america and that's exactly what happened. i became the youngest mr. universe at the age of 20 and then again at 21, then i got a letter that said i want to officially invite you to come to america to train over here and so that was kind of my dream became a reality, and then of course, i won one championship after the next and then 13 world body building championship. >> when you got to america, what was your reaction to the experience of being here? >> well, it was wild. i came over here when america went through real trouble, because remember, i came in the '60s. the president was killed, was

assassinated, then martin luther king was assassinated, then bobby kennedy, he was assassinated. this was how it began. the democratic convention in chicago was attacked and it was like all-out war. the vietnam war was happening. i said, what is going on here? and then not only that, then it followed up with watergate, then a president resigning, so you're talking about problems, and america pulled out of it and i think america's going to pull out of this too. >> one of the terms that's been thrown around now is nationalism. >> you know what i am? i'm a nationalist, okay? i'm a nationalist. >> what does that mean to you? >> i'm the wrong guy to ask, really, about this, because i'm a globalist. you know, to me, i don't have an enemy out there. there is no country or no continent that i look as bad or evil as anything like this, and i think that the more we make the globe a marketplace, the

more we can be successful in america. but my main love is for america, because what america has done for me is so extraordinary, like i said to you earlier. >> it's also true, you can't solve some of these problems as one country, even a country as powerful as america. >> look, we are in a global situation. we got to work together. that is the most important thing. we've got to face -- find ways, always, to reach out and to work together and if it's environmental issues, economic issues, terrorist issues, whatever the issues may be, working together and looking at everyone in a more positive way, i think, is helpful for everybody. >> you have all this incredible movie memorabilia here. and including stuff that would be familiar to fans of your films. >> this is the original conan sword that i used in "conan the

barbarian." this is the hand that you hold. >> that's good enough. >> this is very important. >> we need the spirit of bipartisanship. >> you know, here we have mr. freeze from "batman and robin." so i wore this outfit for many, many days, and it took -- the make-up alone took around four and a half hours and then another hour to put this outfit on and to put it together and all this stuff. so it was kind of a torturous experience. >> let me ask you about the acting thing in general. why did you want to do that? >> well, because, i mean, if you have a body, a mr. universe body, and if that enables you to get into the movies, why not? because in body building, remember, there was absolutely no money. i was a bricklayer when i came to america in order to make some money. >> yeah. i never actually thought about that body building thing as a way into movies. that's why i never took it up, you know? >> i understand. but then no one recognizes and realizes the washboard that you

have underneath that shirt. >> no, i know. >> the six pack. >> we'll leave that to their imagination. you became an accomplished actor. you did comedies, you did much more than the action hero. did the acting background help you in politics? we talked about this a little earlier. >> well, it is -- i think that acting and politics or running as a candidate are very similar in some ways, and the reason is because you have to be honest. the camera picks up if you're saying a line and you don't really believe it. >> yeah. >> you know that the audience sees it now because of the extreme close-ups that they do of faces and stuff like that. so you have to be totally honest and the same as in politics. you cannot go and just salines -- say lines. you have to engage and you have to talk to the people. so many people that get into politics, they start changing, you know? i felt that i never changed.

>> you had some health issues yourself. you had heart issues. how does that affect your psyche, being sort of an indestructible character? >> well, it was -- >> did it force you to confront your mortality? >> i was expecting it in a way, i come from a background where my grandmother passed away early because of a valve problem in the heart. my mother passed away early because of a valve problem. luckily, now the medical technology is such that you can fix it. yes, you have to go through heart surgery, but you wake up and go and say, all right, i'm going to have to be ready for "terminator 6." >> how many can you do? you have another one coming out next year. >> i love doing them. i won't be able to do it forever, i don't think it looks good to have a 100-year-old terminator. up next. >> she broke her leg.

>> you took out the first lady. >> barbara bush, yes. i'm ken jacobus and i switched to the spark cash card from capital one. i earn unlimited 2% cash back on everything i buy. and last year, i earned $36,000 in cash back. which i used to offer health insurance to my employees. what's in your wallet? it's your job to get don to emall his tour dates on time. it's good money. we need it. in a divided nation... in the deep south, there's gonna be problems. get your hands off him. now! you never win with violence, tony. his music broke barriers. where did you learn how to play like that? my mother. as soon as i could walk. you're unbelievable. and inspired an unexpected friendship. what do we do about the bones? we do this. [ laughing ] if you have moderate to thsevere rheumatoid arthritis, month after month, the clock is ticking on irreversible joint damage. ongoing pain and stiffness

are signs of joint erosion. humira can help stop the clock. prescribed for 15 years, humira targets and blocks a source of inflammation that contributes to joint pain and irreversible damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections. serious and sometimes fatal infections including tuberculosis, and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. help stop the clock on further irreversible joint damage. talk to your rheumatologist. right here. right now. humira. ( ♪ )

ready to juvéderm it? correct age-related volume loss in cheeks with juvéderm voluma xc, add fullness to lips with juvéderm ultra xc and smooth moderate to severe lines around the nose and mouth with juvéderm xc. tell your doctor if you have a history of scarring or are taking medicines that decrease the body's immune response or that can prolong bleeding. common side effects include injection-site redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, firmness, lumps, bumps, bruising, discoloration or itching. as with all fillers, there is a rare risk of unintentional injection into a blood vessel, which can cause vision abnormalities, blindness, stroke, temporary scabs or scarring. ( ♪ ) juvéderm it. talk to your doctor about the juvéderm collection of fillers.

talk to your doctor comcast business built the nation's largest gig-speed network. then went beyond. beyond chasing down network problems. to knowing when and where there's an issue. beyond network complexity. to a zero-touch, one-box world. optimizing performance and budget. beyond having questions. to getting answers. "activecore, how's my network?" "all sites are green." all of which helps you do more than your customers thought possible.

comcast business. beyond fast. so you have photos of yourself here with presidents dating back to richard nixon. >> that's right. richard nixon is right here. and he is the one that was responsible for me to become a republican. and when i heard him talk in 1968 with my friend, we listened to those discussions with humphrey and nixon talking. when he interpreted what he said, i said to myself, i said, i'm a republican, i like that idea, that philosophy. >> here is an interesting photo. read this inscription from george h.w. bush.

>> i was sledding here with a toboggan. we're at camp david. right here is barbara bush standing. i had no idea how to steer this thing. so kept leaning, you have to lean, so i sledded right into her. >> you took out the first lady, barbara bush? >> that's right, yes. she went down to the hospital and got a cast and everything like this. she didn't complain much. she understood. >> were you invited back? >> yeah, no, i told you that i was up there literally every month. >> so, politics. what first attracted you, when was it that you made the realization that this is something i want to engage in? >> i think it's a combination of growing up. i mean, kind of like spending that much time with the kennedys and the shrivers.

watching them talking about policy and politics a lot of times. then what really put it over the top was me becoming friendly with president bush. he talked about the challenges, he talked about the joy of giving back, and representing the people and all that stuff. i said, this is really great. but i had no plan, really. i said to myself maybe one day it will work out. all of a sudden, it was almost like god's will. there was the election, it was an unusual situation, the reality is i would have had a difficult time winning the republican primary because i was not conservative enough. so in the recall election, there was no such thing. it was like, everyone was in one pot. there was 150 or some candidates. and they were much odder than i was, which was great, i was not the oddest guy out there. when we had the recall

elections, i said to myself, this is the only chance that i ever will get in there. >> i can't leave without -- you have statutes, beautiful busts over here of lincoln and reagan and kennedy, and then over here, lenin. what's lenin doing here? >> when communism fell, i called my buddies in russia. and they said, look, guys, i was reading in "the new york times" you're tearing down your statues because communism is over, i said, i love those sculptures, i'm a collector of art. they said, you want some? i said, yes, i'm willing to buy it, just let me know. when the next arnold fitness classics happened, they gave this to me and i said, fantastic, i'll put it in my office. it is a symbol of a political

system that failed. and here is -- they are the leaders of a political system that has been very successful and became the most successful in the world. >> as i hear you talk, it occurs to me, you could not run for president because of our constitution, you're not a native-born american. if you had been a native-born american, do you think you could have been president? does that occur to you, gee, i would have liked to have a shot at that? >> you know, i couldn't tell you that i would have been president. but i can tell you i would have run. because i never go for something that is not going all the way. so that's not my personality. so to me, it's always like, what is the next thing i can do. but this is the only job that i can't do. the reason why you don't hear me complain about that is because everything that i've been able to do was because of america,

just because there's one thing i can't do, i can't complain about that. >> governor, great to be with you, thank you. subscribe to "the axe files." on your favorite podcast app. hello, it's 8:00 eastern, 5:00 in the evening out west. i'm ana cabrera in new york. you're live in the cnn newsroom. so glad you could join me. here we are, three days into the midterms, and what some are calling the biggest referendum on a president in recent memory. president trump is certainly campaigning like he feels the pressure, holding rallies in states where many midterm races are currently toss-ups. right now the president is in florida, stumping for republicans running for governor. he's been amplifying his anti-immigration rhetoric