Scenes From the Maul, Minute by Minute

The First 15 Minutes: Things Turn Ugly Quickly

6:01 p.m.: Even before Schwarzenegger and Angelides appear on the screen, a voice-over told people: "Both candidates have been asked not to deviate from the issues being discussed." This produced a hearty laugh.

6:06 p.m.: Schwarzenegger manages a four-minute answer about how to pay for state services without mentioning that Angelides wants to raise taxes. Way to stay positive.

6:07 p.m.: Angelides mentions his immigrant roots and turns to Schwarzenegger immediately. He doesn't believe in "protecting tax breaks for the rich and powerful." At least Angelides is consistent: he talks about taxes first.

6:08 p.m.: Angelides is looking to his left for some reason. He doesn't alter his view for minutes and minutes. Seems to be looking at the audience. This does not play well on the screen, but the audience must have loved it.

6:09 p.m. Screen shows Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Schwarzenegger then asks for a "chance to respond." Angelides says, "Let's do it."

6:11 p.m.: Arnold turns negative! He says Angelides sat in his office while Gov. Gray Davis and the Legislature raised college fees. "Where were you? Where were you?" This sounds like a practiced line, even though Schwarzenegger doesn't practice for debates. ;)

6:12 p.m.: Moderator Stan Statham interrupts to say that a focus group listening to the debate is "tired of this topic" as Angelides is talking about college tuition hikes. Statham puts his finger to his ear; the control room is talking to him.

What the heck?!!!! The debate is being run by a focus group in the control room?????

6:14 p.m.: Angelides talks about cutting taxes again. Statham interrupts him even though the rules called for no time limits. He seems annoyed at Angelides, saying his sentences have no end.

6:15 p.m.: Schwarzenegger finally brings up taxes: He says Angelides is for taxes. "How do you justify it? Those taxes all hit the middle class. The car tax doesn't matter to me if it goes up, but it does matter to the middle class."

The Second 15 Minutes: Taxes, Taxes, Taxes

6:15 p.m.: A Schwarzenegger press aide has already handed out three fact sheets in three separate colors. Wait, now four. Forest green, baby blue, mauve and pumpkin orange.

6:17 p.m.: Schwarzenegger tosses off another one-liner and tells Angelides, "I can tell the joy in your eyes when you talk taxes. You just love taxes.... Just be honest with the people and say, 'I love raising taxes.'"

6:21 p.m.: Asked his one regret, Angelides says, "Um... " and quickly replies he is upset that he did little to stop all the borrowing in California over the past few years. But he was state Treasurer!

6:22 p.m.: Schwarzenegger says, "I made several mistakes, not just one." Moved too fast. Didn't work with Legislature.

6:24 p.m.: Angelides gets off his first line: "Who can you trust next year to do the right thing?"

6:25 p.m.: Arnold throws out numbers. He says the state spends $55.1 billion on education. Thanks for letting us know about the extra $100 million. That's an important detail, Mr. Detail Man.

6:26 p.m.: That dang focus group again! Statham, listening again to the control room, puts a stop to all that boring talk about state budgets and numbers.

6:27 p.m.: Angelides throws out the Minutemen subject. Brings up Schwarzenegger's comments that they were doing a good job. Schwarzenegger says we can't let terrorists into the country.

The Next 15 Minutes: Trust, Trust, Trust

6:33 p.m.: Angelides said it comes back "to who you can trust" to spend California's transportation money. There is that trust word again. Angelides still won't look at Schwarzenegger when he answers a question. He looks at his audience instead.

6:35 p.m.: Angelides mentions President Bush! Then a few sentences later mentions Schwarzenegger. That's a link, right?

6:35 p.m.: "I will do my level best," Angelides says (to protect firefighters). Former Gov. Gray Davis used to say that very thing over and over again.

6:36 p.m.: Another laugh line from Schwarzenegger. He sure practiced good. He says to Angelides: "I feel a little like I am having dinner with Uncle Teddy at Thanksgiving," trying to link Angelides to Sen. Edward Kennedy, who, you know, is a Massachusetts liberal.

"He's a great man, thanks so much," Angelides replies.

6:39 p.m.: Angelides says Schwarzenegger isn't doing enough to protect California's levees. "It comes down to who can you trust." Trust. Get it? Mentions the state Reclamation Board twice.

6:41 p.m.: Statham promises a "sizzle portion" next — when they get to each ask each other a question. This will be fun. Then Statham asks Angelides about his character. Angelides says he will stand up for hard-working people.

6:42 p.m.: Schwarzenegger brings up immigrant status. He starts talking about all the stuff he did to give back to people, like promoting the Special Olympics and when President George H.W. Bush made him the fitness guru for the country. Arnold: he just gives, gives, gives.

6:43 p.m.: Statham is very "worried about time." Wants candidates to answer in only 60 seconds. Then he asks an incredibly complex and broad question about how to fix education. This should be enlightening.

6:45 p.m.: Nothing enlightening.

Last Questions: All That and a Bag of Chips

6:46 p.m.: Schwarzenegger gets to ask Angelides a question and he does something unexpected: He lobs a softball: "What was the funniest moment in the campaign?" This is somewhat brilliant. If Angelides turns negative, Angelides looks all the more...negative — and Schwarzenegger looks like the nice guy.

6:49 p.m.: Angelides, indeed, takes the bait. But his question is powerful. He asks Schwarzenegger why he worked to take away pension benefits last year from "widows and orphans." He even brought along a widow of a slain West Sacramento officer. She's in the audience. Brutal! "Why'd you do it, governor?"

6:49 p.m.: Schwarzenegger says he has the greatest respect for peace officers and tells Angelides to "stop the hype."

6:50 p.m.: Statham seems surprised that the debate appears to have ended early. Maybe the focus group has a few questions? Put them on the line.

6:52 p.m.: Angelides brings up Bush. Schwarzenegger says Angelides was "part of the decline" in California under Gov. Gray Davis. Angelides says it was the Clinton economy, not the Bush economy. Schwarzenegger says this "isn't Iowa."

6:53 p.m.: The photographer next to me is eating a sandwich. Now she is opening chips. It doesn't seem to open. She is doing it the wrong way. You have to tear it at the top, not pull from the sides. Doesn't work. Don't pull the sides, there is too much pressure. OPEN THE DANG BAG OF CHIPS. WHY CAN'T YOU OPEN THOSE CHIPS?

Snap, wheez. It's open.

6:55 p.m.: Arnold says he was an action star. Mentions Maria.

6:58 p.m.: Angelides doesn't get to say goodbye.

6:59 p.m.: It's over.

(Photos: Robert Salladay / LAT)