Schwarzenegger: I'll do one debate

Skipping first debate on Wednesday

Arnold Schwarzenegger throws T-shirts to fair goers while touring the California State Fair in Sacramento. Story Tools VIDEO CNN's Rusty Dornin reports California gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger says he will participate in one debate. PLAY VIDEO Schwarzenegger said he won't take money from special interest groups for his gubernatorial campaign, but many say he's doing just that. PLAY VIDEO SPECIAL REPORT YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS California Recall Arnold Schwarzenegger Peter Ueberroth Gov. Gray Davis or Create your own Manage alerts | What is this?

SACRAMENTO, California (CNN) -- Under fire for refusing to commit to a debate this week featuring California's top gubernatorial recall candidates, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday he looks forward to one "fantastic debate" scheduled for late September.

Campaign aides said Schwarzenegger, the leading Republican in the field of more than 100 candidates vying to replace California Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat, in the October 7 recall, won't participate in a debate scheduled for Wednesday.

But Schwarzenegger told CNN he would participate in a debate sponsored by the California Broadcasters Association, set for the third week in September.

"We're going to do one of the debates. It's going to be great for the California broadcasters," Schwarzenegger told CNN as he toured the California State Fair in Sacramento. "There's going to be a fantastic debate."

But one of Schwarzenegger's GOP rivals said that one debate would not be enough. Former Olympics chairman Peter Ueberroth called on Schwarzenegger to reconsider and participate in Wednesday's debate.

"Giving voters a chance to hear him several times before Election Day is good for him. It's good for the voters. And it's good for the democratic process," Ueberroth said in a statement released by his campaign.

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the race's leading Democrat, said Schwarzenegger "hasn't been very specific about his proposals, but I'm sure at some point he'll decide he'll need to show up, I guess."

Bustamante, Republicans Tom McClintock and Ueberroth, independent Arianna Huffington and Green Party candidate Peter Camejo have agreed to take part in Wednesday's forum, sponsored by television station KTVU and the Contra Costa Times.

Over the weekend, California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres accused Schwarzenegger of "ducking the debates because he's not prepared.

"Every time he's asked questions, he uses the old Reagan trick -- 'Oh, I can't hear you' or 'Oh, I don't know' or 'I don't remember.' At some point, that's going to catch up to him," Torres said on "Late Edition."

Meanwhile, the target of the recall, Davis, blasted the process as "undemocratic" but promised to "do things differently" if voters kept him in office.

At a Labor Day gathering of Los Angeles unions, he sounded a contrite note as he criticized the recall.

"This recall is a humbling experience," Davis said. "I would not wish it on my worst enemy. But if the good people of this state decide they're going to allow me to finish the term to which they elected me, I promise you I will do things differently, and I will work everyday to make their life better."

Californians will decide October 7 whether to oust Davis and choose his possible successor from a list of 135 candidates.

--CNN Correspondent Rusty Dornin contributed to this report.

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