Report: White House approached Schwarzenegger for cabinet post
Could Arnold Schwarzenegger have taken a starring role in President Obama's cabinet?
Schwarzenegger, a moderate Republican, was reportedly approached by administration officials about a cabinet position in January 2011, following his second term as governor of California, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper attributes the information to "people familiar with the matter."
The conversation between the White House and Schwarzenegger happened before he admitted to having an extramarital affair in May 2011.
Schwarzenegger had discussed future political aspirations, including presidential ambitions, with the media on several occasions, including in an interview with "60 Minutes" in Dec. 2008. Schwarzenegger, who was born in Austria and is a naturalized U.S. citizen, said he would "absolutely" run for president if the Constitution were changed.
"I think that I am always a person that looks for the next big goal," he said.
Schwarzenegger had also specifically discussed the possibility of a cabinet position, telling ABC News in July 2008, before the president was elected, that he'd talk to Mr. Obama if he called to inquire about a cabinet slot.
