Beatty Slams ... The Competition?

Actor Warren Beatty Raps Arnold, But Not Running For Gov. Yet

(CBS/AP)  Actor Warren Beatty leveled a blistering political attack against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, accusing him of governing "by show, by spin, by cosmetics and photos ops" while imposing Bush administration policies on California.

Beatty made his remarks at a convention of the California Nurses Association, an organization that has emerged in the last year as one of Schwarzenegger's most vociferous critics.

Beatty, a Democrat and longtime political activist who has been mentioned as a possible challenger to Schwarzenegger in next year's gubernatorial race, did not announce his candidacy as many in the boisterous crowd had hoped. But he indicated he hadn't ruled out a run, and said he would continue to speak out on important issues.

"I believe if a private citizen is able to affect public opinion in a constructive way he doesn't have to be an elected public servant to perform a public service," Beatty said.

Beatty leveled several sharp jabs at his fellow Hollywood celebrity and congratulated the nurses for challenging Schwarzenegger's policies.

"You ... have given this administration the massive enema it deserves," Beatty proclaimed, "and shown California just what this governor, his administration and his policies are full of."

Beatty used most of his address to rail against the governor's "year of reform" ballot initiatives and the special election he has called for Nov. 8. The initiatives, which would curb the power of the Democrat-controlled legislature and public employee unions, have spurred angry protests from union activists around the state.

Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Margita Thompson said, "We don't care that much about Warren Beatty, and based on his ticket sales from the past generation, I doubt anyone else does either."

Schwarzenegger wants to enact a state spending cap, strip lawmakers of their power to draw political boundaries, require public employee unions to seek permission from members before using their dues for politics, and make it harder for teachers to get tenure.

The nurses union has been among the governor's most forceful critics, after he sued to block changes in the state's nurse-patient staffing ratios. He called the nurses "special interests" whose "butts" he is always kicking.