Schwarzenegger Says It's Time To Make Nice

California Governor Says He Is In A "Post-Partisan" Phase, Has No Plans To Run For Another Office

(CBS)  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-Calif., says he is in his "post-partisan phase," and he hopes his new attitude will carry over to the 2008 presidential hopefuls from both parties.

"It just means that you ultimately want to serve the people rather than your party," he told Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer. "Because I think the elected officials are public servants and not party servants."

Schwarzenegger said that during his first three years as governor, he has learned to shed the 'us-versus-them' mentality and concentrate on serving the people. When he first sought the governorship, Schwarzenegger came our as a strong fiscal Republican and tried whittle down government, but some of his statewide initiatives failed. After his approval rate dropped to 30 percent, he moved back to the center.

"It was very clear that the people said, 'You know, we don't want you to fight. We want you to get along and we want both of the parties to work together -- that's why we sent you to Sacramento'," he said. "And so we started really giving birth to ideas together rather than they come up with their own package, we come up with our own package, and then we just go and compromise."

On Monday, he will deliver a speech about the importance of being a centrist to the National Governors Conference. He said he will focus on working together with members of the opposite party without losing principals.

Although he said he has no plans to run for another office, Schwarzenegger said the lessons he learned in California could help those running for president in 2008.

"Every human being makes mistakes," he said. "And that's why they understand when a politician says, you know, I made a mistake. It's that simple. Now, with Hillary Clinton, I think that people should, when it comes to the war, should elevate this whole discussion and really not, you know, pick on things like that, but really try to get along in Washington if it is the war or anything else."

Anti-war Democrats have criticized Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., for her original vote to authorize the war in Iraq, and Clinton has endured further controversy because she won't give her constituents a clear apology for her war vote.

Schwarzenegger said politicians should only apologize if they believe they made the wrong choice and perhaps Clinton does not think she was wrong.

The governor said he would not endorse any candidate in the 2008 race until after the California primary, but Schwarzenegger has been very complimentary of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who has long been considered a maverick of the Republican Party.

"I'm very happy with the campaign – I mean, with McCain – simply because he has been a pro-environment person, and someone that believes very strongly in the environment and also protecting the economy at the same time," Schwarzenegger said.

[cdegolier]

"Except for the Democrats like Kennedy and Kerry and other democrat party members of Massachucetts; the only state that has the universal health insurance law plan so far, so I guess Massachucetts and Blue-voting states have some good points"

Massachusetts indeed has some good points with the passage of a universal health care plan requiring everyone to have health insurance, you thanks need to go to the Governor MItt Romney, Republican who inacted the plan, it wasn't Kerry or drunken Teddy.
Gee another Republican with a wonderful plan.

[hissteps4u]

It is truly time for all to work towards the common good what ever party. Unfortunately the Party Loyalists and mentality wont change unless driven by the public and forced to change. Good for Arnold.

For the People and by the People are terms used in our constituation Yet Party Loyalists Both Republician and Democratic want to subvert that message.

Term Limits would be a huge step at de-centralising such Party Loyalists Dem Vrs Rep!

I wonder if I will ever see it in my life time.

[newsjeff-2009]

I am a regestered Democrat, but I am impressed with what some of Governor Arnold has talked about. Governor Arnold has talked about passing a universal health insurance plan to insure all California residents have health insurance; it hasn't happened yet, but at least Governor Arnold has spoke of doing it, something very few other governors and political leaders have spoke of(Except for the Democrats like Kennedy and Kerry and other democrat party members of Massachucetts; the only state that has the universal health insurance law plan so far, so I guess Massachucetts and Blue-voting states have some good points despite what Bush and Cheney say!!)Governor Arnold has won two governor elections in the state of California by working with Democrats and Republicans alike. If Governor Arnold had approval ratings like Bush and Cheney in his home state of California, he would not have won re-election in 2006. Arnold has worked with Democrats and Republicans in a bi-partisan manner to raise the state minimum wage in California(Yes, another minimum wage increase for California, by a GOP governor who wants his residents to earn decent wages; despite the fact that many GOP senators like Lott,Coburn,Inhofe,Talent, have voted against raising minimum wage nationwide several times; check their voting records if don't believe me!!)

[scott4261]

The nutjob chorus still will not admit that George W. Bush is an incompetent boob beholden to the oil industry, whose administration is corrupt from the top down.

So you righties can make fun of Schwarzenegger's leftward turn (which is actually toward the center...you know, where most people ARE), but the GOP is rotting from the indside thanks to the Jerry Fallwells of the world and the Neo-con Kool-Aid drinkers from the Project For a New American Century. Without change, your party will self-destruct!

[us_infidel]

Arnold is a RINO loser. He ran as a conservative and changed his "spots" once he got elected. The lefties out in the drop-off state of CA can have him!

[jdweymouth]

Re: "Leave capitalism for video games, iphones, computers, and automobiles, refrigerators, software, etc." -Posted by droberts71

Wow! A real, live commie in our midst! Buddy, Schwarznegger may be a centrist, and a compromiser, but that sure as he ll doesn't make him a communist! Are you off your rocker???

For those who would criticize me for the above comment: I don't like communists or socialists. They're a greater threat to our system than the Islamofascists.

[jdweymouth]

The executives in our nation must do what they think is best for their city, state, or country. The members of the legislative bodies must be much more conscious of the constituents, but in the end they will vote the way they think is best for out country. So, no skyk and RandalDS, you are not the bosses of the mayors, governors, and mayors. Sorry to intrude on your fantasy, but the president isn't even directly elected by the people; he's elected by the Electoral College. We are not a democracy, we are a republic, and we were never historically called a democracy. It was always "The Republic". Our elected officials do indeed have a duty to the people, and that duty is to do what they think is best. As a matter of fact guys, they're like parents. They may do things we don't like, but they have the job, and we don't. Get over it.

[skyk-2009]

Arnie has turned out to be a much better Governor once he got the message from the voters that he was headed in the wrong direction. Like every good leader he realized that he works for us, the people of California and was under the obligation to do as we say. The same thing should be applied to the president. He works for us, we are his boss and he must do as he is told to by us. He constantly says ignorant things like he knows this war is unpopular, but he's going to go forward with it anyway. That's not his job. The people have told him to get out of this war and it's his job to shut the fu*ck up, salute and do as he is told.
Posted by RandalDS at 03:36 PM : Feb 25, 20

Thank you. But to a Southern Fascist what you speak of, democracy, is a strange thing that they have no knowledge of. THEY live in the Greatest Democracy in the World and have NO idea how it works. They are so conservative that they honestly believe they are electing a King. They are also still very bitter about the rest of the nation forcing them to allow inferior people to vote. I just do not see how, taken how far behind the rest of us they have fallen, they are ever going to merge into our society. I know it's not politically popular to point out these obvious flaws to everyone, especially REAL Republican's, but they had better face them while they still have a Party. They are losing members in the rest of the nation at a rate that should scare them.

[skyk-2009]

Write this down .......Arnie will bring Calfornia into the Republican column in 2008 Presidential elections.......no matter if it's Mit, Rudy, or John.......

Wow!
Posted by perception5 at 08:26 PM : Feb 25, 2007

You just don't get it do you Sparky! I mean here's a REAL Republican TELLING you freaks that YOU must trash the Southern Fascist, the Religious Reich, or face distruction and YOU still don't get it. UNBELIEVABLE I mean you have to be a complete and Total fool to listen to someone who tried to govern from the right, with all it's hate and vile attitudes, he's telling YOU it does not work and you just keep on keeping on! UNBELIEVABLE!! Sieg Heil Mien Idiot

[jsilver2th]

perception5: "Write this down .......Arnie will bring Calfornia into the Republican column in 2008 Presidential elections......."

Ha ha- the only one that can bring California into the Republican column is Raplh Nader.

[randalds]

Write this down .......Arnie will bring Calfornia into the Republican column in 2008 Presidential elections.......no matter if it's Mit, Rudy, or John.......

Wow!
Posted by perception5 at 08:26 PM : Feb 25, 2007

Write this down, Arnie is one or two good pillow talks from Maria from becoming a democrat. He moves further to the left everyday and I'm sure she's gently pushing him that way too.

[j0hnwi11iams]

What I want to know is what was said between Schwarzenegger and Ken Lay just as Enron put the California energy market in a hammerlock. Don't believe what the goons say about California, we were definitely ****** with.

[droberts71]

Governor Schwartznegger still needs to back the SB840 single payer health insurance plan to cover all Californians with comprehensive, affordable, and efficient insurance. It will cost less, and cover all Californians for health, dental, eye care, and prevention. It will eliminate the incremental unaffordable patchwork that requires more taxes, multiple costly insurance companies, use of multiple public programs, inadequate insurance with high deductibles for the working poor, etc. The cost will predictably get worse with people still waiting in line to see if they are elgible. He needs to get on Board with the state assembly and senate and the majority of Californians who want this. It is time now to stop leaving workers, the poor, and even business behind. Get employers and profit making health insurance companies out of health care and start working for families. Leave capitalism for video games, iphones, computers, and automobiles, refrigerators, software, etc. Have courage to change the future for the better for all Californians, and start a tidal wave of change across the country. Then you will solve the problems of the people, demonstrate real courage, insure your place in history, and not be succumbing to the wealthy and the special interests.

[perception5]

Write this down .......Arnie will bring Calfornia into the Republican column in 2008 Presidential elections.......no matter if it's Mit, Rudy, or John.......

Wow!

[bildooreilly]

"Any of those kinds of real big, powerful special interests, if you take money from them, you owe them something."

- Arnold Schwarzenegger
August 31, 2003

"I don't need to take any money from anybody [because] I have plenty of money myself."

- Arnold Schwarzenegger


Governor raked in $28.8 million from '04 donors
The fund-raising feat doubles what Davis collected his first year.

SACRAMENTO BEE | FEBRUARY 01, 2005
by Dan Smith and Alexa H. Bluth

"This is a staggering amount of money for any politician, but even more so for a governor who came into office promising to get rid of money in politics," said Doug Heller of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.

Bob Stern of the Los Angeles-based Center for Governmental Studies said it is difficult to compare Schwarzenegger to Davis, who amassed millions for his own re-election efforts rather than ballot measure committees.

"But it still is an enormous sum of money, and obviously he received a lot of it from what he might even call a special interest," Stern said.

"He's getting a lot of money from people who want something from government, and that's by definition a special interest."

[bildooreilly]

Face it most politicians are psychopaths. The nuts are running the asylum...

[bildooreilly]

"My relationship to power and authority is that I'm all for it." -- Arnold Schwarzenegger at 44 to US News and World Report in 1990.

"People need somebody to watch over them... Ninety-five percent of the people in the world need to be told what to do and how to behave." -- Arnold Schwarzenegger at 44 to US News and World Report in 1990.

"My friends don't want me to mention Kurt's name, because of all the recent Nazi stuff and the U.N. controversy, but I love him and Maria does too, and so thank you, Kurt."
Arnold Schwarzenegger on his friend and fellow Austrian Kurt Waldheim, a Nazi war criminal

"I was born to be a leader. I love the fact that millions of people look up to me."

I was always dreaming about very powerful people, dictators and things like that. I was just always impressed by people who could be remembered for hundreds of years, or even, like Jesus, be for thousands of years remembered."
Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1977 film Pumping Iron

[randalds]

Arnie has turned out to be a much better Governor once he got the message from the voters that he was headed in the wrong direction. Like every good leader he realized that he works for us, the people of California and was under the obligation to do as we say. The same thing should be applied to the president. He works for us, we are his boss and he must do as he is told to by us. He constantly says ignorant things like he knows this war is unpopular, but he's going to go forward with it anyway. That's not his job. The people have told him to get out of this war and it's his job to shut the fu*ck up, salute and do as he is told.

[lieberman181]

Ahhhh, the Liberal Bozo Fascist Clowns.

Schwarzenegger inherited one of the worst fiscal crises in American, if not just California history. Years of moddycuddyling ILLEGAL immigrants by the Dems, especially by sewermouth Phil Burton,and his coterie of Anti-American Mechistas, including Cruz Bustamante and Tony Villaraigosa, and an economic policy run amok, which did very little for injured workers but drove small businesses away, ended up bankrupting California.

Davis, the pathetic Centrist Dem, tried to alleviate the crisis by hiking the cost of car registrations, he would dare not cancel all the perks to ILLEGALs or to the prison community, nor offend his G-AY base either. The average citizen had to suffer.

Arnie started off on the right track, but was quickly derail by the special interests and by the clueless California voters, who apparently didn't mind high housing costs, taxes, or ILLEGALS.

California is slightly better off, and he is a decent governor, but the problems remain, and they may get worse - thanks to those he wishes to placate, not terminate.

[jerr11]

Arnie,

Wake up! McCain is a phony, like the rest of the GOP sleaze machine, except perhaps for Hagel and you.

Keep it real man! Like you said, stay above party politics, and keep up the good work in CA!