Arnold Schwarzenegger

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he will find another way to help close the state's $20 billion budget deficit after the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused him to withdraw his support for a plan to expand oil drilling off the California coast. Schwarzenegger announced his decision on the plan Monday, saying TV images of the spill made him change his mind about the safety of ocean-based oil platforms. "You turn on the television and see this enormous disaster, you say to yourself, 'Why would we want to take on that kind of risk?'" he said at a news conference near Sacramento.

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday he does not support a state boycott of businesses or local governments in Arizona, but a leading state senator said he would press ahead with the boycott drive. The Republican governor said he would rather see Congress and the president make changes in federal immigration policy than take actions against Arizona. San Francisco on Monday, meanwhile, moved forward with its own boycott efforts, releasing a list of 81 vendors that are headquartered in Arizona and could be subject to a city boycott.

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, a fellow Republican, called the Arizona law "a mess" during a Thursday appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. "As governor here, I would never do that in California. Pass a law like that – no way," he said.

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"Maria and I applaud President Obama for winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The President has consistently shown that he is committed to reaching out to other nations and positioning America to once again be the global leader for peace and prosperity. This is a great honor for our country and reminds us all of the promise our nation holds. I look forward to working with him to address future challenges facing our nation. On behalf of all Californians, I congratulate President Obama for winning this inspiring award."

TPM

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"It doesn't matter if you are a big-time movie actor or a big-time movie director or producer," Schwarzenegger told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "I think that he is a very respected person, and I am a big admirer of his work. But nevertheless, I think he should be treated like everyone else."

CNN

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CA.gov

Governor Schwarzenegger announced today that he has signed legislation that will help protect California's environment. The new laws will help reduce air pollution, clean up contaminated property caused by methamphetamine labs, encourage recycling, and protect pristine wilderness.

"We must be diligent in our efforts to keep California at the forefront of environmental protection and resource efficiency, improving our surroundings and making our state a better place to live, visit and employ people," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "Protecting our environment and preserving California's natural beauty for future generations is a top priority for my administration."

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San Francisco Chronicle

Schwarzenegger calls for 'rebranding' GOP

And the governor, in an interview with The Chronicle last week, had some candid advice and observations, not only about the GOP brand - but on McCain's efforts to expand his appeal to independents and disillusioned Democrats.

"The Republican idea is a great idea, but we can't go and get stuck with just the right wing," Schwarzenegger said. "Let's let the party come all the way to the center. Let those people be heard as much as the right. Let it be the big tent we've talked about.

"Let's invade and let's cross over that (political) center," he said. "The issues that they're talking about? Let them be our issues, and let the party be known for that."

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You be the judge.

Swine Flu Outbreak Escalates As California Declares State of Emergency

The government's request underscores how seriously U.S. officials are treating the threat. Alarmed by the growing number of swine flu cases and the possibility that a California man may have died from the disease, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency today to help deal with the outbreak.

Schwarzenegger Statement on World Health Organization’s Pandemic Alert Being Raised to Level 5 
 

From the moment the first cases of swine flu arose in California, my administration has responded vigorously by deploying resources and preparing for the additional cases of swine flu that we are now seeing. We are already taking the steps that are appropriate for a level 5 pandemic alert.

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TopNews

Defending Obama, Schwarzenegger was quoted by the Washington Times as saying: "I know because of conversations I had with the president about Special Olympics, as the international coach of Special Olympics, I know where his heart is at. He loves the Special Olympics. He will do everything he can to help Special Olympics."

"Everyone of us sometimes makes a mistake - something comes out of your mouth and you say ''Oops, I wish I wouldn''t have said that.'' I have many of those," he added.

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San Diego Union-Tribune

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger once accused Barack Obama of proposing "spread-the-wealth ideas" that recalled European socialism. On Thursday, he showered praise on the president for sharing the wealth – billions of stimulus dollars from Washington.

At a town hall-style event at a school gymnasium in downtown, the Republican governor stood side by side with the Democratic president in a show of bipartisanship in an era marked by partisan division in Congress. The governor strongly endorsed the president's economic plans at a time when Obama is trying to enlist support to overhaul health care, change energy policies and spend more on highways, education and other programs to lift the troubled economy.

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New York Times

Across the country, from California’s Arnold Schwarzenegger to Florida’s Charlie Crist and New England’s Jim Douglas in Vermont and M. Jodi Rell in Connecticut, Republican governors showed in the stimulus debate that they could be allies with Mr. Obama even as Congressional Republicans spurned him.

Recently, Governors Schwarzenegger, Crist, Douglas and Rell joined 14 Democratic governors in signing a letter to Mr. Obama lauding his economic plan.

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On ABC's "This Week" this morning, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger praised President Obama. He called his stimulus plan "terrific." He defended his support of tax increases in California, noting that even Ronald Reagan did so, and he signalled that he understood why Obama would want to raise taxes on the upper class. And he expressed support for high speed rail and universal health care.

[Wilshire & Washington]

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NYtimes

For some — mostly Democrats but also a few prominent moderate Republicans — the bill represents an admittedly imperfect but desperately needed infusion of cash that will help them avert thousands of layoffs.

 

For others — predominantly conservative Southern Republicans — the flaws partly outweigh the benefits. And for those with presidential aspirations, the strong stance in opposition to the Obama administration may be seen as a way to stand out and stake a claim to leadership.

 

With state budgets teetering, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, one of the moderates and a supporter of the stimulus bill, emphasized the need for Republicans in state houses and in Congress to be “team players” in facing the economic crisis and not to be bound unduly by party orthodoxies.

“You’ve got to go beyond just the principles,” he told George Stephanapolous on ABC’s “This Week.”

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EPA denies California's right to mandate emissions

Schwarzenegger assailed the EPA for "standing in our way" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "California sued to compel the agency to act on our waiver, and now we will sue to overturn today's decision and allow Californians to protect our environment," he said in a prepared statement. California Air Resources Board Chairwoman Mary Nichols, whose agency requested the waiver two years ago, said there was no "patchwork" of standards. "There is a California greenhouse gas standard . . . which 16 other states would adopt, whereas there is no federal greenhouse gas standard," she said.

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California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced on Wednesday that he will look to implement a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures, the latest move by state and local legislators to slow the number of foreclosures. The forced stay on foreclosure proceedings, if enacted, will target properties backed by a first mortgage on which a notice of default has been filed, according to a press statement from the governor’s office.