Wednesday, August 20, 2008

A State Without a Budget: Day 51 (& 13 revisited) -SCHWARZENEGGER TO SPEAK AT REPUBLICAN CONVENTION + SOUNDS LIKE SCHWARZENEGGER WOULD ACCEPT OBAMA CABINET POST

Two places at once
or having your Kate...

Schwarzenegger to Speak at Republican Convention

Schwarzenegger, whose theme is expected to be the story of John McCain's life, brings rare star power to the GOP lineup.
The California governor has said he would not attend the convention if the state budget is not in place.

Governor Schwarzenegger

Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

 

By Michael Rothfeld, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

8:06 AM PDT, August 20, 2008 -- SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is slated for a prime-time speaking slot on the opening night of the Republican National Convention in September, along with President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, according to sources familiar with his plans.

Schwarzenegger, whose theme is expected to be the story of John McCain's life, brings rare star power to the GOP lineup. He is also more moderate politically than the typical Republican convention delegate.

Schwarzenegger is currently negotiating with lawmakers to end California's nearly two-month budget standoff. He said last week that he would not attend the convention if there is no spending plan in place when the convention begins on Sept. 1, which is Labor Day.

Matt David, Schwarzenegger's spokesman, said the governor was "totally unwilling to accept that a budget can't be done by Labor Day."

The convention will be held in Minneapolis-St. Paul from Sept. 1 through 4

and nowhere at all —
...and Edith too?

Sounds like Schwarzenegger would accept an Obama Cabinet post

Top of the Ticket

Evan halper wrote in the LA Times Top of the Ticket Blog

July 13, 2008 - As if he's not got enough to worry about with helpers like Phil Gramm, John McCain is learning the hard way that having the Gubernator on the stump for you can be a gamble.

The California governor appeared by tape on ABC’s "This Week" today intended, everybody thought, to give a boost to the Arizona senator's Republican candidacy for the White House.

A not always tight-lipped Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California

But instead, when asked, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger seemed to suggest he would have no qualms about joining an administration run by someone called Barack Obama -- who, if memory serves, is the Democrat actually opposing the Republican man the Republican Schwarzenegger endorsed for president.

The show's host, George Stephanopoulos, questioned the governor about a report in Newsweek that the Democratic senator, if elected president, might ask the Republican governor to serve in an Obama Cabinet post, as something like an energy czar. Which is Russian for big kahuna, but you get the point.

The immediate answer from most any other McCain surrogate would be: "Are you serious?" "What are you drinking from that cup, George?" "Of course not." "Absolutely not." "No." An outburst of laughter combined with a shaking head. Or perhaps a cackle.

Everyone understands Schwarzenegger's got to live with his wife, Maria Shriver, who's a Democrat. And she's endorsed the other guy. Fine.

But instead of full support, what the McCain camp got was their surrogate nibbling at the Democratic bait.

Stephanopoulos: “If he were president and he called, you would at least take that call?”

Schwarzenegger: “I would take his call now, I will take his call when he's President. Any time. Remember, no matter who is president, I don't see this as a political thing, I see this as we always have to help no matter what the administration is.”

"When" Obama's president?

The governor might try to "clarify" Monday. But with friends like these ...

 

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