<font color=green> I knew Ah-nuld and I were kindred spirits.......he's an independent like I was. How long do you think it will be before he becomes a Dem.?! ;~)<font color=black>
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sfgate.com
Schwarzenegger rakes in money
ACTOR'S PROMISE: Candidate says he'd govern as an independent
Carla Marinucci and John Wildermuth, Chronicle Political Writers Tuesday, August 26, 2003
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GOP gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger told a conservative talk radio host Monday that he would be "going to Sacramento as an independent," a statement certain to enrage Republican loyalists who have been reluctant to endorse a moderate.
Schwarzenegger, a registered Republican, made the comment to host Hugh Hewitt in one of two back-to-back interviews on conservative talk radio shows.
"I want to be a governor that is for the people, for everyone, no matter what your age is, your political (affiliation)," he said.
The actor's campaign staff immediately scrambled to put a different spin on the potentially controversial comments.
"He means he's not beholden to anyone. He didn't mean he won't go up (to Sacramento) as a Republican," said Sean Walsh, a spokesman for the actor. "He'll be independent of special interests. They can't own him."
When Schwarzenegger was asked if he would campaign for Republican President George W. Bush and against Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, he gave half an answer.
As far as Bush goes, "I am all the way with him and always will be supportive of him," the actor said, but he wouldn't talk about Boxer's campaign.
The two 15-minute interviews marked Schwarzenegger's first one-on-one radio appearances since he declared his candidacy Aug. 6.
While he delivered some familiar lines about helping California's economy and jobs, he also ventured into dangerous political territory.
Schwarzenegger took a shot at Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante for the first time, telling San Diego radio host Roger Hedgecock that the leading Democrat in the recall "is (Gov.) Gray Davis with a receding hairline and a mustache. It's the same person. Same philosophy."
The actor said Davis must be recalled because he has devastated the state economy.
"Gov. (Pete) Wilson has handed over this state in a fantastic economic situation . . . we had a multibillion surplus," he said. "We are now having a $38 billion deficit."
ANOTHER VIEW OF BUDGET
The governor's office responded that the actor painted a far-too-rosy picture of the state's finances at the end of Wilson's terms in office.
"They basically spent everything they had, except for a $1 billion in reserve. There was no multibillion surplus," said Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for Davis. "The $38 billion deficit is gone. We have $8 billion in 2004, and we're working to narrow that down."
With 42 days until the Oct. 7 election, Schwarzenegger's telephone visits to the Southern California talk radio shows were aimed at the same conservative voters courted by his former GOP rival, Bill Simon.
Although Simon pulled out of the governor's race Saturday, he continued to make his voice heard Monday by releasing a detailed budget that could put pressure on Schwarzenegger and GOP candidates state Sen. Tom McClintock and businessman Peter Ueberroth to do the same.
CONTINUING ROLE IN THE RACE
Simon's plan would dump the recent increase in the vehicle registration and proposes specific ways to close the $8 billion deficit the state is expected to face next year.
Simon made it clear he wants to hold other Republicans' feet to the budget fire.
"Though I am no longer a candidate, I want the people of California and the remaining candidates to know that the structural deficit can be erased without a single dollar of higher taxes," he said.
Simon's plan unabashedly appeals to the small government, anti-tax, conservative voters his campaign tried to cultivate.
With Simon's proposed cuts now on the table, Schwarzenegger, McClintock and Ueberroth could be forced to either support the proposals or explain to those same conservative voters why they won't.
"We want solutions, but nobody is pushing the campaigns to develop solutions," said Wayne Johnson, Simon's top political strategist. "Hey, someone has to have an idea in this campaign, even if it's a former candidate."
SIMON'S PLAN FOR CUTS
Under Simon's plan, the state would sell $800,000 worth of surplus land and buildings and save $3 billion by rooting out fraud in government programs, $4.6 billion by forcing every state department to cut costs by 6.5 percent and $4.9 million by slashing 19 government programs, many of them serving the poor and the elderly.
Specific cuts include eliminating cost-of-living increases for many people receiving state benefits, cutting grants to the disabled, slashing scholarship aid at state colleges and universities, requiring co-payments for Medi-Cal and AIDS Drug Assistance Plan recipients and eliminating all optional Medi-Cal services, such as artificial limbs, diabetes testing supplies, wheelchairs and oxygen tanks.
"There's not a lot of choice in what you can legally cut," Johnson said. "California would still be around the national average" in payments to the poor, elderly and disabled.
"Would we like to be above the national average? Yes, but we can't afford that right now."
Simon's withdrawal Saturday from the campaign probably helps McClintock the most. McClintock and his backers believe the end of Simon's effort leaves the veteran legislator as the lone conservative alternative to moderates like Schwarzenegger and Ueberroth.
"The departure of Bill Simon leaves . . . McClintock standing alone as the consistent, experienced small-government advocate in the race," said the conservative California Republican Liberty Caucus in a statement released Monday.
McClintock will begin airing television ads this week and vows that he's in the governor's race to stay.
With Simon gone from the race, it would be good for GOP chances in October if McClintock and Ueberroth followed him, Schwarzenegger said.
"Mathematically speaking, it will be much better if they drop out," the actor said, although he admitted that is something they will have to decide for themselves.
Still, he added, "it will definitely be better for the party . . .. (and) it will give me a better chance to win."
E-mail the writers at cmarinucci@sfchronicle.com and jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com.
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