Schwarzenegger backs McCain while praising Obama

[August 01, 2008]  SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- How many governors endorse one candidate for president and then even before the election leave the door open to working in his opponent's administration? One so far: Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The former bodybuilder and actor boasts that he's California's first "post-partisan" governor.

The middle-of-the-road Republican uses his willingness to cross party lines as a way to connect with the state's Democratic-leaning electorate. But the presidential race between John McCain and Barack Obama is putting this ideological squishiness to the test.

Schwarzenegger endorsed McCain, his friend and fellow Republican, and will appear on the Arizona senator's behalf at the Republican National Convention this summer.

Yet Schwarzenegger also has made clear that McCain's likely opponent, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, wouldn't be so bad. He commonly answers questions about global warming and other topics by saying that either candidate will be a big improvement over President Bush.

Earlier this month, Schwarzenegger responded to a hypothetical question by saying he wouldn't rule out a job in an Obama administration. This prompted a furious backlash from conservative bloggers.

"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," he said.

Schwarzenegger added that he intends to finish the last term he's allowed as governor, which ends in 2010.

Straddling the political fence fits his personality. Even in his weightlifting and acting days, Schwarzenegger sought to align himself with leaders and trendsetters.

He also is chief executive of a state where Obama leads McCain by double digits in polls.

And his wife, Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family, endorsed Obama before California's February primary. The governor often jokes about political disagreements with his wife. He says their two sons side with him in this year's presidential contest, but their two daughters side with Shriver.

Schwarzenegger has portrayed Obama's campaign theme of change as a political opportunity for him. In June, he said it could help him win votes for a redistricting initiative he supports on California's November ballot.

"If Obama is running around talking about change, ... maybe this is the year of change," he told the San Francisco Chronicle. "This is our opportunity. Let's take the word, change. Yes, let's change the system in California because there needs to be change."

That sort of talk rankles Republicans like Mike Spence, president of the conservative California Republican Assembly, who has accused Schwarzenegger of ruining the GOP brand in California.

"He's never been afraid to throw nominees under the bus," Spence said. "In his own election in '06, you know, he abandoned every Republican on the ticket, so the fact that he's wishy-washy in his comments now is nothing new for him."

The McCain campaign referred calls about Schwarzenegger to California Republican Party spokesman Hector Barajas, who said Schwarzenegger and McCain agree far more than they disagree. He said he expects Schwarzenegger to campaign for McCain once a stalemate over California's budget is resolved.

With the possibility that Obama will win the White House, Schwarzenegger may be pragmatically hedging his bets, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College in Southern California.

"Arnold doesn't like to back losers. His whole career was based on being a winner, and he doesn't put his money on long shots," Pitney said.

Schwarzenegger has differences with McCain on abortion rights, health care and withdrawing troops from Iraq, but their most public split is over offshore oil drilling. McCain dropped his opposition to it; Schwarzenegger remains opposed.

When Bush lifted a presidential ban on offshore drilling last month and McCain voiced support, Schwarzenegger told a Florida audience that any politician who promises new drilling will ease gas prices in the short term is "blowing smoke."

"America is so addicted to oil that it will take years to wean ourselves from it," he said. "Finding new ways to feed our addiction is not the answer."

Yet, Schwarzenegger says either McCain or Obama would outdo Bush in protecting the environment and promoting alternative energy.

"Both of the candidates are interested in looking for a plan and they are interested in solving global warming, the problem, they are strong on the environment," he told a San Diego biotech conference.

Despite Schwarzenegger's praise for Obama, Joel Fox, a California-based Republican consultant, says he won't sell out McCain in hope of getting favors from a Democratic president.

"I don't think he's abandoning McCain at all," Fox said. "They may have issues, particularly on the offshore drilling issue, but he's specifically said that difference of opinion is not driving him away from this endorsement."

Recently, Schwarzenegger said he remains "100 percent" behind McCain.

"That we don't agree on everything, that's clear, nor do I with my wife," he said. "It doesn't mean that we should split."

[Associated Press; By JULIET WILLIAMS]

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