Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Schwarzenegger announces bid for governer.

Phaenx · 08-06-2003, 05:45 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/...nce/index.html

Story:

Quote:

Schwarzenegger announces bid for governor
Springer nixes U.S. Senate race in Ohio
By Sean Loughlin
CNN Washington Bureau
Wednesday, August 6, 2003 Posted: 9:36 PM EDT (0136 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- After dropping hints about his political ambitions, movie action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Wednesday that he will run for California governor in an October recall election.

The surprise announcement came during a Wednesday afternoon taping of NBC's "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno which is scheduled to air Wednesday night. Prior to the taping, it had been widely speculated that Schwarzenegger, 56, would announce he would not run.

The Austrian-born movie star and moderate Republican helped fuel speculation about his political ambitions this summer, just as his movie "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" was being released.

California voters will decide October 7 whether to recall Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat, and who should replace him.

Although Schwarzenegger has never before sought political office, his fame and fortune are expected to make him a formidable candidate against a crowded field of lesser-knowns in an abbreviated two-month campaign.

At openings for his movie, Schwarzenegger quipped about his "terminator" role and Davis' future, and he has been very critical of the Democratic incumbent.

The actor is married to a member of America's most prominent Democratic political family -- Maria Shriver, a niece of President John F. Kennedy.

The announcement came amid a flurry of such news.

Socialite-turned-columnist Arianna Huffington threw her hat into the California gubernatorial recall race earlier Wednesday while talk show host Jerry Springer announced he would not run for the U.S. Senate in Ohio.

"I can't do it at this time," Springer said, stressing the challenge of overcoming his controversial show, where guests often brawl.

Huffington, an author and a political independent, announced her decision before supporters gathered in Los Angeles, California.

"I'm not, to say the least, a conventional candidate," Huffington said, taking note of her Greek accent. But, she said, "If we keep electing the same kind of politicians who got us into the same kind of mess, funded by the same kind of special interests, we'll never get out of this mess."

Also, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, released a written statement Wednesday, saying she would not be a candidate in the governor's race.(Full story)

Other major Republican names expected in the race include Rep. Darrell Issa of San Diego County, who helped finance the petition effort that triggered the recall; state Sen. Tom McClintock of Ventura County; and businessman Bill Simon, who lost to Davis in the general election nine months ago.

Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, who was considering a bid for governor, has said he would not run if Schwarzenegger did.

A representative of Gary Coleman, who played Arnold Drummond in the 1980s sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes," filed the necessary petition signatures and paid the required fee to place the actor's name on the California ballot for governor.

Coleman, 35, who lives in Los Angeles County, could not be reached for comment. But his campaign treasurer, Steve Buel, who filed the paperwork in Oakland, told CNN that the actor's name "resonates with the voters."

Huffington, 53, had said she would not be a candidate if Feinstein, one of California's most popular politicians, entered the race.

Huffington, who has written several books on politics and culture, was once married to Michael Huffington, a former U.S. Senate candidate and onetime GOP member of the U.S. House. The couple divorced in 1997 and he later revealed that he is gay.

Politically, Huffington has moved from being a Republican to a populist-styled independent. She has never held public office, but is well known through her commentaries on radio and television.

The California race has already drawn dozens of contenders, including Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt.

Dick Rosengarten, editor and publisher of California Political Week, told CNN Wednesday that the California race was drawing so many candidates it was in danger of becoming a farce.

"You know what they say about politics," Rosengarten said. "It's show business for ugly people."

In Ohio, Springer, host of the controversial self-titled talk show, told supporters gathered in a hotel in Columbus that he would not run for the U.S. Senate against GOP incumbent George Voinovich.

Springer, 59 and a Democrat, said he couldn't get his message through the "clutter of the show."

In interviews this year, Springer had strongly suggested he would run and he filed candidacy papers last month.

Awesome to the max. I'd vote for him if only for the fact that he's Conan the Barbarian.