Arnold Blasts Bush On ABC

13 July 2008 |permalink | email article

Why does California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger continue to masquerade as a Republican when he and his party are so far apart on many popular issues, notably the environment?

Schwarzenegger, in an exclusive interview with George Stephanopolous to air Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” blasts President Bush and his administration for its failure to counter global warming emissions.

“They just don’t believe in it or they didn’t believe that they should do anything about it, since China is not doing anything about it and since India is not willing to do the same thing, so why should we do the same thing.”

His comments came in reaction to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent decision not to take further action against global warming during the remainder of Bush’s presidency.

The governor, who touted California’s strides to counter the problem, said any action taken by the administration now would seem insincere “six months before you leave office. “

Still, Schwarzenegger continues to support John McCain, even though he strongly opposes the presumptive GOP nominee’s support for the renewal of offshore oil drilling in the California – certain to back Barack Obama in November by a large margin.

The moderate governor is termed out in 2010.

If he has any aspirations to run for the U.S. Senate as a Republican – and he’s dropped no hints – his celebrity status which got him to Sacramento and earned him points on the environment may not be enough in a race against uber-liberal
Barbara Boxer.

UPDATE: Asked on “This Week” this morning about whether he might be open to becoming ‘energy czar’ in an Obama administration the governor didn’t exactly reject the idea. Is wife Maria Shriver, a key Obama backer, working behind the scene? 

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