Arnold the Gladiator

02 March 2006 |permalink | email article

Just asking: Is Arnold Schwarzenegger really serious about being governor or is the former world-class bodybuilder and Hollywood action star reverting to type? Barring a last minute stay for critical state business, he’ll star as a ìgladiatorî god to launch a weekend fitness expo in Ohio.

A blood-and-guts gladiator match is touted as the spectacular kickoff of the annual Arnold Fitness Expo and Arnold Classic, a mixture of competitions and challenges in 30 sports this weekend in Columbus.

But critics wonder anew whether his current political role is really a cover for an unrequited passion for an emergent sport, touted in ads, the San Francisco Chronicle noted, ìas pure might battling pure fear,î a marriage of ìraw power and brute forceî complete with girls, guts, blood and plenty of grit.

Last fall, the governor signed legislation paving the way for gladiator fighting to be legal in California ñ where the first such state-sanctioned card, described by a pay-for-view fight promoter as ìlegalized barroom brawlsî, is planned for next week in San Jose.

The sport is also known as cage fighting or mixed martial arts. Arizona Sen. John McCain, who will headline a $$$$  fundraiser for the governor this month in Beverly Hills, has condemned it as ìbarbaricî cockfighting with humans.

Schwarzeneggerís fascination with bread and circuses comes as a new Field Poll reveals that while he’s still unpopular with voters, his studied remake has given a slight boost to his re-election prospects. Field pollster Mark DiCamillo says many voters are still reappraising him. It’s not surprising.

ìTheyíre a little puzzled because theyíre not sure which Schwarzenegger theyíll see, the more bipartisan governor or the partisan Republican of 2005.î Hereís a hint: On ìMeet the Pressî this past Sunday he described himself as an ìArnold Republican.î

Will his machismo play, especially with women and conservative voters, succeed? He needs 80% of the Republican vote to win re-election. The new survey notes his conservative support has fallen from 61% last fall to 54% today. Perception matters in politics and the image of the ìgladiatorî card, which finally caught up with Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, could send Arnold back to Muscle Beach. 

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