Arnold Keeps his distance from Bush
George Grapman
Bush to visit Southern California -- governor plans to be elsewhere
Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, concerned that the decline in President
Bush's popularity will pull down his special election measures, is not
expected to appear with the president when he visits California next week.
Bush is scheduled to attend a fundraiser in Los Angeles for the
Republican National Committee on Thursday and help cut the ribbon Friday
at the opening of the new Air Force One exhibit at the Ronald Reagan
Presidential Library in Simi Valley.
Although the governor's staff will not confirm his schedule this far in
advance, sources said Schwarzenegger is not planning to attend either
event. He is tentatively scheduled to campaign next week, possibly in
the Central Valley, on the days of the visit.
Neither the governor nor the president is popular with a majority of
voters in California. But with the Nov. 8 special election barely three
weeks away, the Republican governor needs the support of Democrats and
independents -- as well as his party's voters -- to pass his self-styled
reform agenda.
Some Republicans said that from a practical viewpoint, it makes sense
for the Republican governor of a Democratic-leaning state to keep some
miles between himself and the president.
"The reality is that the knee-jerk reaction by the governor's opponents
to take him down is to call (Schwarzenegger) a Bush Republican," said
Bill Whalen, a research fellow with the Hoover Institution. "So if he
hangs out with the president, it's probably a photo op he doesn't need.''
Whalen said Schwarzenegger's priority must be the four initiatives that
he wants voters to approve: changes in teachers' tenure (Proposition
74), prohibiting public employee unions from using dues for political
purposes without their members' permission (Prop. 75), budget changes
(Prop. 76) and redistricting (Prop. 77).
"With respect to the president, the biggest favor he can do is stay out
of this election," Whalen said. "Arnold doesn't want this to be a
referendum on the war in Iraq, the price of gasoline and (Supreme Court
nominee) Harriet Miers."
But Schwarzenegger's plan to skip Bush's visit has dismayed some
Republicans at a time the president faces intense criticism over the
Miers nomination, the war in Iraq and the possibility that aide Karl
Rove might be indicted.
A White House emissary, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the
governor is getting bad counsel from his advisers. It will appear, "at a
time when the president needs the support of a Republican governor (that
Schwarzenegger) is turning his back" on Bush, the GOP leader said.
Moreover, the Republican leader said, Schwarzenegger's decision suggests
"he prefers John McCain to George Bush,'' a reference to the governor's
high-profile campaign swing in California last week alongside the
maverick Republican senator from Arizona.
Schwarzenegger raised eyebrows among national Republican leaders last
month when he told The Chronicle in an interview that he preferred that
Bush schedule his California visit after the election.
But Democrats said that, like it or not, the failure of the Republican
governor to appear alongside the president will be ammunition for their
side.
"The governor is trying to create some distance between himself and the
president. ... But we're going to make that connection every day of the
week,'' said California's Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez.
GOP spokeswoman Karen Hanretty said Democrats are simply trying to
change the focus from Schwarzenegger's calls for reform.
"I don't expect Gov. Schwarzenegger to be hanging out with George Bush
in California. We're facing some very serious issues in the state -- and
unless the president of the United States is coming to town to hand over
federal money to the governor to help us solve our problems, I don't see
why the governor would allow himself to be distracted with the
president's fundraising trip," she said.
White House officials, meanwhile, shrugged off the issue.
"We always extend an invitation to the governor whenever we travel to
the state," White House deputy press secretary Ken Lisiaus said Friday.
"I have not heard anything back at this point, (but) we certainly enjoy
a good working relationship with the governor
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