Once Invincible Schwarzenegger Looking More Mortal

By Adam Tanner

SAN FRANCISCO - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is showing himself to be an ordinary mortal after all with a significant policy retreat on Thursday and a new poll showing his approval rating down sharply.

Swept into office in an unprecedented recall election in 2003, the Republican’s approval rating fell to 43 percent from 59 percent in January, according to a Survey and Policy Research Institute poll released on Thursday.

The former bodybuilding and Hollywood star seeks to portray himself as an man above the partisan fray, but his effort to govern with a Democratic-dominated legislature has run into a difficult patch.

Phil Trounstine, director of the San Jose State University institute that conducted the poll, said there was a difference between running for office as an outsider and holding the job.

"People listen to what the governor says. And when he’s constantly out on the stump arguing that the state is a mess, it has an effect," he said.

Since taking office in late 2003, Schwarzenegger has repeatedly threatened to bypass legislators by going directly to the people with ballot measures.

He is gathering signatures for several initiatives later this year, although he backed down on Thursday from a top priority, presenting a ballot measure on partial privatization of California’s public pension system.

STAGED EVENTS

Accustomed to adulation, Schwarzenegger has been dogged by union protesters during recent appearances. On Tuesday, he arrived at a San Francisco fund-raiser hours early to avoid a large crowd of demonstrators outside.

Schwarzenegger typically attends carefully staged events. On Thursday afternoon he attended his third "Citizens’ Kitchen Cabinet," at which he meets a few Californians to talk about public policy issues.

Anne Speake, who hosted one of the gatherings at her home in Fresno two weeks ago, described extensive preparations.

"The people started coming out, the lighting people, and they brought out a big generator and cables through my garage," she said in an interview. "Evidently the people who do the lighting did, for example, Reagan’s funeral and the Academy Awards."

The makeover made way for Schwarzenegger to meet Speake, who described herself as a big supporter of the governor, and three others. A few journalists were also allowed to attend.

"This is not a real dialogue with the public," Democratic Assemblyman Noreen Evans said on Thursday. "This is a gimmick and part of an alarming trend."

The Survey and Policy Research Institute poll of 1,030 Californians between March 28 and April 1 found 49 percent saying Schwarzenegger was too interested in "gimmicks, public relations and image," and 62 percent said he should put more effort into working with legislators.

The poll had a three percent margin of error. (Reuters)

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