Posted on 11/20/2004 10:30:19 AM PST by calcowgirl
Gov.'s World Tour May Be a Presidential Campaign Trail
As Schwarzenegger racks up global photo ops, backers seek to amend the Constitution.
SACRAMENTO — More and more, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is acting as if he wants to be president.
Though he insists he is not aiming for the Oval Office, Schwarzenegger is keeping a public schedule that repeatedly puts him in forums that cast him as a political figure of global stature.
(snip)
But Schwarzenegger has shown surpassing ambition in his bodybuilding, acting and political careers. He is not easily deterred by conventional wisdom.
He signed no deals and created no new jobs during his recent four-day trade mission to Tokyo, but the governor produced one enduring image that could pay off should he ever run for president: a face-to-face meeting with the Japanese prime minister.
"More popular than Bush," Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said of California's governor at a brief photo op during which the two sat side-by-side and joked.
One year into his term, Schwarzenegger has visited the king of Jordan and the prime minister of Israel. At President Bush's behest, he represented the U.S. at a state funeral for the Austrian president in July. He is planning visits next year to China and Europe, where he can expect to meet still more foreign leaders, garner more international press attention and speed his evolution in the public consciousness from entertainer to serious political figure.
"He's enhancing his presence on the international stage," said Rep. David Dreier (R-San Dimas), an advisor to Schwarzenegger.
"The biggest hurdle for any presidential candidate is to be seen credibly as a national and international leader," said Dan Schnur, a Sacramento political consultant with ties to Schwarzenegger's administration. "Every time Arnold appears in one of these settings, it makes him that much more credible."
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(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I think there are two chances of a constitutional amendment that would allow Arnold to run: none and nonexistent (now that Albright has come out in favor).
"More and more, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is acting as if he wants to be president."
Keyword being "acting".
He's not a leader, he's not a conservative, he's not eligible to be President. Let's keep it that way.
Arnold is not presidential material. He'd never be governor of California if he had to face a GOP primary. Plus, Arnold is married to that Kennedy scarecrow - not good, not good.
The whole idea of amending the Constitution for Arnold is ridiculous. Can you imagine the deals that would be brokered with the dems to get it done?
I wouldn't vote for Arnold in a primary, much less think about changing the Constitution for him.
...meanwhile, back in Kaleefornya, innocent unborn face murder for medical research...
Writing this response as a Californian, I increasingly believe the real, hidden point of the recall was precisely to get Arnold into the governor's chair without having to face a primary. I don't think it's any coincidence that Orrin Hatch started the ball rolling before the recall to try changing the Constitution. I also don't think it's any coincidence that a group "just happens" to spring up with the funding necessary to run ads trying to generate public support for the idea, or that Dana Rhorbacher and other power brokers in the state are helping push the idea.
I am also beginning to wonder if Arnold is a Trojan Horse to help the Kennedy family try to get back to the WH.
Wow..It will NOT happen..The Constitution will not be amended over Arnold..
when pigs fly...
Hasta la vista, baby!
It seems that the Governor, who was too busy doing "California's business" to leave the state and campaign for Bush (other than in Ohio), has had plenty of time to build his global photo portfolio.
I'm not sure Arnold can convince the electorate that pigs fly, but he was successful in telling them he would finance his own campaign and California can borrow its way out of debt, so who knows?
The Governator is really pissing me off. Aren't his 15 minutes up? Even I, a naturalized immigrant, think it's a foul ideal to ammend the constitution to allow foreign-born citizens the run for the Presidency, let alone a Hollywood shyster.
I wish he'd give his ego a rest, but I know that's asking for too much.
Pacem
Ugh!
I will never forget that senile fool George Will, drooling over Gennifer Granholm and saying the constitution ought to be ammended so she could run for President.
The entire idea of Arnold becoming POTUS is just silly. Amending the Constitution just for Arnold isn't gonna happen. Not now. Not ever.
Many people said it was a joke and he would never be Governor.
From Mercury News:
Amend rules for America, not just ArnoldAmendforArnold.com is actually AmendforArnold&Jen when you get to the Web site. It's a reference to Gov. Jennifer Granholm, the Canadian-born governor of Michigan (and a Democrat, to show bipartisanship).
FMCDH(BITS)
The Constitution will be ammended for non-native born Americans to be eligible to be president right after they abolish the Electoral College.
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