Posted on 01/05/2007 1:34:35 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO, United States (AFP) - A hobbling Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in as California governor here, nailing his colors firmly to the center-ground and calling for a new era of "post-partisan" US politics.
Schwarzenegger, who broke his leg in a Christmas skiing accident, appeared on crutches for a glitzy inauguration ceremony at the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento, California's administrative capital.
"I will look to the future, I will look to the center. I will look to the dreams of the people," Schwarzenegger said in a speech that represented a thinly veiled critique of President George W. Bush's administration.
The action-hero-turned-Republican-governor bucked a nationwide tilt towards the Democrats in November's elections, securing a landslide victory in California to cap a remarkable political turnaround.
Analysts say the 59-year-old "Terminator" star won over voters in the Democrat-dominated state by distancing himself from the Bush administration on issues such as abortion, stem cell research and the environment.
Schwarzenegger said voters could expect more of the same in the next four years, shrugging off critics who accused him of being a closet Democrat when he moved to the center following a disastrous lurch to the right in 2005.
The Austrian-born former muscleman said he had seen the error of his ways after a strong-arm leadership style that sent his popularity plummeting.
"Like Paul on the road to Damascus, I had an experience that opened my eyes," Schwarzenegger said.
"I saw that people, not just in California but across the nation, were hungry for a new kind of politics, a politics that looks beyond the old labels, the old ways, the old arguments."
Voters had grown tired of partisan back-biting and were yearning for an alternative, he said.
"The people are disgusted with a mindset that would rather get nothing done than accomplish something through compromise," he said, calling for an era of "post-partisanship" that borrowed ideas from across the political spectrum.
"It is time we combined the best of both ideologies into a new creative center. This is a dynamic center that is not held captive by either the left or the right or the past.
"Centrist does not mean weak. It does not mean watered down or watered over. It means well-balanced and well-grounded. The American people are instinctively centrist -- so should be our government."
Schwarzenegger also reaffirmed his commitment to the environment, stem cell research, a multibillion-dollar plan to rebuild the state's transport infrastructure and political reform.
On the environment, Schwarzenegger said urgent action was necessary to tackle global warming, ridiculing sceptics who questioned its existence.
"Imagine your child is sick with a rising fever. If 98 out of 100 doctors said the child needed immediate treatment and two said the child was fine, who would you listen to? The 98 or the two?," he said.
"Should we do nothing about global warming on the slim chance a few sceptics who deny its existence may be right. No, we should not."
Under Schwarzenegger, California has set targets aimed at slashing the state's carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent by the year 2020 and by another 80 percent by 2050.
Schwarzenegger was elected California governor in 2003 following a historic recall election that ousted Democrat predecessor Gray Davis.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger(L) takes the oath with his wife Maria Shriver(C) at his side at his swearing-in ceremony in Sacramento, California. A hobbling Schwarzenegger was sworn in as California governor, nailing his colors firmly to the center-ground and calling for a new era of "post-partisan" US politics.(AFP/Hector Mata)
You can just as easily substitute Progressive, a socialist or TWirP for centrist..
Ohhhh....raising taxes again for a new ,different and more urgent reason...I thought it was the same ole money and power grab...???
"Should we do nothing about global warming on the slim chance a few sceptics who deny its existence may be right. No, we should not."
a whole lot more than a few arnold. the author did a nice job getting the spelling right for that quote too.
"I will look to the future, I will look to the center. I will look to the dreams of the people,"
Don'tcha just love political rhetoric. Of course, this sentence doesn't specify anything he will actually do.
Most people in California dream of being taking care of, being on perpetual holiday, having health care and housing and maybe even food paid for by someone else, and sex without consequences.
BTW, Maria increasingly looks like Skeletor.
I guarantee ya he'll propose a 10% hike over last years budget,, at least.
His first 3 years have seen it rise by 30% or so.. got to take care of all the children, no matter whose they are or why they are here.
The Austrian-born former muscleman said he had seen the error of his ways after a strong-arm leadership style that sent his popularity plummeting.
"Like Paul on the road to Damascus, I had an experience that opened my eyes," Schwarzenegger said.
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Who's the girly man now?
What an idiotic statement. He *knows* global warming is real....he saw it in a movie.
Had such high hopes for Ah-nuld, but apprently he has gone over to the Dark Side.
And to think it wasn't so long ago that I was actually happy about him running. He's Gray Davis with charisma.
They can always blame his utterings on painkillers..
Not to mention how much California should spend to solve global warming. /s
The living and the dead.
She looks like a poor man's Morticia.
But this compromising always and inevitably takes us further and further left. If I live in New York and my wife wants to move to California, and we compromise and move to Kansas City, I'm still screwed!
LOL...probaby wouldn't be the first office holder to give an inaugral speech while under the influence.
Maria sure looks happy in that picture. /s
She don't look good in that picture!
Also, looks like he borrowed that Bible from Bill Clinton.
The Center. The Mindless Middle.
There may be people "in the middle," but they have an opinion on individual issues, or they simply don't know squat.
When informed, people have seperate opinions on abortion, stem cell research, the environment, taxes, education. They might have a conservative opinion on one issue and a liberal opinion on another. But, there are distinct sides on these issues.
So, Arnold, you're going tick of somebody on every issue. It will just be a different group of people every time.
Me, I'd rather know who my friends are.
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