Posted on 10/29/2004 12:23:58 PM PDT by MarcoPolo
Arnold Schwarzenegger says he would like to at least be able to entertain the thought, but the U.S. Constitution prevents foreign-born people from holding America's highest office.
So the Austrian-born governor of California tells Correspondent Morley Safer he favors a constitutional amendment to enable him to run for president.
Safer's interview with Schwarzenegger will be broadcast on 60 Minutes, Sunday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
"Yes, absolutely (I would like to be eligible to run for president)," Schwarzenegger tells Safer. "Why not? With my way of thinking, you always shoot for the top."
Schwarzenegger favors an amendment that would make him eligible, but says he's too busy doing the job he promised to do for California voters to think about becoming president now.
"There are so many things I have to do in California, and my promise was to straighten out the mess in California," he tells Safer.
So how's he doing on that score? "Ten being the highest, I would give myself an eight," says Schwarzenegger. "I think I fell short on some of the things. Probably the communication with the legislators."
The California Republican called Democratic state legislators his now famous epithet, "girlie men," for not admitting they put special interests ahead of the public good, and for balking on his budget.
"It drove them nuts, but the interesting thing about it is, the following week, they signed the budget exactly the way it was a week before," Schwarzenegger points out.
It's not the first time Schwarzenegger has appeared on 60 Minutes. In a humorous moment, Safer shows the one-time Mr. Universe some clips from a 1977 60 Minutes profile featuring the younger, more-muscled weightlifting star of the '70s.
"You have to get me a tape of that," says Schwarzenegger.
I still say there should be an amendment that not only must the President be a born American , his wife must be too. I am not real anxious to see an Afrikaner such as Theresa Momma T Kerry in my White House.
He'll have to wait in line, as Giuliani's going to be our designated Glorious Leader in four years. It'll take a little while yet to "fix" the Constitution for Arnold, and probably about the same length of time to complete the ongoing fixing of the GOP rank & file mindset to love Big Brother.
Kerry, Giuliani, Schwarzenegger...isn't it wonderful to see Catholics in the American political mainstream? The American cardinals must be so proud.
I suppose it is a yawn, but, in a back door method they are bashing the sitting president, 1 day before the elections, am I the only who sees this?
Anyone notice this is a HATCHET job with the vehicles to make Bush look bad.
Showing an almost teary eyed commandering general I repeat the election is in 1 day.
He is giving advice like a CIC! ARG
Not a yawn at all.
The objective is to demean the Presidency.
To me, it is obvious the leftists are out to destroy, by constant harangue, the very fiber of this republic.
Do away with the Electoral College, they shout.
Homosexuality is good, they preach.
Anyone should be president they suggest, and on and on.
And their leader, of the moment. Kerry, says he has a plan.
Well, Kerry has a plan. A plan to continue, what he and the other enemies of the United States began these many years ago, and which has been going on since before the founding of this great nation. That is the destruction of this country.
We are very near the crossroad and time will tell what course we take.
I wish us well November 2nd.
I think it is 6 billion over 10 years.
Ego gone wild
The constitution is not a "living, changing document" subject to the whim and will of every two-bit politician that comes along.
No, I will not support a constitutional amendment allowing for a foreign "could be Hitler" to take control of our government.
We have plenty of good honest men in this country. Why would we want to import one?
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