CA: Governor fields questions in live Web cast

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger answered constituents questions that were sent in via computer Tuesday in his first-ever live online video question-and-answer session.

The governor took nine questions on topics ranging from game wardens, to gay marriage, to illegal immigration, to his favorite color – which he revealed is red.

“I like the color red because it is fire and I see myself as always being on fire and being charged up,” he said.

The 20-minute Webcast, dubbed 'Ask Governor Schwarzenegger,” started at 10:38 a.m. and was moderated by political reporter Marcey Brightwell from Sacramento's KXTV News 10. Brightwell chose the questions from what she said were hundreds submitted.

Questioners hailed from all over the state, from Shasta County to San Diego County, where an Oceanside man asked the Schwarzenegger to name his most memorable moment as governor. The governor answered that it was his swearing-in ceremony.

There were questions of a more serious nature, too. A woman from Shasta County asked about the state's policy of releasing sex offenders to rural areas. Schwarzenegger said they try to send offenders back to where they used to live.

A Mountain View man wanted to know why the governor vetoed the gay marriage bill. Schwarzenegger said he was against the bill because he didn't want to go against the will of the people who overwhelmingly approved Proposition 22, the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” initiative in 2000.

The governor also answered a query about gas prices and why they are so high in California. He said he was working with Attorney General Bill Lockyer to investigate whether there is price-gouging in the state. He also said that he limits driving his celebrated Hummer to only about five times a year. Schwarzenegger said he hopes to do more live video chats in the future.

“I think this is a fun thing. This is what I do throughout the week when people ask me a lot of questions about different subjects,” he said. “It's nice to let everyone come in and participate.”

Game Wardens, Memories, Favorite Color

John Myers

http://www.kqed.org/weblog/capitalnotes/blog.jsp

One of the most familiar categories on the TV game show Jeopardy! is simply called 'Potpourri.' Under that heading, contestants find a hodepodge of questions on everything under the sun.

With that in mind, it was hard to resist the urge to yell out, "potpourri for $1000, Alex," while watching this morning's online Q&A session this morning featuring Governor Schwarzenegger.

The 20 minute event, where questions sent in to the governor's official state website were fielded by Schwarzenegger in a live video feed, broke no news. There were eight questions taken, chosen by TV political reporter Marcey Brightwell who served as moderator.

Schwarzenegger was asked about the high number of sex offenders living in Redding, and the low number of game wardens on the beat throughout the state. Both questions elicited only general responses. He was also asked about why he had taken such a turn to the right-hand side of the political spectrum in 2005, a suggestion he refuted. While saying he knew he had rushed last year's ballot initiatives, he didn't disown them. "The ideas of the reform," he said, "was really good."

The governor also fielded a question about bringing down high gas prices. He reiterated his interest in a full investigation. But more interesting was Brightwell's follow-up question, which asked if he still drives his Hummer. The governor answered by saying the CHP now drives him around, though he did admit to taking the occasional spin in his Excalibur (a pricey sports car) and his Mercedes Benz G-Wagon.

And it wrapped up with the touchy feely questions: memorable moments as governor, and the "if you were a color, what would you be?" question (I'm not kidding, that was the final question). Schwarzenegger reminiscenced about the 2003 recall campaign as memorable. And the color?

"Probably red," he said. Red, as in GOP red state? Nope. "I see myself as always being on fire" and "charged up," he said.

And that rounds out the questions under 'Potpourri' on this edition of Jeopardy!

Schwarzenegger living in a red state of mind

Mark Martin

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/indexn?blogid=14

Trying out a new avenue to reach voters, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger held his first live Internet Q&A session this morning, taking questions from emailers and Sacramento television reporter Marcy Brightwell as he sat with Brightwell in the governor's press room in the Capitol. The 30-minute show was aired on the governor's Web site ...

He said that if he were a color it would be red, because he likes to think of himself as always on fire.

His most memorable experience as governor so far has been ... running for governor. He said the recall campaign was intense and unforgettable. He did follow up by noting that every day as governor is a joy, but still, my guess is he will have a better-prepared answer the next time that one comes up -- how about an accomplishment?

When asked about his lifestyle as governor, he explained that he typically flys up to Sacramento on Monday mornings and home to Los Angeles on Thursdays, spending much of the week in the Capitol but also doing events around the state. Saturday and Sunday, he said, are for the kids.

Schwarzenegger admitted he was gaining "on-the-job training" as governor when he was asked about his stylistic changes during his first tenure, when he has veered from popular consensus-builder to right-leaning reformer and back to consensus-builder this year.

Asked and answered...mostly

Kate Folmar

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/on_politics/2006/06/asked_and_answe.html

Over the course of 20 minutes, which were videotaped and aired live online, we learned that the gov does not believe he has flip-flopped from
being a centrist to a conservative to a liberal while in office. Now running for re-election, Schwarzenegger said he has always been a ""centrist,'' because ""the action is in the center.'' He made some mistakes last year, but fundamentally believes that changing the budget structure and redrawing political districts are needed reforms.

He reiterated why he vetoed the gay marriage bill (The people spoke with Prop.22, but he's down with domestic partnerships and equal rights).

He sort of addressed why so many sex offenders get dumped in rural counties (because they are usually returned to where they came from) before starting a riff about how tough on crime he is. (California Correctional Peace Officers Association, are you listening? Might you have a different opinion that we'll see in independent expenditure ad, say, sometime this fall?).

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