Posted on 07/09/2009 7:39:34 AM PDT by SmithL
California first lady Maria Shriver, one of the Kennedy clan, says Democrats and average Californians are urging her to influence her husband, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, on how to deal with painful budget cuts to state social programs.
"My office is inundated with hundreds of calls every day: 'Why don't I solve this?' " she said. But "it's not like you can just walk in; it's not so easy," she added. "The last thing all the legislators - and Arnold - need is that concept."
Shriver made the comments in an interview with The Chronicle Wednesday, saying that while the budget is tough for everyone, the governor and legislative leaders - Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass - are doing their part to reach a deal.
Shriver's connection to politics far predates her marriage to the governor.
She is the daughter of former Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidate Sargent Shriver and Eunice Shriver, a sister to U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, the late president John F. Kennedy and the late presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy.
Shriver said she understands why so many Californians think she can play an important role in California's current $26.3 billion budget deficit - especially because Schwarzenegger has acknowledged her instincts on that front and her past role as a political adviser.
The California Majority Report, a Democratic Web site, featured a public entreaty Wednesday by strategist Steve Maviglio, urging Shriver to convince her husband to save the state's critical social programs.
Shriver says he's not the first to ask for her help.
"I don't take five steps when someone doesn't come up to me," she said. Whether she's getting coffee or on the street, she is buttonholed over the budget problems.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
She has an “office” ?
well Maria has gotten long in the tooth now hasn’t she??
oh right, she is a Kennedy...
Humph. A talking leather boot. Will wonders ever cease ?
Yeah, Right. My wife doesn’t influence me either!
What utter BS!
I have a feeling the only people who DON'T approach Maria are normal, everyday taxpayers who would ask her to please keep the state out of their faces and out of their wallets.
Maybe her office is in charge of laundry and morale.
none the less, she still has an office.
She wears the pants in the family and has been calling the shots since day one.
Which is why California is in its current shape.
What the heck does she expect??
ROTFLOL She and her uncle are right in there the whole way.
She has already screwed him up beyond belief.
Get a load of this.
She won't influence him because there is no need to.
That item was taken care of years ago.
Arnie knows by now what he is supposed to do to further the liberal agenda.
She just maintains an office nearby to keep an eye on him in case he gets an occasional thought of his own.
“First Lady”? Where is that title in the Constitution? Not an official government position. We are not supposed to have royalty in the US.
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