Schwarzenegger Would Consider Role with Obama Administration

This would be a natural move for California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will be replaced by Jerry Brown in January. Schwarzenegger, what I'd call a progressive republican, is exactly the kind of republican that Obama likes to work with:

Then, asked if he would consider a post in the Obama administration, he said yes and began to riff on his credentials. "I’m a very big believer in environmental issues," said the governor, who considers legislation to combat global warming one of his major achievements in office. "I’ve traveled the world.... I’m very familiar with the world." LAT

White House Press Briefing May 3

Robert Gibbs says Obama spoke with Netanyahu about how to move the peace process forward.

Obama is close to announcing a Supreme Court pick.
On the oil disaster, BP will pay for ALL environmental cleanup and reimburse for economic losses. Democrats want to raise the cap on the amount that oil companies pay for economic damages. By law, BP has to pay.

The cost will be at least $12 billion, according to CSM.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has withdrawn support for oil drilling off the California Coast.

Schwarzenegger on his Meeting with Obama

Obama met with the governors today and later met privately with Schwarzenegger. The California governor says the republican call to start from scratch on healthcare is partisan talk:

While Republican leaders in Washington are urging President Barack Obama to start from scratch on a health care bill, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday dismissed the idea as "bogus talk."

It marked the second day in a row that Schwarzenegger strayed from his party's positions.

On Sunday, he defended Obama's economic stimulus plan and chided elected officials, most of them Republicans, who oppose the overall stimulus but are quick to trumpet individual projects in their states that are paid for by the stimulus. Read more at Sacbee

Rendell and Schwarzenegger on This Week Feb. 21

Both governors agree that the stimulus worked. The problem for states is what happens when the stimulus dries up. Will there be enough private sector jobs to boost local and state economies?
Both agree that the worst is over.
Both governors agree that more infrastructure spending is needed.

Schwarzenegger says the tea party is an expression of dissatisfaction and anger, but he says tea party is not going anywhere.

Watch the roundtable here. George Will says that CPAC was the "hour of the entertainer." Arianna and George Will, two peas in a pod as far as representing the extremes, agree that all the talk about partisanship is a joke. That's because they don't believe in bipartisanship, they don't believe in compromise. PARTISAN PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN BIPARTISANSHIP. Arianna uses a lame example of freeing half the slaves. I'm so sick of Arianna, who uses poor partisan logic.

The Impending Implosion of Democrats - Meet the Press Jan. 10

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is really mad about Nebraska's Ben Nelson's healthcare deal, as he should be. It perturbs me that Ben Nelson cut himself such a sweet deal for his state. To do that with a clear conscience means you have none. But I'm sure that deal is hardly unique.

This Week's roundtable was dreary. But Meet the Press was dreary as well.

No doubt, the tea party is definitely making headway with the press. But if the democrats implode, as they appear to be doing, we're going to get republicans, not better leadership. How are we going to be better off with republicans? People have very short memories.

Republicans don't bother me much on the fiscal end.

I think our economy can weather government, though there would be suffering like there is now due to the free-for-all caused in part by a lack of regulations under Bush.

Americans were even more responsible than government for the economic downturn, buying houses they couldn't afford and using their homes like ATM machines. Americans are correcting that behavior, saving money, cutting debt and cutting up credit cards. After much pain, the economy will always right itself, no matter who's in control of government.

But I don't think republicans have the right mentality to lead the nation in today's world when it comes to international policy. Republicans still have a chest thumping, bully on the block, we're-the-best kind of mentality. That's just not going to cut it. It'll come to nukes and that will be that.

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Michael Steele says Harry Reid should resign:

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Schwarzenegger and Google Earth Team on Climate Change

Climate changes could eliminate skiing and snowboarding? That's the way to go after climate change.

Schwarzenegger's Coded Profane Veto Message

Schwarzenegger vetoes in style:

Republicans Who Are Out for Health Reform

Obama names them in his weekly address:

Transcript

And earlier this week, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg came out in support of reform, joining two former Republican Senate Majority Leaders: Bob Dole and Dr. Bill Frist, himself a cardiac surgeon. Dr. Louis Sullivan, Secretary of Health and Human Services under President George H.W. Bush, supports reform. As does Republican Tommy Thompson, a former Wisconsin governor and Secretary of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush. These distinguished leaders understand that health insurance reform isn’t a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, but an American issue that demands a solution.

Republicans Speaking Out FOR Health Care Reform

In the past week, a few big republicans and independents (Bloomberg) have spoken out in favor of getting healthcare done. Took them long enough.

Their names carry weight. They include former Senate majority leaders Bob Dole and Bill Frist, a heart surgeon; Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, a health policy expert; New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, now an independent; and Mark McClellan, former administrator of Medicare and Medicaid from 2004-06.

As former Republican congressman Mickey Edwards, currently a lecturer on public affairs at Princeton, puts it: "The grown-ups are beginning to speak up." Read more at USA Today

Bobby Jindal urges republicans to join in. Jeb Bush is NOT one of those grown up republicans speaking out for health reform. He aims all of his criticism at Obama. But Bush is "pleasantly surprised" about Obama's education efforts.

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Schwarzenegger on Gay Marriage, Budget, Rush, Governator

Prop 13 and Politicians Ruined California

Paul Krugman worries that as California goes, so does the nation. He suggests the limp--yet now extreme--republican party has helped plunge the state into dire straits:

And while the party’s growing extremism condemns it to seemingly permanent minority status — Mr. Schwarzenegger was and is sui generis — the Republican rump retains enough seats in the Legislature to block any responsible action in the face of the fiscal crisis.

Will the same thing happen to the nation as a whole?

The root of the state's crisis was the passage of Prop 13 and California's politicians have yet to rise up to meet the state's challenges.

The seeds of California’s current crisis were planted more than 30 years ago, when voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 13, a ballot measure that placed the state’s budget in a straitjacket. Property tax rates were capped, and homeowners were shielded from increases in their tax assessments even as the value of their homes rose.

The result was a tax system that is both inequitable and unstable. It’s inequitable because older homeowners often pay far less property tax than their younger neighbors. It’s unstable because limits on property taxation have forced California to rely more heavily than other states on income taxes, which fall steeply during recessions.

Even more important, however, Proposition 13 made it extremely hard to raise taxes, even in emergencies: no state tax rate may be increased without a two-thirds majority in both houses of the State Legislature. And this provision has interacted disastrously with state political trends. Read the whole column at NYT

Republicans are aiming for a national comeback and part of that strategy is winning the governor's race in California next year. California doesn't have a Barack Obama-like candidate in the running, and most of the announced democratic candidates are weak, so republicans might win the state because the people of California are fed up. The state's government needs to be structurally overhauled. The candidate who seems to have the best chance of winning at this point is republican Meg Whitman.
I'm not sure if she has any answers, but politically she seems to have the best shot at winning. I'm not sure if anyone has any answers for California. But democrats need to offer some better choices--fast.

Obama Announces National Fuel Standard of 35.5 MPGs

Reporters gathered on the White House lawn with the birds chirping in the background. Perhaps they were cheering cleaner air! For me, this is one of the most exciting things Obama has done yet.

Now the industry knows what is expected of them and they can build cars appropriately and focus on new fuel-efficient technologies. The car companies will be smaller and more nimble, able to better innovate. This is really the only way to get car companies to build fuel-efficient and alternative fuel autos.

The new regulations will add to the price of a car until more fuel efficient cars can be developed at a cheaper price. The cost of an SUV will be even higher, which is a good thing in my book. If you need a bigger car, you're taking up more resources. Eventually, there will be cheap big cars and trucks.

Obama thanked Nancy Pelosi for cracking the whip on this.
He thanked governors: "Let me take them in the order of good looks," he said, announcing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California last. Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and Gov. Jennifer Granholm, of Michigan's, were also in attendance.
Auto manufacturers and environmental groups were on the lawn.

Obama energy adviser Carol Browner:

Obama to Announce National Fuel Standards

Update: Politico got the story first (not that that matters to anyone) but MSNBC adds some detail:

New cars and trucks will have to get 30 percent better mileage starting in 2016 under an Obama administration move to curb emissions tied to smog and global warming, sources said Monday.
....
Administration sources said the Obama administration will adopt the 30 percent goal with the 2016 deadline, and will phase it in starting with 2011 vehicle models.
.....
Obama's plan also would effectively end litigation between states and automakers, which sought to block state-specific rules.

The new federal rules would prompt automakers to drop their lawsuit. Two car companies that have been part of the litigation, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, have received billions in government loans during a plunge in car sales amid a weakened economy. Read more.

The new CAFE fuel standards is exactly the guidance the auto industry needs. CAFE standards (the average miles per gallon) have barely changed since enacted in the 1970s. It's been 27.5 miles per gallon since 1990. During the campaign Obama proposed increasing the CAFE standard 4% each year.

President Barack Obama will announce on Tuesday plans for a new national fuel economy, or CAFE, standard for automobiles in an effort to give more certainty to car companies as they struggle for survival, industry sources told POLITICO on Monday.

The administration will bill the tailpipe-emissions announcement as historic, because it avoids a patchwork of standards and harmonizes so many stakeholders, including automakers, state governments, the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency.

In secret conversations, the Obama administration has lined up support from many state governments and a huge array of domestic and foreign automakers, including GM, Ford, Chrysler, BMW and many more.

Top officials are flying into Washington from around the world for the White House announcement.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, is expected to attend, the sources said. Read more at Politico

The new standard is likely to be a substantial boost:

Now, there'll be one standard, nationwide, which provides that all important certainty for automakers....even as they face the task of reaching CA's Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, which would see auto emissions decline by 33% in seven years, well ahead of the current national standard, which would achieve such a reduction by 2020. On average, cars sold in California would have to run 35 miles on every gallon of fuel.

Nationwide, that means a 40% increase in the efficiency of automobiles. A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Agency referred requests for details to the White House; a spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment. The Department of Transportation regulates CAFE standards. MA

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Biden Pokes Fun at Gridiron Dinner for Media Elite

Obama declined the Gridiron dinner and political roast invitation to be with his family, spending the weekend at Camp David. It doesn't seem Obama needs any roasting, even if it's in jest. Spending time with his family is the better move.

AP: With President Barack Obama absent, Vice President Joe Biden poked fun at his boss' do-no-wrong reputation during an annual white-tie gathering of journalists and government officials.
Obama was the first president in decades not to attend the Gridiron Club dinner during his first year in office. He spent the weekend at Camp David with his family, skipping the Saturday night event because he was busy preparing for Easter, Biden said.
"He thinks it's about him," Biden said of the holiday.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Republican speaker at the dinner, had another explanation for the media and politicians assembled at a downtown Washington ballroom for the festivities.
"He's just not that into you," Schwarzenegger said, referring to the book and movie with that title.
The club's 124th dinner was an opportunity for reporters to make fun of public figures and political themes of the day. It also allowed prominent politicians to needle each other.
Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, the Democratic speaker, said former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, the Republican governor of Alaska, really set back the cause of "hot governors."
"You know where I'm coming from, Ed Rendell," she said, referring to Pennsylvania's Democratic governor.

Read more about the dinner here.
Perhaps this is the reason Obama didn't think the dinner worthy of his time--Bush's dinner last year:

Bloomberg, Schwarzenegger, Rendell Express Support for Obama

On Meet the Press, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell defended Obama's stimulus spending.
Investing in infrastructure -- trains, roads, bridges...-- is necessary.

Ed Rendell says people are mad about AIG because they can get their arms around it. Indeed. If we only knew. I agree with David Brooks--AIG hysterics are out of control, largely because we don't know much about banking.

As Obama said on Leno, what AIG and the banks did was LEGAL. Hello. It's the entire system that needs fixed. The system ran free and greed took over. Getting bonus money back is like finding a penny. 

It seems clear that governors are wiser than congressional leaders, probably because they have more hands on experience. They don't let their political affiliation get in the way as much as congressional leaders. They see the value of the stimulus because their states need help. Yet there are some states that desperately need help -- South Carolina-- and their leader, Mark Sanford, is being political, declining stimulus money. I'd guess that's because he's in the hard right south. That area in general has always had issues (largely issues of ignorance) with Obama.

About Obama, Mayor Bloomberg said: "I think he's going to be a great president."

Boomberg said the president is taking on the tough issues. Schwarzenegger and Rendell also were upbeat about Obama and the future. It was good to hear, for once.

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Schwarzenegger: The Important Thing is Where is His Heart

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says that he and Obama have talked about the importance and the role of special olympics before this gaffe even happened.

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Schwarzenegger Says Obama Needs Team Players

Schwarzenegger says he had to raise taxes in his state because it is an emergency situation. Like Florida governor Charlie Crist, Schwarzenegger says he'll take any stimulus money that other governors don't want. He says Obama needs team players-- not Us vs. Them. Another reasonable republican. 

Obama to Grant States Right to Regulate Tailpipe Emissions

Big day on Monday and another promise fulfilled. 
Obama will announce a couple of things regarding air pollution tomorrow, including granting states, such as California, a waiver under the Clean Air Act so that states can require tougher auto emission standards than EPA standards.
Seems kind of weird that you'd have to get permission to be cleaner.
California (and about 14 other states) requested a waiver in past years, but Bush denied it.
Read California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's recent letter to Obama here. 

On Tuesday Obama's expected to meet with republican caucuses regarding the economic package. On Wednesday, the House is expected to vote on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.

NYT: President Barack Obama will direct federal regulators on Monday to move swiftly on an application by California and 13 other states to set strict automobile emissions and fuel efficiency standards, two administration officials said Sunday evening.

The directive makes good on an Obama campaign pledge and signifies a sharp reversal of Bush administration policy. Granting California and the other states the right to regulate tailpipe emissions would be one of the most emphatic actions Mr. Obama could take to quickly put his stamp on environmental policy.

Mr. Obama stopped short of ordering the agencies to reverse the Bush administration policy, but they are widely expected to do so. Once they act, automobile manufacturers will quickly have to retool to begin producing and selling cars and trucks that get higher mileage than the national standard, and on a faster phase-in schedule. The auto companies have lobbied hard against the regulations and challenged them in court.

Here's what else Obama's announcing tomorrow:

Beyond acting on the California emissions law, officials said, Mr. Obama will announce that he is moving forward with nationwide regulations requiring the automobile industry to increase fuel efficiency standards to comply with a 2007 law, rules that the Bush administration decided at the last minute not to issue.

He will also order federal departments and agencies to find new ways to save energy and be more environmentally friendly. And he will highlight the elements in his economic plan intended to create new jobs around renewable energy.

Update 1-26 Obama's announcement:

Schwarzenegger Makes Fun Of Obama's Physique

California's governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pokes fun at Obama's shape.

Miami Herald: In introducing McCain, Schwarzenegger, a former global body-building champion before he became a movie star and then governor, accused Obama of being light in build and soft in policy.

"He needs to do something about those skinny legs, make him do some squats," Schwarzenegger said. "And give him some bicep curls to beef up those scrawny little arms. If only you could give (him) something to put meat on his ideas."

This blog shows a side by side comparison of physiques. You decide.
Here's another interesting tidbit from the rally in Miami, where Schwarzenegger was introducing McCain:

At the Columbus rally, a giant curtain hid an empty half of the arena. The upper deck on one side was also empty.

McCain pressed a new line against Obama, telling the Hanoverton rally that Obama "began his campaign in the liberal left lane of politics and has never left it."

Al Gore To Speak On Global Warming

Update: Read speech here.
Al Gore's expected to speak in Washington today and he'll tie together global warming, energy and national security to draw the big picture-- we need to get off of oil.
Gore could really accomplish his goals with the vice presidency. He could be a non-traditional vice president. That's not to hard to imagine in an Obama administration. I'd like to see Arnold Schwarzenegger as energy czar.
It also occurred to me yesterday that Colin Powell could be Obama's vice president choice. It seems the attention has been drawn away from Powell. When people talk about Powell now it's that he's talking to Obama and McCain to see who he should back.

WaPo: Just as John F. Kennedy set his sights on the moon, Al Gore is challenging the nation to produce every kilowatt of electricity through wind, sun and other Earth-friendly energy sources within 10 years, an audacious goal he hopes the next president will embrace.

The Nobel Prize-winning former vice president said fellow Democrat Barack Obama and Republican rival John McCain are "way ahead" of most politicians in the fight against global climate change.

Rising fuel costs, climate change and the national security threats posed by U.S. dependence on foreign oil are conspiring to create "a new political environment" that Gore said will sustain bold and expensive steps to wean the nation off fossil fuels.

"I have never seen an opportunity for the country like the one that's emerging now," Gore told The Associated Press in an interview previewing a speech on global warming he planned to give Thursday in Washington.