Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's press office says that after he met with The Bee's editorial board this afternoon, he huddled with advisers, and guess what? He's supporting the measure on the Feb. 5 ballot to loosen term limits. He told us he was undecided on Proposition 93. See previous blog post on this subject.
Apparently it took the governor less than two hours to make a decision that will anger his Republican base forever. He went from undecided at 3 p.m. to supporting Proposition 93 at 4:30 p.m. -- at least that's what his press office says. In that time, he also wrote an op/ed explaining his position and delivered it to the Los Angeles Times. The governor must be a very fast writer.
The Times first reported on its Web site that the governor was supporting Proposition 93. The details are in this story.
Here's a portion of the Times story:
Softening his past opposition to changes to California's term-limits law, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has decided to endorse a February ballot measure that would allow many sitting lawmakers to run for office again this year rather than be forced to leave the Legislature, said people close to the governor and the campaign.Schwarzenegger's backing is a boost for the Proposition 93 campaign and its chief proponent, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles), who will be forced out of his seat after this year unless the term-limits law is changed.
Nunez endeared himself to Schwarzenegger by pushing the governor's health care overhaul through the Assembly last month. And the speaker has offered only muted criticism of the governor's plan to cut education, health care and social services spending to balance the state's budget.
The governor explains his move in this commentary written for the Times.
Here's the reaction from the No on 93 campaign:
No on Prop. 93 spokesman Kevin Spillane issued the following statement this evening: "As Arnold Schwarzenegger's own previous numerous statements on term limits make clear, his support for Proposition 93 has nothing to do with the issue of term limits, redistricting reform or the merits or substance of this deeply flawed ballot measure. Gov. Schwarzenegger strongly supported term limits as a candidate for Governor and has repeatedly declared that he would only support a change in term limits if redistricting reform was passed by the Legislature as part of a package deal. That did not happen. In fact, Don Perata and Fabian Nunez broke their repeated promises to pass redistricting reform out of the Legislature.Schwarzenegger's position is part of a political deal made because of a completely unrelated issue and it was extracted by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez from the Governor.
It is a sign of the dysfunctionality of the Legislature that its self-serving leadership has held the Governor hostage on health care issues so that it may leverage him into helping them remain in power by loosening term limits.
It is disappointing that the Governor would disregard the 15 newspapers across California which have strongly editorialized against Proposition 93 -- calling it 'self-serving' and a 'scam.' Unlike the Governor, most of these newspapers are not philosophical supporters of term limits but see Proposition 93 as so flawed that it is unworthy of voter support.
We believe the voters of California know the truth about Proposition 93 -- that it is sponsored by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata so that they can remain in power and that it actually lengthens terms for most politicians -- and will reject this self-serving and misleading initiative."
The Governor will not "anger his Republican base." Republicans overwhelmingly support Prop 93, according to every major poll.
Mr. Spillane's comments are not substantiated by any facts. It would behoove the BEE to try have Mr. Spillane document his charges before printing them for its readers.
It a paradox! How could a person like Schwarzenegger sound so much like George Bush and Gray Davis at the same time? Apparently, Schwarzenegger is Gray Davis in drag!
In drag? Are you calling the Governator a "girlie man"?
In ref. to Steven Maviglio's comments,this is a very biased statement. However, what do expect out of the Chief of Staff for Fabian Nunez. Here are my thoughts on Prop 93, oh what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to deceive. This is all wrapped up in the web of deception. No on 93!