Reply #34: Once Invincible Schwarzenegger Looking More Mortal (43% approval) [View All]

[deadparrot]

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is showing himself to be an ordinary mortal after all with a significant policy retreat on Thursday and a new poll showing his approval rating down sharply.

Swept into office in an unprecedented recall election in 2003, the Republican's approval rating fell to 43 percent from 59 percent in January, according to a Survey and Policy Research Institute poll released on Thursday.

Since taking office in late 2003, Schwarzenegger has repeatedly threatened to bypass legislators by going directly to the people with ballot measures.

The Survey and Policy Research Institute poll of 1,030 Californians between March 28 and April 1 found 49 percent saying Schwarzenegger was too interested in "gimmicks, public relations and image," and 62 percent said he should put more effort into working with legislators.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050407/pl_nm/politics_schwarzenegger_dc