Guardian Utd (April 15): Schwarzenegger meets his match

[Jack Rabbit]

From the Guardian Unlimited (UK)
Dated Friday April 15

Schwarzenegger meets his match
For the first time most Californians disapprove of their film-star governor, as nurses' protests force a U-turn
By Dan Glaister in Los Angeles

Something is rotten in the state of Arnold. Just five months ago the governor of California seemed unstoppable: propositions were passed, opponents were reduced to "girlie men", and the talk was of Washington and the first foreign-born president of the US.

But, in the wake of a series of political miscalculations, Governor Schwarzenegger's poll ratings are in a slump, his closest colleagues are questioning his judgment, and he has been forced to reduce his ambitious plans to make 2005 the "year of reform".

Schwarzenegger's mistake was to take on nurses, teachers, police officers and firefighters. All at the same time. He couldn't have picked a more revered assembly. But the governor strode ahead regardless, convinced by his previous successes that he could overcome any obstacle.

The polls said otherwise, and last week, in a rare public reversal, Schwarzenegger withdrew many of the proposals that had infuriated some voters and given ammunition to his political opponents.

Read more.

Well, I don't suppose they would have noticed in the British press if the polls numbers of the Governor of California fell if his name were Gray Davis or Bill Simon.

[ClarkUSA]

1. How cool is this? I hope voters don't forget.

Yeah right.

[realFedUp]

2. Too bad newspapers gave this guy a year's honeymoon

before looking into what he was saying
and not doing and even then you had to
look in opinion columns to find out.

Glad that we and the "news" are finally
on the same page.