Schwarzenegger Announces : Running for CA Gov.

I think more farmers, plumbers,... should edge into public office. Of course, in this country, the crappiest reality is you have to have ungodly sums of money to do it. [..]

My fondest dream is for this country to reform campaign finance, and enable the school teacher, pharmacist, social worker to get a hearing from the public and have a chance for national public office.

<applause!>

Davis answered some questions with personal stories, including one about his ill mother, and with apt anecdotes from the past, but, surprisingly, he got caught up when someone asked him to explain his "vision for the state."

"My vision is to make the most diverse state on earth, and we have people from every planet on the earth in this state. We have the sons and daughters of every, of people from every planet, of every country on earth," he said.

Davis' stumbling on this question may have come from fatigue, after dealing over the past few days with the end of the legislative session, a visit from former President Bill Clinton and other top Democrats, and a surprising federal court ruling Monday that could delay the Oct. 7 election.

I guess I just don't think of Arnold (or any whose life revolves around being a celebrity -- per definition given) as a person of character, a leader, do you?

BBB, Prop 49 and "leave on child behind" are worthless on the paper they're written on; without the necessary funding, our schools are being decimated by funding cuts. Most Americans do not seem to be able to equate the money spent in Iraq vs what it has done to the financial health of our country. Many social and capital programs normally funded by federal and state funds have all but disappeared. The next victim will be the people retiring in a few years; because there won't be enough money to fund social security and medicare while our government increases the deficit and the ratio between workers and retirees goes out of kilter.

The GOP congressman whose money put the recall on the ballot urged Republicans Monday to keep Democratic Gov. Gray Davis in office if neither Arnold Schwarzenegger nor Tom McClintock pulls out of the race by election day.

"If two major Republicans remain on the ballot, I'd advise you to vote 'no' on the recall," said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista (San Diego County), who spent more than $1.6 million of his own money to help gather signatures to recall Davis.

Read the article. Issa's argument is that he wants a no-tax-increase solution to California's budget problems. Bustamonte plans to raise taxes immediately.