Can a Republican be embraced by environmentalists?
Schwarzenegger breaks the Bush mold
By Miguel Llanos
MSNBC
Updated: 1:56 p.m. ET Oct. 7, 2004
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Judging by relations between President Bush and environmentalists ?- some of whom have declared him the worst president ever in terms of the issues they care about ?- you'd think there's no way for Republicans and activists to get along.
But after a year in office, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ?- one of America's most popular Republicans ?- has done just that. He's been embraced by environmentalists in his state after signing into law nearly two dozen bills, most sponsored by Democrats, that strengthen environmental laws. [..]
On global warming, for example, Schwarzenegger endorsed new state regulations requiring that by 2016 new cars will have to emit 25 percent less carbon dioxide and other gases that many scientists tie to the warming of Earth. [..]
Schwarzenegger invited 30 environmental leaders to a summit last summer and asked them to summarize their priorities.
"I was very impressed," says Terry O'Day, a senior staff member at Environment Now. [..] Adds Daniel Hinerfeld, the Southern California spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense Council: "I get a sense he's talking to all the real stakeholders ... and actually listening."
Bill Magavern, legislative director for the Sierra Club in California, has described Schwarzenegger as "more of an environmental advocate than any other Republican in Sacramento," the state capital. [..]
Then there's the fact that Schwarzenegger chose an environmentalist, Terry Tamminen, to be in charge of California's Environmental Protection Agency. Tamminen previously headed Environment Now, once a little-known group based in Santa Monica that has since become a statewide player.
For environmentalists like Hinerfeld, Tamminen is "obviously the real deal. ... He's not a figurehead, Schwarzenegger is listening to him."
That's not to say Schwarzenegger has pleased environmentalists with every action. O'Day calls his forestry record "mixed" and notes that the second in command at California's EPA is a former lobbyist for the logging industry.
Schwarzenegger has also vetoed seven bills where he's felt the economic costs outweighed the environmental benefits, among them one that would have prohibited growth at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles if it pushed smog from diesel ships beyond a certain level.
A key question is whether other Republicans could succeed with Schwarzenegger's approach, especially at the national level. [..] Marks [notes] the quirkiness of the California election last year, when then Gov. Gray Davis was recalled and the political parties had to forego the traditional primary process for a quick campaign.
The conservative base that votes in Republican primaries would have eliminated Schwarzenegger, Marks believes. "He was able to avoid the very narrow filter of the California Republican Party."
On the other hand, she says, California is special in that "it's hard to win a seat like that without supporting the environment."
And Schwarzenegger isn't the only senior Republican embraced by activists. Arizona Sen. John McCain has tried to pass legislation curbing emissions tied to global warming, and New York Gov. George Pataki has pressed for tougher air pollution controls at the federal level. [..]
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