Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger took his nascent post-partisan politics tour to Washington for the National Governors Association conference and a lunchtime address to the National Press Club yesterday. But despite its appeal to emerging independent voters and increasingly disaffected Democrats and Republicans, can it fly in a very partisan environment poisoned by the back and forth on the mess in Iraq?
Schwarzenegger is nothing if not upbeat, and certainly was all that in his speech shown live yesterday on C-SPAN. “Last year in California,” he stated proudly, “in spite of it being an election year, we reformed prescription drug costs, passed the world’s most comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gases and began rebuilding the state’s infrastructure. We did this working together.”
“But division,” he noted succinctly, “is what Washington has come to represent. For too long, this town has been about divide and conquer. Find an issue that splits the country in half, then crack it just enough so you can come out ahead. I get 51 percent, you get 49. I win, you lose.”
Schwarzenegger acknowledged that he had slid into the politics of division himself with his special election of 2005. The issues he chose were all legitimate — redistricting reform, campaign finance reform, budget control, teacher quality, public pension reform — but his solutions were off, both as programs and as presentation.
After sweeping to office in a landslide victory in the 2003 recall election, Schwarzenegger had a very popular, mostly centrist first year in office, then descended into a harsher form of partisanship, replete with name calling. Now, he notes, “You can disagree with your opponent and still maintain respect.”
“In the courtyard of the State Capitol,” he said, “I have a politically-incorrect smoking tent People come by, light up a stogie and schmooze. How come Republicans and Democrats out here don’t schmooze with each other?”
“What is more principled,” he asked, “than giving up some part of your position to advance the greater good of the people? That is how we arrived at a constitution in this country. Our Founding Fathers would still be meeting at the Holiday Inn in Philadelphia if they hadn’t compromised.”
Which leads to bipartisanship and post-partisanship.
“Post-partisanship,” Schwarzenegger said, “is not simply Republicans and Democrats each bringing proposals to the table and then working out differences. Post-partisanship is the new concept of Republicans and Democrats giving birth to new ideas together.”
In practice, however, the most right-wing Republicans and most left-wing Democrats aren’t playing in this scenario. And Schwarzenegger seems to acknowledge this, saying “I believe the political way forward is this: Look to the future. Look to the center. And look to the dreams of the people.”
Leaving the business about the dreams of the people aside, back at home in California, where his approval ratings are back up near the stratosphere, Schwarzenegger was being attacked yesterday from both the far right and the far left as he took his popular post-partisan message to the Beltway.
Way off to starboard, the Orange County Register blogs weighed in, denying the greenhouse effect and generally operating in what might be called full fulmination mode. “Everyone Should Just Ignore Arnold,” proclaimed columnist Steve Greenhut. Like that’s going to happen, right? The guy is one of the most famous and powerful men in the world. A small blog column is not going to change that. Reality. What a concept.
Meanwhile, way off to portside, the governor’s favorite stalkers, the California Nurses Association, are running radio ads around the state attacking him for not backing single-payer, government-run health care. They nailed him but good in the special election of 2005, after his infamous remark about “kicking the butts” of the special interests. Since then, however, with his return to the center, their efforts have been rather one-note and completely ineffectual. They pushed a single-payer health care bill last year, with few actual specifics involved, which Schwarzenegger promptly vetoed after they barely drew a few hundred people to a Capitol rally captured in its full glory in an NWN video. They turned a political reform initiative into an unending series of attacks on Schwarzenegger, operating as an auxiliary of the disastrous Phil Angelides campaign, contrary to earlier promises to go after both big parties’ excesses. The initiative failed with barely 20% of the vote.
Though it’s doubtful that these moves from the two opposite ends of the political spectrum will have much, if any, impact on Schwarzenegger, they do point up the resiliency of those views.
While he was being hit by the far left and the far right, Schwarzenegger and the governors of Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and New Mexico announced a Western regional program to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The formal memorandum of understanding commits the five states to develop over the next 6 months a regional target for greenhouse gas reduction and, over the next 18 months, to devise a market-based program to reach the target. The pact also commits the states to a multi-state registry to track greenhouse gas emissions in the West and to promote greentech.
“Western States are being particularly hard-hit by the effects of climate change,” noted Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano in a statement.
“This MOU sets the stage for a regional cap and trade program, which will provide a powerful framework for developing a national cap and trade program,” said Schwarzenegger. “This agreement shows the power of states to lead our nation addressing climate change.”
“With this agreement, states are once again taking the lead on combating global climate change – while Washington, D.C. sits on its hands,” said New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, the former ambassador to the UN, US secretary of energy, and a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. “This historic agreement signals our commitment to tackling the problem head-on at the regional level and building on efforts in our individual states.”
Yet this agreement, too, points up some of the practical realities of post-partisan politics. The other Western governors involved are all Democrats, albeit center to center/left Democrats. While Schwarzenegger has succeeded in getting famous Republicans to speak out more on the climate change issue — such as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former New York Governor George Pataki (who wants to form an environmental coalition with Schwarzenegger), former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Arizona Senator John McCain — they’re almost all Northeasterners. And McCain, a frontrunning presidential candidate known for maverick views, had, as usual, his own reasons for coming to his conclusions on the greenhouse effect.
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Whoa, some whack jobs way out West!
NWN:“But division,” he noted succinctly, “is what Washington has come to represent. For too long, this town has been about divide and conquer.”
There is a very interesting article in “Political Wire” this morning relating to the DC enviro…Hagel supporters concept of a “fusion ticket”…
“he [Hagel] would seek the Republican nomination. Yet he’s also talking up Unity08. That’s a plan by a bipartisan group of political operatives to draft a bipartisan presidential ticket on the Internet and offer voters an alternative to the Democratic and Republican candidates next year”
Is this like Gilligan’s “3-day tour?” lol
Hagel:”bipartisan group of political operatives”
I wonder if these are the Hotsoup” people…Maybe Dowd is going to help him! That would be wonderful and this Mr. Authenticity Don Sipple! I like the idea of a fusion ticket! I hope this happens …such a ticket is a post partisan statement with teeth!
Here is my prediction on when Chuck Hagel runs for president.
Never.
Sorry …
Well you are usually right…pity….oh well it is a wonderful idea and then if they won they could have a “fusion administration” like Arnold!
It’s VERY hard to run for president without making a fool of oneself.
What does Hagel, who nobody knows who he is, have to do with Schwarzeneger?
I’m not all that sure who Hegel is. A Reep senator or the dead philosopher.
Let’s see…A Fusion ticket idea is probably even being kicked around in part due to Arnold’s creative thinking and success…let’s face it …some people have more creative thought ful minds than others….like Arnold and Hagel for example
Well, here’s the deal, Chuck Hagel is not running for president. It would be very interesting if he were, but he’s not. It’s a TV chat show and Senate floor phenomenon. If Arianna were still a Republican instead of a lefty Democrat, it’s the sort of thing she would be chatting up.
Who is Steve Greenhut?
Thank you Mr. Bradley, I can always count on you to understand the concept of “cross cuts” …but then why not? I learned it from you!
Crosscuts are most assuredly key. But unless I am very much mistaken, Chuck Hagel is not running for president, intriguing as that would be.
Steven Greenhut is a very conservative writer at the Orange County Register.
The concept of a “fusion ticket”…in a “post partisan” (as referenced in your post) political era is what I was thinking about as the CROSSCUT after I saw the item that happened to reference Hagel …you see one can read you… and then one can read you and you know actually …THINK ….
True.
However. Hagel is not running for president.
I suppose I can say this another 27 times.
There is no evidence whatsoever of a Hagel candidacy, intriguing though that would be.
The OC Register is a rag.
Don’t exaggerate its quality.
Hagel would be good.
Hagel would make things very interesting.
That right wingnut Green Hut called Gore a totalitarian. lol
At least Arnold Schwarzenegger has strength.
Mr. Bradley:Hagel would make things very interesting.
Now what is this?
You must have heard something!!!…WELL, are things going to get interesting!!!!
MR BRADLEY WHERE ARE YOU?!!!!
HAGEL IS IN THE PRESIDENTIAL FORUM AT THE BIG LABOR /CONSTRUCTION MEETING!!!! I WAS JUST CHECKING ON THIS ECON REPORT I AM WAITING FOR
AND THERE HE WAS!!!!!!
IF HE RUNS MR. BRADLEY I WANT A BLOG PRIZE!!!!!!
I AM SO HAPPY! I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL TONIGHT!!!!!!!
I wouldn’t get too excited.
Why would Republicans nominate an anti-war Presidential candidate?
Senator Chuck Hagel’s tribute to Cap Weinberger (which interestly enough, is very similar to Jim Webb’s in tone and praise ) explains where he is coming from on war and defense issues…Even though the press has “labled” him the anti-war candidate …it is too simplistic to call this brave Viet Nam vet the anti-war candidate…Further, the sad irony is that Weinberger got pulled into Iran Contra …when he along with Schultz thought it was wrong-headed from early on…
Hagel on Cap….
“Cap Weinberger understood the American military. As Secretary of Defense during the tipping point of the Cold War, he led an unprecedented rebuilding of an American military that had been demoralized and devastated by Vietnam. His legacy was the most professional and technologically advanced military the world had ever known. He knew we needed the world’s best military not because we wanted war, but because we wanted to prevent war. I was struck by an excerpt from Cap Weinberger’s memoir, In the Arena, published in the Washington Post this morning. It said this:
“Some thought it was incongruous that I did so much to build up our defenses but was reluctant to commit forces abroad. I did not arm to attack…We armed so that we could negotiate from strength, defend freedom and make war less likely.” Cap Weinberger stands out as the model of what a Secretary of Defense should be.” Hagel on Cap
Caspar Weinberger?
Bush is still pretty popular among most Republican primary voters.
Hard core, baby.
mr. Bradley:Bush is still pretty popular among most Republican primary voters.
That is true…but it was not my point…my point is it is Too SIMPLISTIC to see Hagel as just an anti war candidate….
It is too bad that so many of the activists and politicians in Gov. Schwarzenegger’s party are so resistant to the reality of the time and place in which they live.
Hagel would be defined in the Republican primaries as the anti-war candidate.
Mr. Bradley:Hagel would be defined in the Republican primaries as the anti-war candidate
anti- Iraq war …IF he runs I have total confidence in him that he will be able to articulate what he believes the role of the US military should be…and he will not come off as a pacifist, anti war protester as his opponents try to paint him…anyway, like you said, Mr. Bradley…he is not running…I still have a drink to him tonight at 58 and Holding co!…even though, like you said, he is not running…
I also believe that many Reeps will be anti -Iraq war by summer, sadly due to losses of US military in Iraq and Afghanistan…we do not live in a static world …probably never have …but certainly not now…
It’s the biggest issue, so if he jumped in now he would be defined as the anti-war Republican.
Whatever mr.Bradley… if you want to dismiss what I am REALLY trying to convey… fine…I mean it really does not matter because like you said he is not running
“Here is my prediction on when Chuck Hagel runs for president.
Never” BB
I’m merely stating the obvious, being anti-war is Hagel’s claim to fame, it’s what gets him on the TV chat shows you’re watching.
Oh yes, “chat shows” that I watch…well, what can I say Mr. Bradley, I have to rely on something …I mean a superb education, life experiences and work abroad in political/military tumultuous environs , knowing experts in the field etc…can only take you so far …
I have a quite left-wing friend who thinks the best ticket for the country would be Hagel-Obama. I disagree — I think Hagel’s maverick-ness is about as authentic as McCain’s was in ’00 (I’m willing to be proven wrong, but don’t feel like Hagel’s done that yet). But that kind of sentiment does seem to be pretty widespread.