Governator!

This week on Meet the Press, David Gregory interviewed Arnold Schwarzenegger, the world famous governor of California. Schwarzenegger is truly a fascinating figure in American public life. Schwarzenegger was born in Austria in 1947. He moved to the United States in 1968. A former Mr. Universe, Schwarzenegger wanted to use his success in bodybuilding to pursue a career in acting. His first role came in 1970, as Hercules in Hercules in New York. He would go on to become the top action star in Hollywood. He married a Kennedy, and in 1990 gained his first political appointment to the President's Council on Physical Fitness. In 2003, when governor Gray Davis was ousted in a recall election, Schwarzenegger became the unlikely governor of California.

Although he considers himself a longtime Republican, Schwarzenegger came to office to be "the people's governor." He has carved out an interesting place in the Republican Party. A fiscal conservative at heart, he is also socially liberal, which has been to his benefit in a state like California, and, some might argue, also to the benefit of California. California is a state with many problems, both financially and socially, and is a difficult state to govern. Electing a Hollywood actor, an immigrant, to the executive position could have easily proved disastrous, but Arnold has exceeded most expectations and has become a legitimate politician.

In the interview, Schwarzenegger proved his non-partisan bona fides. He backed President Obama on many issues, including the stimulus package. He defended Obama (and all Democrats) on national defense. One issue where he did differ from the administration was health care. Although an early supporter of reform, Schwarzenegger blasted the bill for the extra pressure that it puts on state's budgets. He became visibly angry when discussing Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson and how his state received extra Medicaid money in exchange for his vote, calling it "illegal".

Schwarzenegger's is a "uniquely American" story. He immigrated to the new world in hopes of finding fame and fortune. His life story has taken turns that he never could have imagined in 1968. Now, with only one year left in his term, Schwarzenegger says that he has yet to make up his mind on what he will do next. He certainly has a future in politics if he wants it. He has a record of reaching across the aisle to work in a non-partisan way. The question is, where does he stand in the political spectrum? Will the Republican party move towards his brand of reform, or will they become more ideological? Either way, Schwarzenegger will continue to embody the one word that Republicans have fallen in love with; Maverick.