Reuters AlertNet

October 24, 2007

Schwarzenegger now more governor than 'governator'

By Jill Serjeant

LOS ANGELES, Oct 24 (Reuters) - A few years ago, Arnold Schwarzenegger might have donned a firefighter's helmet, grabbed a hose and posed for pictures while visiting a national disaster area.

But this week, the California governor seemed to cement his transition from action movie star to serious politician with his unflagging crisis management of the worst wildfires to sweep the state in 100 years.

In the four days since some 20 blazes erupted across Southern California, burning hundreds of homes and sending half a million people fleeing, Schwarzenegger has been everywhere.

He has mobilized state funds, deployed National Guard troops and staged up to four news conferences a day at different venues.

He has also signed autographs for displaced people, but the "Terminator" star has never once uttered one of his favorite Hollywood catch phrases.

"He has been more the Governor than the 'Governator' and that is appropriate," said Raphael Sonnenshein, professor of political science at California State University in Fullerton.

"I think it is a reminder to people that he has a serious job and that he's not goofing around. For him, being taken seriously, especially outside California, is always pretty important."

Californians who elected the Austrian former body-builder governor in October 2003 and again in November 2006 have long seen Schwarzenegger, 60, more as politician than pretender -- even if they don't always agree with his policies.

Even the California firefighters union, which did not support him in the two gubernatorial races, had a good word about the Republican governor's handling of the latest crisis and improvements he has implemented in co-ordination, communications and rapid response since similar fires in 2003.

'ROLLING UP HIS SLEEVES'

"He has been through two elections now so he doesn't get to be the 'Last Action Hero' anymore. He knows now he can't get by on his name. He has got to get by on deliverables," said Carroll Wills, spokesman for the 30,000-strong California Professional Firefighters union.

Past perceptions of Schwarzenegger outside California and overseas, have been ambivalent -- something he has exploited to grab headlines.

He called his landslide re-election in November his "favorite sequel." Last month he told Republican activists that their party was "dying at the box office" in terms of public support.

Yet Schwarzenegger's hectic tours of fire-stricken areas are more than public relations stunts, political experts said.

"He understands what a governor ought to do. His adrenalin really runs when he is out there making a difference and being an action hero, if you will," said Sherry Bebitch-Jeffe, a political analyst at the University of Southern California.

"It's not totally cynical. It is in his genes."

Tall, tanned and built like an oak tree, Schwarzenegger exudes power and charisma without even trying.

"When Arnold goes into distressed areas, people get a twofer -- the chief executive officer and the Terminator at the same time," said political analyst Allen Hoffenblum, who used to work for the California Republican Party.

"That really does have an impact when people are in distress. But it would be no good if there wasn't a competency level. He is obviously rolling up his sleeves and making sure that anything than can be done is done."