Schwarzenegger buddy runs for president

Maybe now Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has someone he can support for president. The Republican governor has said he probably won't make an endorsement in the GOP primary, but one of his closest friends is running on an "anti-establishment" ticket.

Terry Tamminen, the Malibu pool-cleaning expert and environmental activist who was Schwarzenegger's cabinet secretary, has launched an independent campaign for president.

Tamminen, who also served as the first Cal-EPA secretary under Schwarzenegger, is currently touring Canada and the U.S. promoting his new book, "Live Per Gallon: The True Cost of Our Oil Addiction." He left the administration last summer. Something tells me his presidential campaign is a tongue-in-cheek way to promote book sales, but whatever - it's a democracy.

If elected, Tamminen would "apologize to the world and get out of Iraq immediately," and he would "apologize to the families of the 100,000 people who die prematurely" from disease related to oil consumption. In addition, his administration would end oil subsidies and spend $20 billion a year to replace diesel buses with cleaner transportation. And he would allow government employees to work fours days a week if they volunteer on the fifth day to perform community service.

"In the meantime, look for me in New Hampshire and Iowa perfecting my baby-kissing techniques," Tamminen wrote recently on Grist. "And if you think you can do better, why not tell the world by declaring your candidacy and setting out a platform of your own?"

Tamminen is shown above on the left, standing with state Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman, the governor, and actor Clint Eastwood at an ocean-protection event. Tamminen, who is registered decline-to-state, emailed Political Muscle from the book tour: "By the way, the response here in Canada is great, so if we can annex a few provinces before November of 2008, I'm a shoo-in!"

(Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)