Gov. Arnold to the rescue! He's Ohio-bound to help John McCain

Arnold Schwarzenegger has many ties to Columbus, Ohio.

That’s the locale of the Arnold Classic, the body-building competition that is televised across Ohio. He owns a shopping mall there, too.

It’s also a place where he does some serious Republican politicking. He told reporters today he intends to head to Columbus toward the “end of next week” to help his buddy, John McCain.

Columbus “is the city where I traditionally always go and campaign, like the weekend before the election. I have done this in 1988 and in 1992 and so on. So I will be going there for one event to Columbus, Ohio.”

Schwarzenegger neglected to recollect that one “so on” took place in 2004, when he stumped for George W. Bush in Columbus.

The governor’s celebrity helped give Bush an added boost in the state that the president narrowly won. Ohio, it is said, determined the outcome of the 2004 election and remains a swing state this year.

In fact, Republicans have not won the presidency without Ohio since 1916.

Schwarzenegger paid a price for that 2004 effort. When he ran for reelection in 2006, Democratic challenger Phil Angelides aired a particularly tough commercial reminding voters that Schwarzenegger helped Bush.

Colleague George Skelton described the ad like this: Schwarzenegger is standing at the podium, finger pointing in the air, leading the chant: "Reelect George W. Bush." Behind him is the smirking president. A narrator intones: "130,000 American troops remain in Iraq ... gasoline prices are up ... Arnold Schwarzenegger's for George W. Bush. Is he for you?"

No word on whether First Lady Maria Shriver, one of Barack Obama's more prominent backers, will be accompanying the governor.

-- Dan Morain

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Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[keith]

"Schwarznegger paid a price for that 2004 effort. When he ran for reelection in 2006, Democratic challenger Phil Angelides aired a particularly tough commercial reminding voters that Schwarzenegger helped Bush."

Well, Angelides isn't governor is he?

[VJ Machiavelli]

I guess we should all be thankful that Arnold is going tp Columbus to help McCain. Maybe he should have been campaigning up and down California for McCain and Palin.
Letting the people in California know that they will be the ones who will spreading the wealth. It seems they have the highest number of people who make over $250,000 I am sure they are happy to spread their money around.

VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com

[Trannny]

With his emasculated girlie man liberal stance as of late, Arnie will be lucky he doesn't get booed in an actual conservative enclave.

Arnie entered stage right like a conservative lion in thundering boots, but like a timid mouse, he has slinked off to silently exit stage left in silken slippers. Methinks Maria has his cajones ensconced atop a bed post in her boudoir only to be utilized at her discretion.

Never argue with an Obama fool, they will lower you down to their gutter level and beat you with community Organizer experience

[John K.]

Yes! McCain/Palin '08!

[unomas]

While he's there, maybe he can sell some bonds or borrow some money for California.

[Susan]

The California's economy is in the toilet so I am really glad to see our Governor is taking time off to campaign for McCain. Republician first. California second.

[Bob]

yes' OBAMA/BIDEN '08

[Dave]

You know your campaign is in trouble when you haul out a governor with a 32% approval rating to help your fledging campaign - and, that governor is a celebrity - and you ran an ad mocking the nature of celebrity. then again, joe the plumber is also a celebrity. can his campaign get any goofier?