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Schwarzenegger keeping policy ideas quietSome Democrats, Republicans critical
(CNN) – Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is using his star power to get his campaign for governor off the ground, but it's not clear where he stands on many of the issues. "I have so much energy. I have so much fire. I will be going from home to home to talk to the people in California," he said. "Knock on doors, meet with business leaders and all that," he said Friday. But when asked to talk about business opposition to the nation's only paid family leave law, Schwarzenegger dodged the issue. "I will have to get into that, because, as you know, I'm very much for families and very much for children and children's issues and all that stuff," the candidate said on NBC's "The Today Show." When asked on the program about gay marriage, he said, "I don't want to get into that right now." One analyst said Schwarzenegger's stances can best be described as "shorthand." He has called himself a fiscal conservative and a social moderate. Schwarzenegger favors some gun control, supports abortion rights and takes a moderate position on gay rights. Positions like that put him out of step with conservatives like talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, who said Thursday that Schwarzenegger's words prove he's not a conservative. Some Democrats don't like what they've heard from Schwarzenegger and are portraying him as more style than substance. "I've heard only cliches so far. I'd like to have him answer, 'How would you solve this budget dilemma? How would you solve the deficit from this point on, would you change the deficit of financing? Would you change the revenue estimates? What programs would you cut?'" California Sen. Diane Feinstein said. But political consultant Kieran Mahoney said Schwarzenegger could turn his weaknesses into strengths. "Jesse Ventura did exactly that. This was a guy who wasn't schooled in government who became the governor of Minnesota by representing change," Mahoney said. "I think the biggest thing that Schwarzenegger has going for him is Gray Davis, the incumbent governor. And if it is seen as a Davis vs. Schwarzenegger fight, I think that [Schwarzenegger] could be the next governor very easily," he said. California voters will decide October 7 whether to recall Davis, then they will pick a replacement candidate to serve if Davis is recalled. That candidate -- who needs only to win the most votes, not a majority -- will serve as chief executive of the largest state in the union for the remaining 3 1/2 years of Davis' term. The actor-turned-candidate criticized Davis again Friday. "Gray Davis has sold himself as the man for experience. For the last two elections, he says he has experience that you cannot buy. Look what happened with all of his experience," Schwarzenegger said. "He has taken over a state that was in fantastic shape. Nine billion dollar surplus and now $38 billion deficit. It's disastrous." Schwarzenegger's only political experience so far is leading a successful ballot initiative last year to increase funding for the state's after-school programs. "Education pays off because it's the future of our country, and therefore I am 100 percent behind that, and I will always fight, if I am governor, I will never let anyone touch that money, the education money, because it's absolutely crucial," he vowed Friday. As of late Friday afternoon, the California Secretary of State's office was reporting that 598 people had either picked up paperwork or indicated to local elections officials that they planned to run for governor; however, only 17 had returned the completed candidacy papers. (Full story) To qualify, would-be governors have to pay $3,500 and submit 65 signatures from registered voters by 5 p.m. Saturday [8 p.m. EDT].
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