Schwarzenegger know how to make friends

The Terminator is already making enemies of his supposed friends:

Riordan was "stunned" when he learned from a television newscast that Schwarzenegger would challenge Gov. Gray Davis for the state's top post, according to one of Riordan's closest confidants. The two-term mayor believed Schwarzenegger had committed to sitting out the race, leaving Riordan free to run without contesting his friend, the confidant said.

Of the two, Riordan led in most polls. As late as Wednesday morning, he had spoken to Schwarzenegger and gotten no inkling that the movie hero was about to announce his first run for public office — taking the plunge in a "Tonight Show" appearance with host Jay Leno.

"So this is what it feels like to be mugged," said the Riordan advisor, who asked not to be named.

The bottom line? Riordan is saying, through his "advisor", that he might still enter the race. Not the kind of thing Arnold's people want to hear, and not the kind of thing that would happen of he treated his friends like, well, friends.

Incidentally, as things spiral out of control, I'm thinking it increasingly likely the California Supreme Court kills the successor ballot outright. I don't think anyone can seriously claim anymore that Democracy is somehow being served.

Posted August 07, 2003 11:26 AM