Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped down as California “Governator” yesterday, defending his record to the last — and keeping fans and others guessing about his next move.
After seven years at the helm of the Golden State, the former champion body builder turned Terminator movie megastar and businessman is leaving his adopted home mired in huge financial woes.
However, as he prepared to hand over power to Democrat Jerry Brown two months after the Nov. 2 polls — Arnie stood by all his decisions.
“History will be the final judge of my administration’s record,” he said in his last weekly radio address. “But I leave office proud of what we have accomplished. I am especially proud that we were never afraid to ... make the tough choices and set aside ideology in favor of compromise. At times this cost me politically, but I always acted in the best interests of California’s future.”
While he impressed many with his transformation into a liberal Republican and green champion who won re-election in 2006, his poll ratings slid in recent years, in line with California’s dire economic fortunes.
A budget crisis last year pushed California, which would have been the world’s eighth-largest economy if it were a country, to the brink of bankruptcy, sending its credit-rating plunging and forcing it to pay bills with IOUs.
While commentators will pick over Schwarzenegger’s political legacy, many are watching closely to see what the 63-year-old will do next — notably whether he will return to the movies.
In an interview with the LA Times last month, he acknowledged he has many other options, from writing his autobiography to the speech-making circuit, to business projects or even a behind-the-camera role in Hollywood.
One thing is clear: he doesn’t need the money — he made a reported US$30 million a film at his Hollywood height and refused his salary as California governor — not to mention his extensive business interests.
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