Muckraker: Grist on Politics

On ABC’s “This Week” yesterday, California’s Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a McCain supporter, suggested that he’d be willing to serve as “energy czar” for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

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Host George Stephanopoulos asked the governor about a report that he attributed to Newsweek that said Obama would consider Schwarzenegger for a cabinet post, possibly one dealing with energy and environmental issues. Here’s the exchange:

Stephanopoulos: If he were president and he called, you would at least take that call?

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Schwarzenegger: I would take his call now, I will take his call when he’s President. Any time. Remember, no matter who is president, I don’t see this as a political thing, I see this as we always have to help no matter what the administration is.

He also spoke in praise of changing one’s mind on the issues: “Flip-flopping is getting a bad rap, because I think it is great,” Schwarzenegger said.

“Someone has made a mistake. I mean, someone has, for 20 or 30 years, been in the wrong place with his idea and with his ideology and says, ‘You know something? I changed my mind. I am now for this.’ As long as he’s honest or she’s honest, I think that is a wonderful thing. You can change your mind,” he said. “I have changed my mind on things and there is nothing wrong with it.”