Run (away), Arnold, run!

In less than two years, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has achieved some miraculous results. Who would ever have thought that Ahnold could make millions of Californians wish for the "good old days" of Gray Davis? Who would have thought that Ahnold could openly and proudly raise special-interest money at a rate Davis couldn't dream of?

And who would have thought that, with public approval ratings rivaling post-Katrina George Bush, Arnold would run for re-election?

California's sitcom-inspired recall election permitted the Governator to avoid most of the public and media scrutiny directed at most "mainstream" candidates in a regular election. That's why Arnold didn't run against Gray Davis in 2002. Now that the news media has — hopefully more than just temporarily — rediscovered its conejos spine, I suspect that Ahnold will face some tough questions:

• What has California done to prepare for the inevitable natural disaster that will strike this state sooner or later?
• How does Governor Schwarzenegger propose to restore the funding our schools need to give our children the education they will need to become productive taxpaying citizens?
• How does Governor Schwuleficker reconcile his statement that the courts (rather than the legislature) should extend marriage rights to same-sex couples with the national Republican Party's excoriation of "activist judges"?
• How does Governor Schwanzenneger propose to deal with the critical shortage of qualified nurses and other health-care professionals?
• Does the Kindergarten Cop really believe he is the most qualified Republican candidate for governor?
• Why do bloggers insist on throwing silly schoolyard insults at him?
• Why should we view Governor Schwarzenegger's initiative proposals as anything more than narcissistic grandstanding?

I hope that the Republican Party will conduct a vigorous primary campaign, with a serious discussion of issues and policies, rather than meekly following the Pied Pipenator for another four years. Of course, I hope the Democrats will do the same.

Let's send Arnold back to Hollywood for Four More Films!