March 14, 2005: Headlines: COS - Swaziland: Journalism: Television: Stanford: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger joined Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC’s talk show “Hardball,” for a one-hour live broadcast Monday afternoon from Stanford University’s Memorial Auditorium

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Swaziland: Special Report: RPCV Journalist Chris Matthews: Chris Matthews: Archived Stories: March 14, 2005: Headlines: COS - Swaziland: Journalism: Television: Stanford: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger joined Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC’s talk show “Hardball,” for a one-hour live broadcast Monday afternoon from Stanford University’s Memorial Auditorium

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-123-27.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.123.27) on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 11:17 am: Edit Post

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger joined Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC’s talk show “Hardball,” for a one-hour live broadcast Monday afternoon from Stanford University’s Memorial Auditorium

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger joined Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC’s talk show “Hardball,” for a one-hour live broadcast Monday afternoon from Stanford University’s Memorial Auditorium

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger joined Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC’s talk show “Hardball,” for a one-hour live broadcast Monday afternoon from Stanford University’s Memorial Auditorium

'Hardball College Tour' brings Gov. Schwarzenegger to Farm

BY RAY DELGADO

Photo: L.A. Cicero

For a man who claims not to be a politician, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger showed a politician's tact in deflecting tough questions posed to him by "Hardball" host Chris Matthews during an appearance Monday in Memorial Auditorium. He also handily knocked a few softball questions, posed by members of the audience, out of the park.

Approximately 200 protestors gathered outside of the auditorium for the governor's live appearance on MSNBC's "Hardball College Tour" stop at Stanford, while 700 specially invited guests streamed in to the auditorium to hear his remarks.

The one-hour interview covered many topics that have proved controversial for the governor in recent weeks as he presses an agenda that includes stripping lawmakers of the ability to redraw voting districts, changing the ways teachers are paid, tinkering with pensions for state workers and trying to undo a state law setting nurse staffing requirements in hospitals. Schwarzenegger was also asked to voice his opinions about the war in Iraq and the steroid problems plaguing major league baseball.

Schwarzenegger received a warm welcome from the audience when he was introduced, and he pointed out that he had many supporters in the crowd, including George Shultz, former secretary of state and the Thomas W. and Susan B. Ford Distinguished Fellow at the Hoover Institution. The governor also praised the university for having a good basketball team and providing a home to the Hoover Institution.

"Anytime I need to improve my ratings, I come to you," Schwarzenegger told Matthews.

"All good things must come to an end," Matthews responded, signaling his intent to press the governor on a range of issues that have plagued him recently.

Matthews first asked Schwarzenegger for his reaction to a ruling earlier in the day by a San Francisco Superior Court judge that declared the state's ban on marriage between same-sex couples unconstitutional.

"I have always been comfortable with the domestic partnership rights," Schwarzenegger said. "I don't believe in gay marriage."

Schwarzenegger said that he expects the case to end up in the state supreme court and that he would uphold whatever decision is made there. He also criticized San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and other mayors who he said overstepped their bounds by granting marriage licenses that were forbidden by law.

Matthews asked Schwarzenegger what it is like to be a politician, and Schwarzenegger dismissed the characterization, saying that he was elected as a reformer from outside of the traditional political system because he was not beholden to special interests and didn't owe anyone favors.

"I'm not a politician and will never be a politician. I have been sent to Sacramento by the people of California to fix a broken system but not to be a politician," Schwarzenegger said. "I want to bring both parties together. For me, the challenge was to bring people from both parties, Democrats and Republicans, together and fix the broken system."

Schwarzenegger was asked about his recent battles with nurses over his efforts to unravel a law that set more stringent staffing levels for nurses in hospitals. Schwarzenegger said he "loves," "respects" and "honors" nurses but that he is against unions that are pushing agendas he feels are harmful to the state. Schwarzenegger said the law would place heavy burdens on hospitals to maintain higher staffing levels at a time when there is a nursing shortage in California, a problem that may lead to hospital or emergency room closures.

When pressed later by Matthews to explain why he labels unions "special interests" but not major drug companies and other corporations he meets with, Schwarzenegger said that, in some cases, there is no difference.

"Anyone that is putting a wedge between a legislator, or a politician that is supposed to make decisions on behalf of the people, and the people is a special interest," Schwarzenegger said. "If it is a union or if it is a drug company, it makes no difference."

Schwarzenegger expressed optimism that democracy will prevail in the Middle East, despite the insurgency currently seen in Iraq.

"Twenty years from now we will see great improvements there," Schwarzenegger said. "It is worth it because you cannot judge it just by what's going on today. You have to look at it in the future."

Although he poked fun at liberal actor Warren Beatty (saying he wouldn't give Beatty advice on acting if he didn't give him advice on politics), Schwarzenegger refused to throw fuel on a fire over differences on the minimum wage issue that he has with U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., the uncle of Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver. "Even if you tried very hard, you cannot put a wedge between Teddy and me because it's family, and I would never say anything negative about him," Schwarzenegger said.

A question-and-answer session with several members of the studio audience fed Schwarzenegger some of the easiest questions of the interview. One woman wanted to know what keeps him up at night, to which Schwarzenegger replied: "I'm a good sleeper because of a clear conscience."

One person wanted to know what Schwarzenegger would like to accomplish if he were to someday become president. He answered that he doesn't think of that hypothetical because he focuses on fixing the state's problems.

Another questioner admonished Schwarzenegger for "schoolyard name-calling" by referring to some Democrats earlier as "girlie-men" and saying "I kick their butt" when asked about a group of nurses who had protested him. Schwarzenegger responded that he was attempting to bring humor, fun and entertainment to the political arena "because it's so boring."

The last line of questioning for Schwarzenegger involved the issue of steroids. Schwarzenegger has in the past admitted to taking steroids when he was a body-building competitor, but he said Monday that he supports the efforts taken by Congress to tackle the issue.

"We have to do something about the drug use in sports," Schwarzenegger said. "It sends the wrong message to our children. The trick is that it's easier said than done."





When this story was posted in March 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

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RPCVs in Congress ask colleagues to support PC Date: March 5 2005 No: 482 RPCVs in Congress ask colleagues to support PC
RPCVs Sam Farr, Chris Shays, Thomas Petri, James Walsh, and Mike Honda have asked their colleagues in Congress to add their names to a letter they have written to the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, asking for full funding of $345 M for the Peace Corps in 2006. As a follow-on to Peace Corps week, please read the letter and call your Representative in Congress and ask him or her to add their name to the letter.

Add your info now to the RPCV Directory Date: March 13 2005 No: 489 Add your info now to the RPCV Directory
Call Harris Publishing at 800-414-4608 right away to add your name or make changes to your listing in the newest edition of the NPCA's Directory of Peace Corps Volunteers and Former Staff. Then read our story on how you can get access to the book after it is published. The deadline for inclusion is May 16 so call now.

March 12, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Date: March 13 2005 No: 487 March 12, 2005: This Week's Top Stories
The Coyne Column: Read Winning Essay by PCV 12 Mar
Laura Germino helps Migrant Workers Advocacy Group 12 Mar
Sam Farr impresses medical-pot advocacy group 11 Mar
Fred O'Regan writes Op-Ed on Canada seal hunt 11 Mar
Fern Holland remembered In Oklahoma 10 Mar
Mountaineer Charles Houston receives honorary degree 10 Mar
Elaine Chao led delegation for President's inauguration 10 Mar
Chris Dodd wins Hispanic Capital Award 9 Mar
Pat Waak is new Colorado Democratic Party Chair 9 Mar
Chris Matthews withdraws from Florida Event 9 Mar
Timothy J. O'Brien returns to Korea 8 Mar
Tomas Belsky's paintings inspired by service in Brazil 7 Mar
Christopher Hill to be Assistant Secretary of State 7 Mar
Allen Moore is Sen Frist's Deputy Chief of Staff 7 Mar
Jim Doyle heads trade delegation to Mexico 5 Mar
Al Kamen says Narcissus Is Now Greek AND Roman 4 Mar
Diana Gomez says to do something about Peace 4 Mar

March 12, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News Date: March 14 2005 No: 494 March 12, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News
San Diego RPCVs host reception with Gaddi Vasquez on March 6 4 Mar
Alaska RPCVs speak for dividend 4 Mar
Western North Carolina's RPCVs sponsor Africa Night on March 6 3 Mar
Maryland RPCVs lobby their Senators for Peace Corps 3 Mar
Connecticut RPCVs hold fundraiser on March 5 3 Mar
Charles Baquet speaks at Louisiana PC Breakfast on March 4 28 Feb

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March 1: National Day of Action Date: February 28 2005 No: 471 March 1: National Day of Action
Tuesday, March 1, is the NPCA's National Day of Action. Please call your Senators and ask them to support the President's proposed $27 Million budget increase for the Peace Corps for FY2006 and ask them to oppose the elimination of Perkins loans that benefit Peace Corps volunteers from low-income backgrounds. Follow this link for step-by-step information on how to make your calls. Then take our poll and leave feedback on how the calls went.
Make a call for the Peace Corps Date: February 19 2005 No: 453 Make a call for the Peace Corps
PCOL is a strong supporter of the NPCA's National Day of Action and encourages every RPCV to spend ten minutes on Tuesday, March 1 making a call to your Representatives and ask them to support President Bush's budget proposal of $345 Million to expand the Peace Corps. Take our Poll: Click here to take our poll. We'll send out a reminder and have more details early next week.
Peace Corps Calendar: Tempest in a Teapot? Date: February 17 2005 No: 445 Peace Corps Calendar: Tempest in a Teapot?
Bulgarian writer Ognyan Georgiev has written a story which has made the front page of the newspaper "Telegraf" criticizing the photo selection for his country in the 2005 "Peace Corps Calendar" published by RPCVs of Madison, Wisconsin. RPCV Betsy Sergeant Snow, who submitted the photograph for the calendar, has published her reply. Read the stories and leave your comments.
WWII participants became RPCVs Date: February 13 2005 No: 442 WWII participants became RPCVs
Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service.
Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps Date: February 7 2005 No: 436 Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps
The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.

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Story Source: Stanford

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Swaziland; Journalism; Television

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By Terry Adcock Colombia 1961-63 (cpe-67-9-158-60.austin.res.rr.com - 67.9.158.60) on Saturday, March 26, 2005 - 6:15 am: Edit Post

As a fellow RPCV, I find Chris Matthews to be such a disappointment. His views indicate to me that his Peace Corps experience had little affect on him, socially, spiritually, or politically.

Sad for him - sadder still for his viewers.

By moha sasa (62.240.34.156) on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 9:09 am: Edit Post

All are talking about 5 Bulgarian nurses and forgot about 450 childern injected with AIDs??? WHY WHY WHY

In Libya there are all nationalties working in the medical sector. Why the Bulg only were acused? there are other for better political acusation???

If Libya releases the nurses, it is a license to spread the AIDs around the world.

The most horible huminitarnian crime, it,s penelty should be max punchment "excusion".


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