Poll: GOP, Dems equally dislike Schwarzenegger

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 3/4/9 | Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross

[SmithL]

Arnold Schwarzenegger's dream of becoming the first "post-partisan" governor has finally come true - he's equally disliked by Republicans and Democrats.

"He's reached his goal. Both sides view him the same way," said Mark DiCamillo of the Field Poll. "Negatively."

Overall, the action-star-turned-budget-bedraggled-compromiser scored a 38 percent approval rating in a statewide Field Poll of 761 voters taken after the recent budget deal was reached.

Schwarzenegger's abandonment of the Republican mantra of no new taxes cost him dearly among his own party. The number of Republicans who approve of his job performance is down to 39 percent, versus 56 percent who disapprove, the Field Poll showed.

The previous Field survey, taken in September at the beginning of the budget standoff, showed Republicans evenly split on Arnold - 45 percent positive, 45 percent negative.

His alienation of Republicans hasn't really helped Schwarzenegger among Democrats, who are thumbs down on him in the latest poll - 33 percent positive to 57 percent negative.

"I've never seen an elected official with these kinds of numbers," DiCamillo said. "Even when former President George Bush was getting very low job ratings here in California, he still had the support of half of his party."

[SmithL]

I guess this wouldn’t be the best time to amend the Constitution to allow him to run for President.

[txnativegop]

the terminator is in danger of being terminated from his office.

[EagleUSA]

Gee, I wonder who the “Red Times” of San Freakcisco is stumping for now???

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Hasta la vista, baby!

[Zakeet]

Is this what they mean by the term "bipartisan support"?

[TCats]

A general rule in Court is if both Parties are equally displeased with your ruling you probably have it about right. Arnold breaks this rule.

[kellynla]

“Gee, I wonder who the “Red Times” of San Freakcisco is stumping for now???”

Feinstein for governor...of course they’ll have to prop her up...DiFi will be 77 next year.

[AuntB]

Arnold is a girlie man.

[J40000]

Arnold is learning the hard way: That if you try to please EVERYBODY, you will end up pleasing NOBODY.

Principles, man. It’s all about principles and conviction.

[Ev Reeman]

Schwarzenegger is a RINO. RINOs should not be welcome in the republican party. Kick them all out and the conservative movement in America will become that much stronger and better for it.

[BuffaloJack]

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a Liberal Republican, he’s even married to a member of the Kennedy Clan.
Arnold at best could be considered a RINO.

[Impy]

Arnie’s popularity has been terminated.

Maybe the folks in that city on Mars still like him, he did give them precious air after all.

[Cicero]

Supporting this idiot was one of Bush’s worst mistakes. Rove and Bush set out to “reform” the Republican party in California, but may instead have succeeded in killing it for good. Meanwhile Arnold has wrecked California, and if the Holy One bails him out, helped wreck the whole country.

[oneamericanvoice]

I can tell you that he is much better than the alternative...Lefty, Phil Angelides. Dems hate Arnold because he has tried to do reform, and Republicans don’t like him because he tried working across the aisle.

Our state (CA) wouldn’t be in such shambles if the reforms that he tried to put in place hadn’t failed. The Dems and their union cronies convinced the public that what he was doing would hurt the poor, ect. All lies, but the uneducated public is gullible.

[BillyBoy]

I'm not sure why the RATs hate him, since he gives them anything they want and won't be caught dead helping any conservative Republican. I remember back in George Ryan's final year (2002) as Illinois Governor, his approval rating was actually higher among Dems than Republicans (something like 38% approval from RATs and 17% approval from Republicans), because every though George was an ultra-corrupt lying backstabber who broken every campaign promise, some lakefront liberals were sad to see him go due to all the support he had given them in passing gun confiscation bills, health care all the kiddies (including illegal immigrants kids, of course) gay rights, and taking convicted killers off death row. They conceded he was corrupt but gushed about how he had "grown in office" . He was definitely the go-to guy whenever the far-left needed someone to promote their pet issues.

Similarly, I think Chuck Hagel's last two years in office showed him with a higher approval rating with Nebraska RATs than Nebraska Republicans.

[b9]

Seeing Arnold tank actually gives me hope that Obama will follow suit.

[dfwgator]

I guess this wouldn’t be the best time to amend the Constitution to allow him to run for President.

Austrians as heads of other countries, hasn't exactly worked out too well.

[dfwgator]

Arnold is learning the hard way: That if you try to please EVERYBODY, you will end up pleasing NOBODY.

"You see, you can't please everyone, so you gotta please yourself." -Ricky Nelson (Garden Party)

I think Arnold is in a "no-win" situation in California. All in all, I think he is probably doing as well as anybody else could in that position.

[calcowgirl]

Arnie’s popularity has been terminated.

Unfortunately, he's taken California's economy along with him.