The Contra Costa Times reported that Schwarzenegger is sufficiently estranged from the Bush administration that he declined to appear with President George W. Bush during a visit to California, instead choosing to campaign for passing the propositions.

Standing before one of Contra Costa County's most rundown schools, Schwarzenegger on Oct. 3 urged Californians to support the ballot measures next month.

Speaking at Contra Costa College Schwarzenegger said: "Right now, we have an infrastructure in this state that is meant for 20 million people, but definitely not 37 million people. People in California are upset they're getting stuck in traffic. They should be at home with their families. The people of California recognize that we need to rebuild California. It's like when you invest in a company."

Regarding the propositions, a poll last week by the Public Policy Institute of California found that the infrastructure bonds were a leading issue among voters but that support was declining.

Contra Costa College President McKinley Williams said: "We've had so many years of neglect that it's starting to catch up with us. We can't just use local money to fund this stuff. We need some help from the state."

Schwarzenegger's visit to San Pablo had been planned as a bipartisan rally with Democratic legislative leaders. Proposition supporters Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, declined to attend and Schwarzenegger did not answer questions about their non-appearance.

Supporting Schwarzenegger at the Contra Costa rally was Democrat Sunne Wright McPeak, saying, "Voters will get an immediate return on their investment."

Schwarzenegger pursued his statewide campaign rather than accept an opportunity to appear with President Bush, who was in Stockton campaigning for Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy. Schwarzenegger said he had different priorities than the president.

Schwarzenegger dismissed the appearance of a political rift by telling supporters: "He's really not here on business; he's here on fund-raising activities. To me, (the bond campaign) is more important than a meeting with the president."

Related Links
Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com