Arnold W. Schwarzenegger

Yesterday, with everybody watching the President's speech, California's leading man pulled a W of his own by appointing an oil industry lobbyist to run the California Air Resources Board. The board has historically ranked among the nation's leading environmental agencies. The appointee, Cindy Tuck, lobbies for the "California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance," which opposes California's strong emissions standards and fought efforts to require environmental upgrades for power plants. (Funny how the word "balance" seems to be a sure sign that whoever is using it is not balanced.)

This from the governor who promised: "I will fight for the environment. Nothing to worry about."

How did he go from Arnold "I will terminate the special interests" Schwarzenegger to Arnold "W" Schwarzenegger?

Moolah, and lots of it. Here's how you explain yesterday's outrageous appointment: Arnold has taken more than $1 million from energy companies (including $222k from Chevron) and about $1.3 million from the auto industry (see more at ArnoldWatch.org)

This conversion from outsider to just another politician makes the once-invincible Arnold seem like W in another way as well: most voters no longer support him; a new Field Poll reports that 57% of Californians would not vote for Schwarzenegger today.

Oh, and just like W, Arnold and his small army of political consultants, suddenly don't believe in polls.