Governator to become Powernator?

The Guardian reports that speculation has Arnold Schwarzenegger going from Governator to Energy czar in the incoming Obama administration. Yesterday, we speculated on which Republicans might find their way into Obama’s cabinet, but I have to admit that I hadn’t considered the centrist Schwarzenegger as a potential candidate:

He’s been a body-builder, a movie star and leader of the most populous state in the US. But could Arnold Schwarzenegger, now nearing the end of his days as California’s governor, be offered a place at Barack Obama’s side in Washington?

Speculation is swirling that Schwarzenegger will be offered the role of energy czar in the incoming Obama administration. There has been Beltway chatter about the prospect ever since he was named as a contender for the job by the authoritative politico.com website. …

But the chatter has refused to go away. It stems from an interview Schwarzenegger gave in July to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. “I’m always ready to help in any way I can,” he replied when asked if he would be willing to fill the role. “I’ve committed myself to be a public servant.”

ABC has that transcript here. It didn’t specifically refer to an position as an energy czar; Stephanopoulos left the specifics of a position rather vague. Newsweek prompted the question by speculating in its contemporaneous issue that Schwarzenegger’s outspoken efforts on climate change would work well in an Obama administration.

On one hand, it would make a great deal of sense for Obama to offer him that position. Their public positions are close to each other, and Schwarzenegger represents the kind of post-partisanship that Obama preached during the election (and rarely practiced). However, Schwarzenegger hit Obama hard in the final weeks of the election in Ohio and elsewhere. He scornfully mocked Obama’s policies as lacking “meat”, and scoffed at Obama’s ability to lead while campaigning for McCain.

If Obama can put aside any dented feelings over the campaign, it would be a stroke of political genius to get Arnold onto his team. It takes away a potent tool for the GOP on fundraising and excitement on the stump. He’d have to convince Arnold to bail out of his second term as governor, but with the fiscal crisis at hand in the Golden State, that may not be a very hard sell.

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