Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, who has endorsed Senator John McCain and called his fellow Republican a role model, suggested in an interview broadcast Sunday that he would be willing to serve as an energy and environment czar under Senator Barack Obama should he win the presidency, according to The New York Times.
Mr. Schwarzenegger said that whether he held a position in an Obama administration or not, he planned on traveling the world to promote clean energy after his tenure as governor. He also indicated that he was not pursuing a cabinet job.
“I’m always ready to help in any way I can,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said in the interview on the ABC News program “This Week,” adding, “I’ve committed myself to be a public servant.”
Mr. Schwarzenegger endorsed Mr. McCain in January, in part for what he called Mr. McCain’s “great vision in protecting the environment.” But Mr. Obama, a Democrat, has praised Mr. Schwarzenegger’s efforts against climate change in California and mentioned his name in discussions of possible cabinet officers.
That apparently prompted George Stephanopoulos, the moderator of “This Week,” to ask Mr. Schwarzenegger whether he would take a phone call from Mr. Obama if he was calling with an offer to be his energy and environment czar.
“I’d take his call now, and I’d take his call when he’s president — any time,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said. “Remember, no matter who is president, I don’t see this as a political thing. I see this as we always have to help, no matter what the administration is.”
Mr. Schwarzenegger also offered some praise for Mr. Obama, saying he disagreed with people who have criticized the senator as a flip-flopper.
“Someone has, for 20 or 30 years, been in the wrong place with his idea and with his ideology and says: ‘You know something? I changed my mind. I am now for this,’ ” Mr. Schwarzenegger said. “As long as he’s honest or she’s honest, I think that is a wonderful thing.”
