Schwarzenegger, Bush seek rebound

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Two of the nation’s best known and most embattled Republicans – President Bush and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger – teamed up Friday as both seek a political rebound in an increasingly hostile environment.

Bush, facing his lowest approval ratings ever and record-high gas prices, came to the high-tech hotbed of Cisco Systems in Silicon Valley to pitch his plan to increase spending on math and science training to make the United States more competitive globally.

With his domestic agenda foundering, the president will spend the next few days juggling local, state and national politics by emphasizing domestic energy production and improving the economy. “I know people here are suffering at the gas pump,” Bush said during an afternoon round-table discussion that included Schwarzenegger.

“I pledge to the people here that if we find any price gouging, it will be dealt with firmly,” the president said.

The president’s “I-feel-your-pain” message was aimed at the growing number of Americans expressing a sour view of the economy, despite a robust stock market and solid growth in most sectors of the economy. Bush is pushing Congress for speedy action on his energy and competitiveness plans, though disputes over the budget and immigration laws could dominate action through the summer.

After days of contentious negotiations between the administration and California officials, Bush on Friday moved to defuse tensions with Schwarzenegger over fortifying the state’s levee system. The California governor, who like Bush has seen his popularity plummet in the past year, had complained before the visit that the White House was resisting his urgent plea for federal assistance. The governor and other state officials are asking for more than $56 million to repair the foundations of several levees and $3 billion more for flood control.

Shortly before Bush landed, the White House announced that Bush would not meet the governor’s demand for a natural disaster declaration. Instead, it issued an unusual waiver and took other steps that the administration said will expedite the repair process, a portion of which will likely eventually be covered by federal money.

It was not a total victory for Schwarzenegger, but Republicans hope it will provide some political protection for the governor. If nothing else, the two GOP leaders avoided an embarrassing public spat in their rare joint appearance. The president and governor, who disagree on social issues such as abortion, did not make public appearances during Bush’s past two visits to the state.