Arnold's Role Recasts Recall Race

Arnold Schwarzenegger surprise jump into the California recall race Wednesday touched off the heaviest tremors in the state's political earthquake. Then, just hours later, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante broke ranks with other prominent Democrats who vowed to stay off the ballot, saying he would file papers to challenge embattled Gov. Gray Davis.

Another Democrat, state Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, will also take out papers to run, his press secretary said early Thursday.

Bustamante's late announcement capped a day of one-upsmanship and fast-paced developments in one of the most unpredictable political races in recent history.

Earlier, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein had ruled out a run, labeling the election "more and more like a carnival every day." And political commentator Arianna Huffington declared she would run as an independent.

But it was the announcement by Schwarzenegger, a moderate Republican and the star of the "Terminator" movies, that came as the biggest surprise.

Schwarzenegger, 56, announced his decision during a taping of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," calling it the toughest he's made since deciding to get a bikini wax in 1978.

"The politicians are fiddling, fumbling and failing," he said. "The man that is failing the people more than anyone is Gray Davis."

Schwarzenegger's advisers had said in recent days that he was leaning against putting his name on the Oct. 7 election ballot because of opposition from his wife, journalist Maria Shriver.

Schwarzenegger told Leno that he's not afraid of Davis allies attacking him as "a womanizer" or "a terrible person." "I know that they're going to throw everything at me," he said.

Davis' campaign committee responded by saying Schwarzenegger was merely the latest in a long list of people who have declared their intent to run, noting that Hustler publisher Larry Flynt is among them.

"The more candidates who join, the greater the likelihood that a small minority of voters will be controlling California's future," read a statement from Californians Against the Costly Recall, which was speaking for the governor.

Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, another moderate Republican, has said he would enter the race if Schwarzenegger did not, and polls have shown Riordan would be a stronger candidate than the actor. Riordan had been assembling a campaign team on the assumption Schwarzenegger was out; his spokeswoman, Lisa Wolf, said Wednesday that he had no immediate comment.

Schwarzenegger said he made the decision over the last few days and kept it a secret from everyone - even his own advisers said they didn't expect it.

When the actor finally confirmed he was running, "The Tonight Show" audience in Burbank erupted in whoops and cheers.

Later Wednesday night, Bustamante, the first Hispanic to hold statewide office in California in more than a century, said in a faxed statement that he planned to pick up candidacy papers Thursday morning in Sacramento.

As late as Tuesday, he had said he would stay off the ballot, follwing the lead of several prominent Democrats.

The Davis camp, fearing that other Democratic candidates would give Democratic-leaning voters an excuse to pass the recall, has pressed to keep prominent party members from running.

Before Bustamante's announcement, Feinstein's decision not to run appeared to give a boost to Davis.

"After thinking a great deal about this recall, its implications for the future, and its misguided nature, I have decided that I will not place my name on the ballot," Feinstein said in a statement.

But prior to Bustamante's announcement, Democratic support for Davis appeared to be weakening, as some party members grumbled at the possibility of not having a choice among Democrats.

"I want to back the strongest candidate and it's important that we coalesce around one, and now I'm appealing to the leaders ... to figure out who our strongest candidate is and lead us in coalescing behind that candidate," said Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., who had supported a Feinstein candidacy.

Another possibility was U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez, who had supported a Feinstein candidacy and said she might run if Feinstein didn't.

"I have a feeling something will be decided tomorrow probably one way or the other," said Sanchez's spokeswoman, Carrie Brooks.

Members of California's congressional delegation discussed the matter in a conference call prior to Bustamante's announcement Wednesday, with the majority leaning toward finding a consensus candidate, said a source familiar with the discussion who spoke on condition of anonymity.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the conference call focused on two names: Bustamante, and former congressman and White House chief of staff Leon Panetta. Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, also a Democrat, was also considering a run.

Also Wednesday, political commentator Arianna Huffington declared she would run as an independent.

"I'm not, to say the least, a conventional candidate. But these are not conventional times," said Huffington, the ex-wife of former Republican Congressman Michael Huffington.

Michael Huffington had also considered running, but said Thursday he was backing Schwarzenegger.

All candidates have until a Saturday deadline to declare their intentions.

The ballot also is likely to include several conservative Republicans. U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, who funded the recall, is a declared candidate, and state Sen. Tom McClintock filed papers Tuesday. Businessman Bill Simon, who lost to Davis in November, also is expected to run.

Meanwhile, California's Supreme Court justices huddled behind closed doors for hours Wednesday to decide whether to consider several challenges to the recall election, including a petition to bar any replacement candidates from the ballot.

The justices were expected to announce Thursday whether they would hear the petitions, a spokeswoman said.