Arnold to run for governor in California

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LOS ANGELES -- Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday said he would run in California's recall election, lending Republicans his marquee value in their campaign to oust Gov. Gray Davis.

The Austrian-born star's announcement came as a surprise; advisers had said in recent days that Mr. Schwarzenegger was leaning against running in the Oct. 7 election because of opposition from his wife, journalist Maria Shriver.

Mr. Schwarzenegger made his announcement during a taping of "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," which he called the toughest decision 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. He is failing them terribly, and this is why he needs to be recalled and this is why I am going to run for governor."

Earlier in the day, 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 announced that she would run as an independent.

Mr. Schwarzenegger's decision appears to end the possibility of a candidacy by former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, who has said he would run only if the actor did not. The men, both socially liberal Republicans, are friends.

Riordan spokeswoman Lisa Wolf said last night that her boss had no immediate comment.

In a news conference last night after the Leno taping, Mr. Schwarzenegger boasted of his immigrant background and said his fame and wealth made him incorruptible.

"The biggest problem that we have is that California is being run now by special interests," he said. "As you know, I don't need to take any money from anybody. I have plenty of money myself. I will make the decisions for the people."