Greater than any election in historical past, the race for the White Home in 2024 has seen folks taking sides – and never those you may factor.
Simply days earlier than the Presidential election, Arnold Schwarzenegger, a well-known and revered Republican, joined the ranks of the Cheneys and Bushes and endorsed Kamala Harris for President.
The actor and former Governor of California has given speeches on the Republican Nationwide Conference. Maybe extra importantly, he ran and received as a Republican throughout his time heading California’s government department.
Nevertheless, Schwarzenegger is an outspoken proponent of environmental protections and of securing democracy. He has additionally been one in all disgraced former president Donald Trump’s most vocal critics.
Contemplating that he represents values which are antithetical to the dominant ideology of the GOP and his endorsement of Harris, can Schwarzenegger nonetheless actually name himself a Republican?
“I Will At all times be an American Earlier than I’m a Republican”
On the Wednesday earlier than the election, Arnold introduced he could be voting for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz in a uncommon endorsement.
The longtime Republican criticized Donald Trump and stated a second time period for the previous president would make folks “angrier and angrier, extra divided, and extra hateful.”
Arnold has lengthy been a critic of the previous Presidents insurance policies, however to go as far as to endorse the Democratic nominee, proves that this race is absolutely above placing insurance policies over politics.
“He’ll divide, he’ll insult, he’ll discover new methods to be extra un-American than he already has been, and we, the folks, will get nothing however extra anger,” Schwarzenegger stated on his publish on social media.
The week earlier than, Trump stated the US is “like a garbage can for the world” as he railed towards unlawful immigration at a marketing campaign rally in Arizona.
“To somebody like me who talks to folks everywhere in the world and nonetheless is aware of America is the shining metropolis on a hill, calling America is a trash can for the world is so unpatriotic, it makes me livid. And I’ll at all times be an American earlier than I’m a Republican. That’s why, this week, I’m voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” Schwarzenegger stated in a post on X.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Explains His Politics
As you’ll be able to see within the video under, Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke to ABC’s Meet The Press in October of 2023 to make clear his political affiliation.
“Once I go as much as Capitol Hill and I meet with my Republican colleagues, I’ve a good time assembly with them,” he described.
“And,” Schwarzenegger continued, “speaking concerning the surroundings and speaking concerning the essential points.”
“I don’t take a look at them as form of crazies like some folks do,” Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed of his fellow Republicans.
“There are some which are excessive,” he freely acknowledged.
“However,” Schwarzenegger then added, “there’s no motive to villainize anyone.” That’s true sufficient. People who find themselves villains are likely to villainize themselves with out anybody’s assist.
However does Arnold Schwarzenegger nonetheless ‘slot in’ with the Republican Social gathering?
Regardless of his 2020 election loss and 2021 try and usurp these election outcomes by successfully siccing his most violent followers on Congress to forestall the formal recognition of his defeat, Donald Trump nonetheless enjoys widespread assist throughout the Republican Social gathering and is the presumptive nominee for the 2024 election.
Mike Johnson is a local weather science-doubter, an election-denier, and a Trump supporter. He’s additionally the Republican Speaker of the Home, elected to that place by his friends in Congress.
At current, all throughout the nation and on each political degree, GOP operatives are at work limiting voter rights and customarily laying the groundwork to carry a few 2024 Trump victory.
In the meantime, Arnold Schwarzenegger is a staunch supporter of environmental protections. The unconventional deregulation agenda pushed by the far proper is antithetical to his stances.
Within the wake of the January 6 assault on the US Capitol, Schwarzenegger precisely described Trump because the “worst president ever.”
He additionally condemned the “spinelessness” of members of his personal celebration who have been “complicit” within the worst assault on America itself since 9/11. Schwarzenegger’s comments drew very correct comparisons to escalating Nazi violence from his homeland of Austria.
Why is Arnold Schwarzenegger nonetheless a part of the GOP?
Political party affiliation is not any easy matter. Schwarzenegger clearly feels that there are sufficient of his values throughout the Republican Social gathering that he can reserve it from the radicalization that has taken over it.
And so, he stays.
The GOP that he envisions won’t be one which anybody born throughout the previous 40 years would acknowledge, however there are actually Republicans who symbolize conservatism with out (overt) white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia, or any of the Republican Social gathering’s different present defining options.
Some might argue that Schwarzenegger is merely a Republican by behavior. Many Individuals have older kin who voted for GOP candidates again when airplanes had “smoking sections” and by no means shook the political label, even when they abhor Trump and all that he represents.
Id generally is a troublesome factor to unpack and redefine.
