The State of the State is over (see the entire text of the speech here), and there is a decidedly mixed response from both the left and right to Schwarzenegger’s “Build It” campaign. The Gov is drawing a lot of heat from critics on the right who say he’s turning his back on fiscal responsibility. But I think the true reason that California’s right wing is so upset is that they are beginning to realize that they fundamentally misjudged Schwarzenegger’s character when they campaigned and voted for him in the recall. FlashReport’s Jon Fleischman goes so far as call Schwarzenegger’s behavior “schizophrenic.” He continues, “As a Republican, and a conservative, I am astounded, confused and demoralized that the Governor I elected on a platform of fiscal responsibility and reform wants to now be the 'build it' Governor.”

What Fleischman and most conservatives fail to realize is that in the Schwarzenegger mind, he did not unveil a political plan in his State of the State, he unveiled a campaign to boost his image. As Carla Marinucci in the Chron puts it, “Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled Thursday for California voters an ambitious marketing campaign for a decidedly more consumer-friendly political product…” She’s right – but the marketing campaign isn’t selling anything except Schwarzenegger. Remember, this is a man who’s only political experience before becoming Governor was marrying into the Kennedy family. Schwarzenegger, in reality, is not a conservative, a liberal, or a centrist. He is concerned with only one thing: boosting his own status at any cost. If that means beating up on California’s workers as he tried to do in the special election, so be it. Right now, he thinks it means buying everything under the sun, and spending his way into reelection. So be it.

The thing that confuses me is that California Republicans would work so hard to elect someone who has zero political experience, and now they’re surprised when he shows no consistency in his political beliefs. Complaining that Arnold doesn’t have a consistent political philosophy is like complaining that Puff Daddy doesn’t have a consistent musical style: they both play whatever record will sell. During the recall, fiscal reform played well with California’s electorate, so that’s how Arnold defined himself. Now, he thinks that spending into unbelievable debt will play. Schwarzenegger subscribes to a simple political doctrine: say whatever sells. He is an opportunist, plain and simple. Playing to the public might be the way to sell movies, but it’s not the way to lead.