Ahnold kicks ass, expects ass-kissing

Our glorious governator never misses a chance to put a foot in it

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, speaking Tuesday to open an annual conference celebrating women's contributions to the state, dismissed California nurses who protested his health care policies as "special interests'' who are mad because "I kick their butt."

The offhand remark by the governor, in front of 10,000 people at the California Governor's Conference on Women and Children, drew a blistering reaction from the California Nurses Association, whose leaders said they will sue this week to stop Schwarzenegger's executive order weakening mandated nurse-to-patient ratios in the state's hospitals.

-----

The governor's opening speech was interrupted when about 15 nurses -- who had paid the $125 entrance fee to the one-day conference -- unfurled a banner inside the Long Beach Convention Center, held up signs and chanted "Safe Staffing Saves Lives.''

As the group was escorted out and continued to chant, Schwarzenegger tried to continue his talk about the contributions of California women.

"Pay no attention to those voices over there," he said. "They are the special interests. Special interests don't like me in Sacramento because I kick their butt."

With a laugh, the governor added, "I love them anyway.''

This was supposed to be Maria's day.

Shriver established what she hopes to be the annual Minerva Awards -- named after the goddess on the state seal -- to reward "inspirational" women of California who have made outstanding contributions to their communities. Shriver presented the awards Tuesday to Mimi Silbert of San Francisco, co- founder of the Delancey Street rehabilitation program for ex-convicts, Ana Deutsch, co-founder of the Program for Torture Victims, and Dr. Helene Brown, an advocate for cancer research.

"There just seemed to be no recognition of women in our state,'' Shriver said in an interview this week, adding that she wanted young people to realize that "people who do great things have a really tough time getting there.''

Maria, honey... it just seems that having your husband speak at a women's empowerment event is like having the pope speak at an event for survivors of priestly molestation. Offense meant.