A Lesson To Be Learned, If You Are Ready

The Governator is learning the lesson learned earlier by Richard Nixon, Bush 41, Bush 43, and very soon by Arlen Spector. When you get so "moderate" that you are working with the other side to the exclusion of your own party out of some misbegotten notion of "bi-partisanship," then no one will like you in the end, especially your new found "friends" on the Left. Poll: GOP, Dems equally dislike Schwarzenegger

"He's reached his goal. Both sides view him the same way,"said Mark DiCamillo of the Field Poll. "Negatively."

Overall, the action-star-turned-budget-bedraggled-compromiser scored a 38 percent approval rating in a statewide Field Poll of 761 voters taken after the recent budget deal was reached.

Schwarzenegger's abandonment of the Republican mantra of no new taxes cost him dearly among his own party. The number of Republicans who approve of his job performance is down to 39 percent, versus 56 percent who disapprove, the Field Poll showed.

The previous Field survey, taken in September at the beginning of the budget standoff, showed Republicans evenly split on Arnold - 45 percent positive, 45 percent negative.

His alienation of Republicans hasn't really helped Schwarzenegger among Democrats, who are thumbs down on him in the latest poll - 33 percent positive to 57 percent negative.