Even if you assume he made the decision without political motivations, the political impact or ramifications certainly worked in his favor. All those swing voters who supported him during the recall election support the death penalty.

Together, they are greater than the sum of their individual political parts. Schwarzenegger may not have picked a running mate like he would have in a presidential campaign, but McClintock provides him the same balance that a running mate would.

This is very much in keeping with Cheney's persona, but it is also a natural byproduct of what you will find with a politician who has already run his last campaign.

By nature, Kennedy and Schmidt are both the type of people who administer with a very strong hand. But the most important thing is for Schwarzenegger himself to vest them with that authority.

Fundraising can make normally sane people pretty crazy. They both have political goals for which they are raising money, and they are drawing from the same base.

The governor may have underestimated the depth of Republican concerns about borrowing.