Schwarzenegger receives enthusiastic welcome at Ohio sports event
Ohio - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, down in the popularity polls and trying to regain his support, took up his other persona as a strongman Saturday at his annual bodybuilding competition.
Fans shouted, "We love you, Arnold!" and "Arnold rules!" as Schwarzenegger entered the Greater Columbus Convention Center, one of the venues for the weekend's 2006 Arnold Sports Festival. The event combines a trade show, contests in several sports, and the centerpiece - the 18th annual Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition.
Schwarzenegger stopped frequently to shake hands, pose for pictures and sign autographs as members of his California Highway Patrol security detail cleared him a path through the thick crowd of mostly young, male and muscular fans.
"It's great to see everyone's energy and enthusiasm, so I hope you all have a good time. This is all for you!" Schwarzenegger told them.
The day was a reminder that Schwarzenegger still has a strong base of support, even if it's not among his California constituents. In a poll released Thursday, just 37 percent of California's likely voters said they were inclined to re-elect the governor in November, a huge drop from last year, when 56 percent said they were.
But his problems back home didn't matter to Schwarzenegger's fans in Columbus.
"He's a good guy," said Colin Grahmann, 17, who had traveled from Hallettsville, in south-central Texas, for the Arnold Festival. "He's looking out for the general public. I really like the way that he always stops and talks to fans."
Garrison Groh, 24, of Medina in northeast Ohio, said he had to give Schwarzenegger a lot of credit for venturing into politics.
"I think it's a dangerous mix, show business and politics," Groh said. "You always risk making a fool of yourself. But Arnold stands up for what he believes in, in a state where being too conservative can hurt you. He doesn't govern by sticking his finger in the wind."
Schwarzenegger came under fire in California last year for his work as a consultant to fitness magazines that derive most of their profits from nutritional supplement companies. Those supplements also are heavily promoted at the competition.
The governor cut his financial ties to both in July as he tried to distance himself from what his critics called a conflict of interest. His office said he would no longer be paid a fee to appear at the bodybuilding event.
The annual fitness contest began as a much smaller bodybuilding competition that Schwarzenegger won in 1970. He promised organizer Jim Lorimer a partnership after he retired from competing.
The first Arnold Classic was held in Columbus in 1989, and has since grown into the Arnold Sports Festival, which is expected to draw 15,000 athletes and 125,000 spectators this year.
"The whole idea is to inspire people, to motivate people to get healthier, get fit," Schwarzenegger said.
