ARNOLD'S DAUNTING TASK NEW GOVERNOR MUST APPEAL TO BOTH SIDES.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger will need the powers he had as a movie action superhero if he is to conquer the state's daunting problems and even more daunting political establishment on both sides of the legislative aisle.

Schwarzenegger has put together a 68-member bipartisan transition team to establish priorities and started to grapple with a budget shortfall that could turn out to be as large as $20 billion.

And despite campaign attacks that he was too vague, he's outlined a heavy agenda of campaign promises: Getting rid of the tripling of the vehicle license fee, major changes in workers' compensation and rooting out waste in state government.

If the recall election was fundamentally about the failures of Gray Davis as governor, the weeks and months ahead will be about whether the movie superstar can deliver on his promise to turn California around and end ``politics as usual'' in Sacramento.

``This was not only about Gray Davis,'' said Assemblyman Keith Richman, R-Granada Hills, who has been trying to develop a coalition between moderate Democrats and Republicans.

``This was about the government in Sacramento and people wanting to see us do a better job. I'm hopeful my colleagues in the Legislature get the message and are committed to working in a bipartisan manner to look for common-sense centrist solutions.''

To accomplish that, however, Schwarzenegger will have to deal with Democratic leaders who control the Assembly and state Senate.

Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, D-San Francisco, a veteran of some 40 years in California politics, has sent mixed signals. While offering to assist in the Schwarzenegger transition, he has also indicated he will not roll over for the new governor.

``Everything is speculative until he comes up with concrete things,'' Burton said in a telephone interview. ``We'll have to see what develops. He has got to get his team together, which isn't easy given the very little lead time. He has to propose a budget, which isn't going to be easy.

``I don't expect much substantial, given what he has to do in such a short time.''

Burton, who worked with former President Reagan when he was elected governor, said he doesn't see many comparisons - because of personality and the times.

``That was a whole different era with a whole different set of problems,'' Burton said. ``You can't compare the two.''

Schwarzenegger has taken some positive steps with the number of Democrats and moderates appointed to his transition team, but Burton said he will wait to see what develops on the amount of leeway to be given the new governor.

``The ball is in his court,'' Burton said. ``He ran for governor because he thought certain things. I don't think people will jump through hoops for him, but they will give him some room.''

Burton also is skeptical of whether Schwarzenegger will be able to work around the Legislature by going to the public with initiatives.

``I don't buy that,'' Burton said. ``It didn't work for Franklin Delano Roosevelt, I don't think it will work for Arnold Schwarzenegger. That was more campaign rhetoric.

``I don't think he really wants to do that. I think he wants to get things done. If he does, he'll work with us.''

Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson, D-Los Angeles, who has worked with Schwarzenegger on various inner-city programs, said he is hopeful the new governor will follow through on campaign promises to seek bipartisan solutions.

``I think he needs to get off on the right foot with a crackerjack staff and be ready to really analyze the budget and what we need to do,'' Wesson said. ``He needs to come up with a budget that is fair and we'll work with him.''

Wesson said he is hopeful because of the growth he saw during the campaign.

``He got off to a rocky start but learned very quickly,'' Wesson said, referring to controversy over his ties to former Gov. Pete Wilson as well as Proposition 13 changes proposed by billionaire Warren Buffett, one of the candidate's economic advisers.

``He's showing flexibility and that will help him up here,'' Wesson said.

Where Schwarzenegger will be tested, Wesson said, is with the members of his own Republican Party, who have served as staunch opponents to whatever was proposed by the Davis administration.

``Democrats are going to have to look at this as being partners,'' Wesson said. ``What I'm hoping is he will be able to bring the Republicans to the table to be part of the solution rather than being obstructionists.

``I think the challenge is up to him to get government moving again.''

Former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, a member of the Schwarzenegger transition team, said he hopes Sacramento politicians get the message.

``The people are mad at everybody,'' Hertzberg said.

``They're mad as hell and frustrated and want a change. It was only Gray Davis on the ballot, but I bet the entire Legislature would have been recalled if the voters could have done that.''

Because of the Democratic dominance in the Legislature, Hertzberg said, the new governor needs to continue as he has started by reaching out to Democrats.

``To me, people are sick and tired of the partisan wars,'' Hertzberg said. ``They want to see problems solved. The message is you better work together to solve the problems.''

Where Schwarzenegger can be effective, Hertzberg said, is through the force of his personality and the size of the vote he received in the election - a near majority that surpassed the number who opposed recall or voted for Davis last year.

``He has extraordinary personal skills that he can bring to bear to get things done,'' Hertzberg said.

Martin Kaplan, associate dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication, said it is a combination of Schwarzenegger's political power and celebrity that could make the difference.

``If he's inclusive and not driven by partisan politics, he can be effective,'' Kaplan said. ``I think the people who elected him are responding to that message. He has people on both sides of the aisle who want him to succeed.

``For legislators, I have a hunch it hasn't been a lot of fun being in office these days. I think they might be waiting to see how he does in the first days rather than leap up to confront him.''

Democratic consultant Joe Cerrell, who worked in politics when Reagan was governor, said he expects to see similarities with Schwarzenegger.

``I think he will delegate responsibility, but be available,'' Cerrell said. ``He's not really an ideologue. He'll be willing to negotiate. He'll meet with legislators and listen to them to try to get things done.

``I think he has great potential to do well. His biggest problem is going to be with those Republicans who have been holding their noses and swallowing hard on social issues. It will be interesting to see what the real Republican hard-liners do over time.''

Shawn Steel, former chairman of the California Republican Party and a Schwarzenegger supporter, said he hopes the GOP has gone beyond those issues.

``What we are looking for is a fiscal conservative,'' Steel said. ``That's what Arnold Schwarzenegger brings to the table.''

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com.