Arnold Schwarzenegger

Opponents of redistricting measure Proposition 11 decried a new robocall from the measure's supporters because it claimed the measure is supported by Democrats.

Citizens for Accountability, the opposition group to the measure, said the robocall has a recorded voice identifying herself as a representative of the 11-backing state League of Women Voters, and that Democrats support the initiative.

STATE CAPITOL -- Flanked by legislative leaders in both parties, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced said Monday that he will call lawmakers back in for a special session on Nov. 5 to tackle the state's worsening budget problem.

Schwarzenegger said the session will deal with not only the budget - now more than $3 billion in deficit after being enacted only weeks ago - but economic stimulus, tax modernization, foreclosure relief and more.

Opponents of Prop. 5, the drug offender law reform ballot measure, received a sizeable injection of money this week when the powerful California prison guard's union donated $1 million toward efforts to defeat the initiative.

Records filed with the Secretary of State's office show the 30,000-member strong California Correctional Peace Officers Association made the donation on Wednesday.

CCPOA officials made news in recent days by announcing they would abandon a high profile effort to recall Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger after the group's petition paperwork filed with the Secretary of State's office was rejected for not carrying Schwarzenegger's anti-recall argument.

Gov.  Arnold Schwarzenegger and New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg campaigned in Los Angeles on behalf of Proposition 11 Wednesday, with both saying the measure would move California toward a more functional state government.

"The current system is rigged. It rewards legislators for rigid partisanship," said Schwarzenegger, one of the most prominent supporters of the redistricting measure. "It's time to bring accountability back to state government and to solve problems."

Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to headline a fundraiser for former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell (D-Houston) in Houston Monday night. Houston Mayor Bill White will provide an introduction at the "desert reception" at the home of Arthur Schechter, a former ambassador to the Bahamas during the Clinton administration.

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama continues to enjoy a wide lead over John McCain in California, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports poll. The results, showing Obama leading the Republican nominee 56 percent to 40 percent, are largely unchanged from last month and the month before.

The Oregon Senate debate was for the most part a display of two seasoned, well polished politicians. However, U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) came up with the one noticeable gaff of the night.

"I met Sarah Palin once," Smith said. "She's a lovely person, she's a great governor of California."

Smith was answering a question asked by Jeff Mapes of the Oregonian regarding whether he thought Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, was prepared to be president of the United States. Republicans have pushed the idea that Palin, the governor of Alaska, has extensive governing experience after being her state's chief executive.

"Governor Schwarzenegger is going to be very surprised to find he's been succeeded by Governor Palin," Smith's challenger, Jeff Merkley (D-Portland), said.

In what could be the first signs of a growing political revolt, members of the California Legislature have started to publicly express their extreme displeasure of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's recent vetoes of more than 400 bills.

On Thursday Democratic Assembly Majority Floor Leader Alberto Torrico vowed to figure out a way to override many of the governor's 415 rejections.

"Frankly, I'm tired of this guy (Schwarzenegger) kicking sand in our face," Torrico, (D-Fremont) told PolitickerCA.com. "He killed a lot of good bills - bills that were needed to help the people of this state. His actions show me just how out of touch he is with the majority of working, tax-paying Californians."

ANAHEIM - Gov. Schwarzenegger addressed the California Republican Convention moments after the presidential debate ended, receiving loud applause as he said, "It's great to be back here with my Republican friends."

ANAHEIM - Gov. Schwarzenegger interrupted the presidential debate at the California Republican Convention for a brief minute when his entrance was announced, prompting some puzzled looks from the crowd, who had expected him to speak before the debate started.