Actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared on Wednesday that he’s still a Republican despite disagreements with the modern GOP.
The “Terminator” actor, who served as California’s last Republican governor from 2003-2011, appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and was asked by the liberal late-night host if he was still a member of his longtime party.
“I’m a Republican, absolutely,” Schwarzenegger said.
Kimmel shot back, “What does that mean anymore?”
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Schwarzenegger said a traditional Republican “is someone that admires the Republican Party for having freed the slaves,” but was interrupted by Kimmel insisting, “They don’t get credit for that anymore. Come on now.”
Despite Kimmel’s interjection, Schwarzenegger continued to list why he admires the GOP.
“This is what I’m about… [they’ve] given those slaves American citizenship, and given them the rights to vote, it’s Republicans,” Schwarzenegger said as Kimmel interrupted him again.
“This sounds like all the opposite things that the Republican Party stands for now,” Kimmel said. “Doesn’t it?”
Schwarzenegger said, “That doesn’t mean that I have to change my philosophy,” citing former President and fellow California Gov. Ronald Reagan for his efforts to improve air quality and former President Richard Nixon for establishing the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Those are the kind of Republicans that used to go and work together with the Democrats and got things done,” Schwarzenegger said. “This is the kind of Republican that I am.”
Kimmel, who has spent years mocking President Donald Trump on a nightly basis, told Schwarzenegger he was the “only one of them” remaining.
“No, I don’t think I’m the only one left. But look, this doesn’t mean that we should give up. The bottom line is, we have just seen now what some people call the blue wave… now the Democrats go in and they have the majority,” Schwarzenegger said.
“It has been going back and forth for the last 20 years, and what happened in the last 20 years? None of them did true immigration reform… none of them participated in reducing our debt, none of them created a healthcare system where everyone is insured,” Schwarzenegger added.
Kimmel stopped him and pointed to Obamacare, but Schwarzenegger dismissed it as a “good attempt” that was essentially “bogus.”
“If the Democrats do something by themselves, or if the Republicans do something by themselves, it’s bogus,” Schwarzenegger said. “What you have to do is, the Democrats and the Republicans have to work together like we did when I was governor of California… that’s the only way you can accomplish something.”
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The Austrian-born Schwarzenegger then called for elected officials to serve the public, not their party.
Kimmel later asked whether Trump had reached out to Schwarzenegger for advice during his first presidential campaign in 2016.
“We talked to each other several times, because we had a good relationship, we were very good friends, and he asked me if I would go and endorse him, campaign with him. I said to him, ‘Donald, I like to be your friend… but it happens to be that there are certain things that you stand for, that you’re talking about to people out there, that I don’t believe in,’” Schwarzenegger said.
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Schwarzenegger cited climate change and pollution as key issues he disagreed with Trump on.
“He understood,” Schwarzenegger said.
