Governor Pursues Funds on 100th Day

He doesn’t call himself the Collectinator for nothing.

Rather than indulge in the lofty rhetoric that politicians sometimes use to mark such occasions, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger devoted his 100th day in office to the intensive pursuit of funds. And although the governor came up dry as he prospected for federal dollars for the state in the morning, he struck gold later Tuesday with political donors.

In less than six hours, Schwarzenegger attended three fundraising events that are expected to net $1.4 million, including more than $800,000 that will go to the governor’s own political activities.

“I don’t make a trip just for one reason,” said Schwarzenegger, who did not take questions from reporters at any of the fundraising events. “I make a trip for many reasons.”

But his four-day swing through Washington, D.C., and New York, which ends with his return this afternoon to Los Angeles, has been primarily about money, of one sort or another. On Tuesday, his day began in the corridors of the Capitol and ended in a luxury apartment 40 floors above Central Park here.

During the morning, Schwarzenegger showed his ability to attract attention to his agenda -- Propositions 57 and 58, for now. He also brought together a bipartisan group of California’s famously fractious congressional delegation for a discussion of how to bring more federal money to the state. And he basked in new poll numbers showing Proposition 57, a $15-billion deficit bond, finally achieving majority support.

“I feel proud of what I’ve accomplished,” he said in a brief news conference at the House of Representatives Rules Committee hearing room. “But I’m very hungry, and I will never settle for anything. I’ll always go for the skies.”

But the governor, who has said he would be a ruthless “Collectinator” in getting more federal funds, left Washington unable to claim a single, additional federal dollar for his state, though he noted progress after three days of meetings in the capital.

His afternoon and evening schedule offered a sharp contrast between the pace of his efforts to get federal money, which must follow the slow schedule of the congressional calendar, and the speed at which he is raising campaign dollars. Aides say that heavy fundraising is a fact of life for a governor who believes his populist mandate requires him to legislate at the ballot box.

Schwarzenegger, who as a candidate suggested he didn’t need to take anyone else’s money, stood in the apartment of the owner of the New York Jets football team and had cocktails and dinner with Donald Trump at a fundraiser that raised $500,000.

The governor has raised more than $11 million since winning election Oct. 7. His California Recovery Team, the fundraising vehicle for Propositions 57 and 58 as well as other ballot measures to come, has collected $7.8 million since Jan. 1 -- more than $140,000 per day. And even on a day as fraught with symbolism as his 100th in office, Schwarzenegger, who has said he disliked fundraising, devoted much of his schedule to the pursuit of campaign money.

Earlier in the day, the governor and members of the congressional delegation pledged to work to keep military bases open, seek a waiver from federal requirements on ethanol in gasoline, and get more federal money to cover the cost of imprisoning undocumented immigrants.

Schwarzenegger got good reviews from Republicans: The governor “is going to ensure that we get every nickel possible for the state of California, and he’s here giving us our marching orders,” said Rep. David Dreier of San Dimas.

But a Democrat, Rep. Sam Farr of Carmel, complained that the governor’s visit felt cursory because the meeting lasted just 30 minutes and took place at a time when Congress was in recess. He suggested that the governor’s desire to raise money in New York might have been a factor in the meeting’s timing.

After the visit to the Capitol, Schwarzenegger traveled to the suburban Virginia estate -- named Wind Falls -- of Dwight Schar, chairman and chief executive of the home-building and mortgage banking conglomerate NVR Inc. The governor discussed his workers’ compensation plans and joked about his frequent use of the word “fantastic.” The event was expected to net about $300,000, according to an aide.

From there, Schwarzenegger flew to New York City. After a brief speech at an event for travel writers sponsored by the California Travel and Tourism Commission, Schwarzenegger attended two fundraisers with New York Gov. George Pataki.

Schwarzenegger spoke for nearly 20 minutes at the first event, at the Sheraton New York Hotel on 7th Avenue. He spent much of the speech telling jokes -- most fell flat -- to a crowd of more than 400. The $1,000-per-person event was expected to raise more than $500,000.

From there, Schwarzenegger headed to the Trump International Hotel and Tower at One Central Park West. A late arrival to the fundraiser was Trump himself.

Getting out of a limousine and striding into the building with a woman many years his junior in tow, Trump paused to take a question about how Schwarzenegger was doing.

“He’s going to be a great governor,” he said.

Trump is getting huge ratings for his new TV show, “The Apprentice,” in which he dismisses contestants vying to work for him with a curt, “You’re fired.”

Would he fire Schwarzenegger? Trump was asked.

“No.”

Times staff writer Dan Morain contributed to this report.