Arnold Details Issues with Hannity

Critics of California gubernatorial hopeful Arnold Schwarzenegger won't be able to complain any longer that they don't know where he stands on the issues.

For 20 minutes, national radio host Sean Hannity grilled the body builder-turned-politician on a wide array of hot-button topics, offering Schwarzenegger his best opportunity yet to let the public know where he stands.

On abortion, Arnold said that he was pro-choice, but he does not support partial birth abortion. The GOP frontrunner said also that he favors parental notification with one exception: "When there is abuse in the family or problems in the family, then the court should decide," he told Hannity.

Arnold said he supported domestic partnerships but not gay marriage, contending that marriage, " ... is something that should be between a man and a woman."

On gun control, the action star said he supported both the Brady bill and the assault weapons ban, adding, "also I would like to close the loophole of the gun shows."

Affirmative action was the one issue where Schwarzenegger was vague, telling the conservative host that "we have not gotten into" it. "I'm fleshing it out right now and having meetings about that," he explained.

On drivers licenses for illegal aliens, Schwarzenegger said, "I vote no on that."

On general services for illegal aliens, he explained, "That's a complicated issue because what we have to do is find a way of including them . . . This is an issue that is with the federal government because the governor has nothing really - much power with those things."

But in the next breath Schwarzenegger suggested that solving the illegal immigration problem would be a priority for him as governor.

"One thing we know is we have to deal with [illegal immigration]," he told Hannity, explaining that one of his goals as governor would be "to really work those things out and come up with a solution once and for all."

He told Hannity that drug legalization "is a bad idea, although I would legalize medical marijuana."

Schwarzenegger sounded cool to the idea of school vouchers, explaining, "I think it is very important that we work with the current system." But he added, "As you know, with the No Child Left Behind Act that President Bush has put forward, you have a chance that if your school has failed, that you can take your child to another school."

"I think that's extremely important because it gives the parents choices," the gubernatorial hopeful said. "I think the important thing, again, is that we work on education and really make sure that the kids have the first run at our treasury."

On another hot-button issue, Arnold volunteered, "I believe in prayer in school. I think it should be up to the schools, you know, what religion they belong [to] and what direction they want to go."

Schwarzenegger said he did not support offshore oil drilling, telling Hannity, "No, absolutely not. I think that we should stop the oil drilling and I think that our state government and our federal government should negotiate to buy back the leases [from the oil companies.]"

He had praise for President Bush's conduct of the war on terrorism. "I think he's doing a great job. I supported the war in Iraq. As a matter of fact, as you know, I was over there visiting the troops in Iraq and in Kuwait . . . I believe in all that, yes."

On his controversial decision to add tax-increase-backer Warren Buffett to his economic team, Schwarzenegger said the move was in keeping with his habit of seeking out divergent points of view.

But he stressed he didn't share Buffett's opinion that Proposition 13 should be rolled back.

"I am a big believer in Proposition 13," he told Hannity. "I met Howard Jarvis in the 1970s" and told him "you are the tax protector, you're protecting the people and all this . . . I love this Proposition 13."

Asked if he would pledge not to raise California taxes except for cases of emergency, Schwarzenegger said, "Absolutely."

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California Governors Race