Schwarzenegger asks fellow governors to give aid package if they don't need it

New York, Feb 23 (ANI): California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in a message to fellow Republican governors, who have refused President Barack Obama's stimulus package to gain political mileage, has asked them to give the economic aid to him.

Schwarzenegger praised the economic stimulus package and ridiculed Republican governors like Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Mark Sanford of South Carolina, breaking with his party.

"Governor Sanford says that he does not want to take the money. I want to say to him: I'll take it," Schwarzenegger said on ABC's "This Week".

"I'm more than happy to take his money or any other governor in this country that doesn't want to take this money," the Daily News quoted him, as saying.

Schwarzenegger, who faces a crushing 40 billion dollar budget shortfall and stands to reap 64 billion dollar from the stimulus, called it a "terrific package," and praised Obama for a great job on the legislation.

The 787 billion dollar Recovery Act passed last week without a single Republican congressman's support and just three Republican senators. United opposition to the legislation has become a point of pride for the GOP.

Republican Governor Charlie Crist of Florida, who said that politics should be put aside in hard times, joined Schwarzenegger in supporting the legislation.

Governors Sandford and Jindal, along with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, say they don't support the spending in the bill and won't take all the money offered for their states.

The amount they are rejecting is a tiny percentage of the total their states will get - meaning they are largely grandstanding to make a political point. (ANI)