The People's Machine: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of Blockbuster Democracy

Journalist Mathews tackles the legend of Arnold amongst the contorted façade of California politics, producing an exciting jaunt into the la-la land of big-state direct democracy-the kind of politics that throws political initiatives of all stripes to the people's vote, including the infamous Governor recall vote that put Schwarzenegger into power. Mathews goes through Schwarzenegger's political history, showing how the strong-man became active in George H.W. Bush's presidential campaign and, later, in that administration's physical fitness education agenda. As Schwarzenegger's views come into focus, Mathews demonstrates how his personal frustration with Sacramento gave him the impetus to win over the lefty-libertarian vibe of Californian malcontents. A reporter for the Los Angeles Times, Mathews' meticulous research takes readers inside Arnold's flashy yet reasoned campaign, follows Arnold's governance as it takes flight, stumbles and finds its footing, and mixes a Schwarzenegger-size sense of fun with wonky policy specifics for a page-turner with the rush of a good political potboiler.