"I have inhaled, exhaled everything. "

Pumped-Up Politico

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrial-American bodybuilder, actor, Republican politician and the 38th Governor of California.

Schwarzenegger's father was the police cheif of Thal, Austria, and former Nazi stormtrooper. His father was married on Ocotober 20, 1945, when he was 35 and she was 23 and widowed. Gusav was a strict and demanding fatehr, who favored his two elder sons. His brother Meinhard died in a car accident in 1971, his father died a year later.

As a youngster, Schwarzenegger enjoyed sports. While playing soccer in his mid-teens, he discovered is passion for bodybuilding. He served the Austrian army in 1965, which was a mandatory one year service for 18 year old men.

Schwarzenegger has admitted to using anabolic steroids. However, that he hasn't used them since 1990 when they were made illegal. In bodybuilder slang, steroids are sometimes referred to as "Arnolds."

Schwarzenegger moved to Munich, Germany to continue his bodybuilding. His professional bodybuilding career began in 1966 when he attended the NABBA Mr. Universe, which was held in London. He took second in the competition. The following year, however, he won the title at age 20, making him the youngest Mr. Universe ever.

In 1968 he moved to the U.S. to begin training at Gold's Gym in Santa Monica. In 1983 he gained his U.S citizenship; that same year he published his autobiography, Arnold: The Education of a Body-Builder. He married Maria Shiver, John F. Kennedy's niece, in 1986. They have four children: Kathering, hristina, Patrick, and Christopher.

Schwarzenegger began acting in various movies that didn't require him to do much speaking -- his long surname, large muscles, and foreign accent did not provide him with a selection of roles. He got chosen to play the role of Hercules in Hercules in New York, for example. His breakthrough film probably came in 1982 in Conan the Barbarian. He soon became a Hollywood superstar, making a number of successful films including Commando (1985), Predator, (1997), Twins (1988), and Total Recall (1990). By the 1990's he easily claimed commercial success in films such as Terminator, Jurassic Park, and True Lies.

Schwarzenegger enter politics in the early 1990s when he was appointed Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. During that time he traveled accross American promoting fitness to children and lobbying governors in support of his program. He also served as Chairman for the Califoria Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under Governor Pete Wilson. His first large political move was in 2002 when he gained Californias support of Proposition 49, which made grants available for after-school programs.

Schwarzenegger ran for California Governor and was elected with 48.6% of the vote, defeating Democrat Cruz Bustamane and fellow Repulican Tom McClintock. He was sworn into office on November 17, 2003. As soon as he got into office he fulfilled his campaign promise to repeal a 200% increase in vehicle license fees that California undertook to increase the state's budget. On his first day in office he also proposed a three-point plan to address California's budget woes. He said in special sessions that spending cuts would be necessary. He initiated the cuts by agreeing to serve as governor with no salary, a savings of $175,000 per year. The Field polls released in August and October 2004 showed that Schwarzenegger's approval ratings remained at 65%. However, when asked if they would support Schwarzenegger if he could run for president, 50% said they would oppose, while 26% said they would support him in a presidential bid.

Schwarzenegger is the executive editor of two American Media body-building magazines. He announced in early 2004 that he his going to donate his $250,000 salary to a charity -- in his early days he was the star of these magazines, and continues to write columns based upon his body-building experiences.