Rich Pedroncelli/AP
Despite his personal infidelities, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's efforts for the environment are still commendable, The Global Journal says.It sounds like the plot of a "Terminator" movie, but if Arnold Schwarzenegger can save the earth, he might salvage his image.
In the wake of revelations that the former California Governator fathered his housekeeper's now-teenage son, the Geneva-based editor of The Global Journal tells us Schwarzenegger's private scandal has not tarnished his achievements as an environmental hero.
The current issue of the Journal, which is devoted to global governance, depicts an august-looking Schwarzenegger on the cover. In the photo, which was taken about a month before the scandal broke, the former governor has his jacket slung over his shoulder and is looking flintily into the distance - where his future as a TMZ punch line was taking shape.
Schwarzenegger's role as cover boy had nothing to do with his personal life, however. The interview he gave to the Journal is about fostering the environment, not children - specifically his spearheading of the R20-Regions of Climate Action initiative.
The nonprofit, which is incorporated in Geneva (neighbor to Arnold's native Austria) seeks climate change and to build a global green economy.
When we emailed the Journal's editor in chief, Jean-Christophe Nothias, to ask if, given the timing, he regretted his cover choice, he replied: "Certainly not!"
Nothias wrote that if "more governors" followed Schwarzenegger's lead on green issues, "the better the U.S.A. would [breathe] and be seen by other countries.
"We understand the pain his family is going through," Nothias added, but observed that Arnold's personal woes are "private" and distinct from his green work.
"So far, we have not seen the former governor breaking the law, but we've seen him pushing for concrete changes when many others are unsuccessful," he noted, adding optimistically, "we believe" his soon-to-be ex-wife Maria Shriver "was quite supportive of his commitment with all this."
We also received an email from Dr. Claude B�gl�, an R20 supporter and national politician in Switzerland. B�gl� wrote that "what happened on the private front" of Schwarzenegger's life "probably disappointed and hurt" not only members of his family but "quite a few of his supporters."
Nonetheless, B�gl� asserts, Arnold is " regarded in many parts of the world as an icon for environmental protection." His "[very] name is sufficient to mobilize people," he wrote. "And once again, this is what matters."
Contact Gatecrasher:
Frank DiGiacomo: fdigiacomo@nydailynews.com
Carson Griffith: cgriffith@nydailynews.com
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