Arnold to Bush: Stay away from California

SF Chronicle:

National party officials say Schwarzenegger appears to be keeping the president at arm's length while Bush is unpopular in California. But the governor's staff and state Republicans have made it clear to the White House that "the timing couldn't be worse," said one high-level state Republican who spoke on condition of anonymity.

With Schwarzenegger under pressure to raise millions of dollars to boost his special election measures, Republicans said donors in the state -- widely acknowledged as the cash machine of national politics -- are being maxed out.

"There's donor fatigue," said Thomas Del Beccaro, chairman of the Contra Costa County Republican Party and head of the county GOP chairmen's group. Del Beccaro noted that those who have given generously to Republican causes have faced a flurry of elections since 2003 -- the recall that brought Schwarzenegger to power, last year's presidential election and now the special election.