Perhaps due to the high profile deaths of singer James Brown and former President Gerald Ford, the news of California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger breaking his leg while skiing has been pushed to the back of the news burner. Governor Schwarzenegger, 59, broke his right leg while skiing in Sun Valley, Idaho last weekend with his wife Maria Shriver and four children. He underwent a 90-minute surgery last Tuesday in which doctors used screws and cables to wire the bone back together. He is expected to make a full recovery.
Actually, the governor may consider himself lucky to have only suffered a broken leg. If you remember back in 1998, Michael Kennedy, son of Robert, was killed in Aspen, Colorado after he hit a tree while skiing with family members. Just a few days later, then U.S. House Representative for the 44th Congressional District of California and former singer/songwriter Sonny Bono was also killed from injuries that resulted from hitting a tree while skiing in Nevada.
Schwarzenegger has had several injuries and illnesses over the past year. He checked in to the University of California, Davis hospital briefly last December for a rapid heartbeat while suffering from the stomach flu. He also suffered a cut lip (which required 15 stitches) when he hit a car while riding his motorcycle last January.
On January 5, 2007, Schwarzenegger will have his inauguration ceremony to begin his second term as governor of California. While Schwarzenegger is a Republican, he is putting forth a bipartisanship effort and has asked former San Francisco Mayor and Democratic Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, a Democrat, to be the master of ceremonies. Other prominent Democrats expected to attend the ceremony are House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, and President pro Tempore of the California State Senate Don Perata.
But don’t worry, there will be plenty of Republicans on hand as well including Republican Leader of the California State Assembly Mike Villines, 36th Governor of California Pete Wilson, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, Republican Leader of the California State Senate Dick Ackerman, and the Mayor of the City of San Diego Jerry Sanders.