Book: Shriver told to 'snap out of it'

BY JULIET WILLIAMS

AND MICHAEL R. BLOOD

The Associated Press

Arnold Schwarzenegger says his wife, Maria Shriver, was told to "snap out of it" by her mother for her attempts to persuade him against running for California governor in 2003, a conversation that ultimately opened the door to his successful candidacy.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver told her daughter that her husband would be "angry for the rest of his life" if she stopped his ambitions, Schwarzenegger writes in his new autobiography, "Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story." The former governor says in the book that he had decided against running to recall Gov. Gray Davis after his wife implored him not to for the sake of their family. Maria Shriver announced his decision to their four children.

But he writes that when Maria Shriver told her mother about her efforts to thwart Schwarzenegger's political ambitions, Eunice -- sister of President John F. Kennedy and Sens. Robert Kennedy and Ted Kennedy -- told her daughter that women in their family "always support the men when they want to do something." Schwarzenegger says he didn't know about the conversation at the time, but learned of it later.

Eunice Shriver died in 2009.

Maria Shriver eventually softened her stance, paving the way for Schwarzenegger to announce his candidacy on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

Schwarzenegger says before he headed to the TV appearance, his wife handed him two pieces of paper with talking points she had written: one in case he decided to run, another in case he decided not to.

He writes that Shriver went on to become a key ally and adviser to his campaign and eventual governorship.

"Total Recall" will officially be published Monday. The Associated Press purchased an early copy.

In his book, the usually ebullient Schwarzenegger admits to some loneliness, even though he packed his schedule with speeches, projects and moviemaking after Shriver and the children moved out of the house. He said his career had been fun for 30 years because he shared it with Maria.

The former GOP governor also writes about a 2003 White House meeting with Karl Rove in which the top GOP strategist told him the recall would not happen and instead introduced the actor to then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice as his pick to run for California governor in 2006. Schwarzenegger felt snubbed.

He asks, "How could Rove have been so wrong?" Rove's office said he was traveling Friday and could not be reached for comment.

Rice's chief of staff at Stanford University, Georgia Godfrey, said Rice cannot recall "any conversation on this subject." "She has stated many times in the past that she has no desire to run for public office and those sentiments have still not changed," Godfrey said in a statement.