Schwarzenegger "flip flop" on drugs claim

California's Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been accused by his Democratic opponent of a "flip-flop" over pharmaceutical policies, concerning his populist "pay to play" plan for drug firms, which forces them to sell at a discount in the US state. The policy reverses a previous scheme involving a voluntary discount drug plan. A campaign adviser for Democrat candidate Phil Angelides told the San Jose Mercury News that: "Arnold Schwarzenegger has about as much credibility on health care as Britney Spears has on child care," adding that "he's taken more money from drug companies than any other politician in America except for George Bush... and now he's done a complete flip-flop because we're in an election year."

Opinion polls currently suggest that Governor Schwarzenegger is the favorite to win re-election in November, though his poll ratings since 1993 have been volatile.