President Bush visits California Thursday, as state election officials work to design a recall ballot containing the names of 135 candidates seeking to become the state's next governor.
Mr. Bush, who has described California's October recall election as a fascinating bit of political drama, is not expected to formally endorse any of the candidates seeking to replace Democratic Governor Gray Davis.
The president says he will stay out of the political fray during his two-day visit, focusing instead on raising money for his own re-election campaign.
Meanwhile, actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Republican frontrunner for governor, has hired billionaire investor Warren Buffet as his senior financial and economic advisor. Mr. Buffett, a Democrat, joins several other top aides to former California Governor Pete Wilson on Mr. Schwarzenegger's campaign staff.
Governor Davis, who is receiving advice from former President Clinton, calls the effort to remove him an "insult" to the eight million people who voted him into office last November.