Arnold Schwarzenegger: Defends knife-wielding video

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Defends knife-wielding video

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has defended a video on his Twitter page which showed him brandishing a huge hunting knife while talking about the crisis of the state's budget.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has been under fire for a budget plan being announced this week that will see 15 billion dollars in spending cuts from services such as education and health care, said that the light-hearted video was intended as a bit of fun.

The movie-star-turned-politician discarded suggestions from reporters in Sacramento that the video might be viewed by some as being insensitive.

Schwarzenegger said, "You know, you sent a governor to Sacramento -- not El Stiffo, like some of the past were, but you sent someone that is a little bit more entertaining and has a little bit more fun with the whole thing."

He continued, "Not that I have fun with making the cuts; they sadden me. But fun with the job itself, because I think it is the most rewarding job that I've ever done, even though with a huge responsibility.” "So just relax and have a little bit of a sense of humor."

California lawmakers are set to approve the spendings at a vote on Thursday which will pass a budget being aimed at closing the state's 26.3 billion-dollar deficit.