First Lady Shriver Not Heading into the 2010 Governor's Race

California's first lady, Maria Shriver, has lived most of her life in the spotlight, thanks to her high-profile career in television journalism and her familial and marital ties to politics, but now she says "she has no intention of running for public office in 2010," according to an AP report in the Centre Daily News. Mrs. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Democrat (and a Kennedy), has been busy with many projects aimed at bettering the lives of Californians, like her recent WEConnect endeavor, and says "she is too much of a free spirit to be tied to a desk job."

Had she opted in the 2010 race to fill her husband's spot as the head of the state, she would have joined an already very crowded group of rumored or confirmed hopefuls, including "former governor and current Attorney General Jerry Brown, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lt. Gov. John Garamendi," among the Dems and "former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former Rep. Tom Campbell," for the GOP.

Shriver hasn't ruled out ever running for public office, but seems content negotiating her post-broadcasting life and what she can accomplish in her remaining time as California's first lady:

"I lost a sense of my identity when I left that job a few years ago," she said, referring to her career in broadcasting. "But this job has turned into a great thing for me. ... I like bringing government to the people. [...] I've been in public life my whole life," she said. "I'm on a journey to become myself."