By ZACHARY COILE, San Francisco Chronicle

In Washington this week for National Governors Association meetings, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been cozying up to the new president. He called President Obama's $787 billion stimulus plan "terrific." He chastised his GOP colleagues who opposed the plan for not being "team players."

President Obama's goal of a post-partisan Washington is looking more and more like a mirage.

Is $200 million to rehabilitate the National Mall a crucial way to stimulate the U.S. economy? How about $276 million to fix the computer systems at the State Department? And what about $650 million to repair dilapidated Forest Service facilities?

Even before Barack Obama is sworn in as president, some cracks are appearing in the alliance between the incoming administration and its Democratic allies in Congress.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Los Angeles Rep. Henry Waxman's stunning overthrow this week of legendary Michigan Rep. John Dingell to take over one of the House's most powerful committees may be bad news for Detroit and its struggling auto industry.But it's a clear sign of California's growing clout in Washington.

WASHINGTON -- Alarmed by the prospect that Democrats could take back the White House and expand their majorities in the House and Senate, Republicans are starting to warn of the perils of one party controlling Washington.

By focusing attention on false voter registration forms filed by the liberal group ACORN, Republicans and Arizona Sen. John McCain are raising alarm bells about the potential for widespread voter fraud this fall.

WASHINGTON -- While crafting a bill intended to rescue the U.S. economy this week, lawmakers couldn't stop themselves from adding billions of dollars in tax breaks that have little to do with restoring confidence in financial markets.

WASHINGTON -- Just three years ago Richard Pombo, the cowboy boot-wearing California Republican lawmaker, faced an outcry from Democrats for pushing a bill to lift the 27-year-old ban on drilling off the East and West coasts and let states choose whether to allow oil rigs off their shores.