“Everything is on the table.”

That’s a direct quote from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on the question of how to solve the state’s quickly expanding prison crisis. The governor made that comment this afternoon during a Capitol news conference.

But less than an hour later, a second statement– this one in writing– made it impossible to know what he meant by “everything.”

Earlier today, it became known that U.S District Judge Thelton Henderson issued an order one week ago instructing state officials to give him a plan to deal with overcrowding issues… and to do so within three months. Henderson’s communique hinted that if the state fails to act, the federal courts may ultimately have to order the release of prisoners.

Schwarzenegger summoned reporters just a few hours after meeting with the four legislative leaders about the prison problem, and he clearly wanted to get out in front of any news stories on the issue. “We can make sure this [court intervention] doesn’t happen if we act now,” he said in his prepared remarks.

Then he opened the event up for questions.

Would he, I asked, consider early release for prisoners convicted of non-violent crimes? “Well, one thing I can assure you,” he said. “We will not release any inmates that are a danger to society.” [You can hear more of that answer here.]

That didn’t really address the central point of the question, so I tried again. The answer: “We are going to discuss it.”

Near the end of the event, another reporter asked the same question: is Schwarzenegger now discussing the release of inmates with no violent crime convictions?

“We’re going to look at all of the different possibilities on how to free up some beds,” he said. [More of that answer can be heard here.]

But less than an hour later, the following statement attributed to the governor was e-mailed to the Capitol press corps:

“I will not allow the early release of any felons– violent or non-violent– as a means to address overcrowding.”

True, he’s been crystal clear on the issue of violent prisoners. But in light of the press conference remarks, it sounds like he had a change of heart once he left the podium.

The governor’s press secretary says there was no change after the press conference, only a clarification of what “everything” means to Schwarzenegger. For example, the governor said this afternoon that he is willing to consider early release for “old, feeble, and sick” prisoners.

Stay tuned for what legislators think “everything is on the table” means… it’s apparently not as clear of a phrase as one might think.