Jerry Brown may have invented the so-called "canoe theory" of politics (paddle a little left, paddle a little right, end up in the center) but Arnold Schwarzenegger has probably come the closest to perfecting it. And this morning the two most recognizable faces in California government looked all the world like BFFs -- best (environmental) friends forever.

The attorney general and the governor were there to announce the long-expected filing of a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for inaction on California's request to regulate auto emissions.

For almost two years, the agency has been sitting on California's request for a waiver of a federal rule that generally prohibit states from acting on their own. The waiver would allow California to finally begin implementing the 2002 law that mandates fewer greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles... a key component of the reductions mandated in 2006's landmark law written by Democrats and signed by Schwarzenegger. But the EPA has kept the state in limbo, and many California officials have long suspected the delay is less about science than it is politics.

Today's event was another striking example of how demonstrably Schwarzenegger has paddled his political canoe leftward on the issue of global warming. Surrounded by a bevy of environmental advocates on the steps of the state Capitol, the governor's red Republican roots were all but hidden in a sea of green.

Of course, the inaction of the EPA under President George W. Bush may have never happened... had the man at the center of today's photo op not campaigned for Bush in 2004.

But that was back in Schwarzenegger's days of paddling to the right. Today, Schwarzenegger and Brown were joined at the hip, and SchwarzenBrown came out with guns blazing.

"If the federal government would respond as quickly to this problem as they did with the wildfires," said the governor, "this would be all settled and done."

"With this combined power of Schwarzenegger and Brown," said the attorney general, "EPA get out of the way."

And the current and former (and maybe future?) governors also seemed in unison when I asked each of them about nuclear power. Pro-nuke advocates say that if you want to combat greenhouse gas emissions, then include virtually emissions-free nuclear power plants in the mix. In fact, one GOP assemblymember has written a proposed ballot initiative to allow new nukes in California.

Schwarzenegger's response: "If we find a way of making it safe and getting rid of the nuclear waste, I think this is something that we should seriously consider."

Brown: "No one can rule out nuclear energy."

Back to the lawsuit... while SchwarzenBrown emphasized that it's designed to ensure that science trumps politics, the attorney general made it clear to reporters that there's also some interesting politics at play, especially for the GOP as 2008 approaches.

"[Schwarzenegger] is the most popular Republican at a time when Republicans are in trouble," Brown said. "So I think the people who advise Bush will start advising him, 'Hey, start listening to Arnold and take some action.'"

In other words: start paddling that canoe California-style.