Is it possible that Governor Schwarzenegger effectively ended the speculation about his post-gubernatorial plans in this morning's appearance on network TV?

The governor was the main guest on ABC's This Week, and host George Stephanapolous spent a considerable amount of time quizzing Schwarzenegger about everything from the economy to the guv's choice for president, Sen. John McCain.

But the most revealing comments, from a California perspective, may have come when Stephanapolous asked whether the governor would consider serving in the possible administration of Sen. Barack Obama, a Democrat.

Unsurprinsingly, Schwarzenegger sidestepped the direct question by saying he's always willing to help when his country comes calling. But then he went further, laying out what certainly sounded like a road map for what happens after January 2011:

"I'm through with the acting, and all those things that I have done, and my bodybuilding career. I love all those things still. But for me now, it's important to give something back. And to do my work without getting paid, but just to give something back. And so whatever I can do, I will travel around, no matter if I have this position or not.

I will be traveling around the world, and I will be promoting, you know, to be energy independent, renewables, solar, windmills, and all of those kinds of things. Protecting the environment, protecting our oceans, all of those things."

That certainly doesn't sound like someone who's interested -- as some speculated -- in challenging Sen. Barbara Boxer for her spot in Congress in 2010 (though he's squelched such chatter before). Nor does it sound like someone who's interested in any other elective office here in the Golden State.

The roving ambassador of climate change would probably be a role that well suits an international celebrity like Arnold Schwarzenegger. And so it's not surprising that he sounds like he's focused on that path... only surprising that he laid it out so well, some two and a half years before he leaves office.