ANNETTE BENING - BENING JOINS BEATTY IN SCHWARZENEGGER FIGHT

Actress ANNETTE BENING is supporting her husband WARREN BEATTY as he fights to oust California Governor ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER by making her thoughts about the state's arts funding public.

The BEING JULIA star appeared on the steps of Capitol Hill in Washington DC on Friday (07OCT05) appealing for increased funding for the arts in California schools.

The press swarmed around the California Arts Council member as she made her appearance and gave an impromptu and heartfelt speech.

She said, "Education and art in our culture should not be treated as a luxury for some, but as an absolute necessity for every one of us and every one of our kids."

Bening suggested that Schwarzenegger is distanced from the needs of regular Californians because his children, like hers, attend private schools.

She added, "I'm lucky - I come from the movie business, as the Governor does, and my kids, because I can afford it, go to private school.

"The Governor's children have those same advantages. Many children do in this state, in private and in public schools. However, many, many do not."

Bening's Democrat husband Beatty has been a constant thorn in Republican Schwarzenegger's side since the former action man took office last year (04) - attacking a number of issues the TERMINATOR star has stood for.