In today's pages: Governor's travels, Obama's hope

The editorial board asks who pays Schwarzenegger's extravagant travel bills:

Arnold Schwarzenegger was already so rich, his supporters claimed, he wouldn't need to make political deals with campaign donors. Look, they said, he's not even going to take his salary! What a deal for California!

What a deal indeed. Instead of taking a salary, Schwarzenegger takes overseas trips that feature private jets and luxury suites. His purpose is ostensibly to promote California, but his expenses are paid by donors who want something from him, like a signature or a veto at bill-signing time. Those donors funnel their cash to the governor, in anonymity, through something called the California State Protocol Foundation. Because it's a nonprofit organization, campaign laws that limit how much contributors can give simply don't apply.

The board highlights positive developments in North Korean diplomacy, and wonders which industry will make a worse transition to the Internet age -- film or music. 

Columnist Jonah Goldberg explains why "Hillary" is no longer an "abracadabra word" for voters, but "Obama" is. Writer John Kenney has his JFK moment. Pew Charitable Trusts' Jane Danowitz says mining companies should pay the full price for extracting ore, rather than leaving taxpayers with the clean-up. And writer Matthew DeBord puts in his vote for turnstiles on the L.A. subway.

Letter writers react to LAX's close calls. L.A.'s Joan Winters asks, "[D]oesn't it make more sense to regionalize air travel in the L.A. area rather than expand the airport and get those bulldozers going on the north runway?"