The Democratic candidate for governor of California said Sunday that if elected he would call immediately on President Bush to withdraw California National Guard troops from Iraq.
"I will do everything in my power, as governor, to bring our National Guard units home," Phil Angelides said.
Angelides, the state treasurer, acknowledged he could not recall the troops on his own. He said he would consider filing a lawsuit or taking other steps against the Bush administration to seek their return.
A spokeswoman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign, Katie Levinson, said in a statement that Angelides' remarks "are just more of the same irresponsible political rhetoric."
In an NBC interview in February, Schwarzenegger defended Bush's decision to go to war but said the country should "get out as quickly as possible, but also in a sensible way."
Earlier this year, Angelides opposed Bush's request to put Guard troops on the border with Mexico. Schwarzenegger agreed to send 1,300 troops but refused a later request for more. The governor has control over troops requested for border missions.