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Posted on 10/04/2003 2:58:13 PM PDT by John Jorsett
BAKERSFIELD -- Faced with scandalous accusations of sexual misconduct, actor and Republican gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger shot back Friday with some of the oldest weapons in show business -- confetti cannons, balloons, celebrities and recycled movie lines.
Actress Tia Carrere, who appeared in the movie "True Lies" with Schwarzenegger, joined him at a campaign rally in Arcadia early Friday morning and told a crowd of thousands that she "sat on his lap" and even had a "kissing scene with him, and he was never nothing but a gentleman."
Republican congresswoman Mary Bono, whose late husband, Sonny, was a congressman and half of the duo Sonny and Cher, also stood up in support of Schwarzenegger's effort to replace California Gov. Gray Davis in Tuesday's recall election.
In Bakersfield, Schwarzenegger was joined by former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and dozens of members of a choir from Freedom Middle School, who sang along with Schwarzenegger's official anthem -- Twisted Sister's song "We're Not Gonna Take It" -- at the rally's conclusion.
And although the rallies from Arcadia to Santa Clarita to Bakersfield featured signs that addressed the accusations of sexual misconduct made in a Los Angeles Times story this week, Schwarzenegger never let the public see him sweat about it.
He remained focused on his scripted promises to repeal the vehicle license fee that was tripled by Davis and pledged to balance the state's budget without raising taxes.
"Hasta la vista car tax," Schwarzenegger said to bursts of applause, reviving one of his oft-repeated lines from "The Terminator" movies.
Film references were in his speeches and on the buses being used in his four-day tour trip from San Diego to Sacramento, a journey dubbed the California Comeback Express. The tour is a caravan of six buses and several black SUVs carrying the candidate and dozens of reporters from North America, Europe and Asia.
Schwarzenegger's bus was named after his movie "The Running Man." All four buses carting the media were named after another of his films, "Predator," and numbered one to four.
Stresses his aspirations
As has frequently been the case, Schwarzenegger did not take questions from the reporters traveling with him, responding instead to questions from supporters who lobbed queries about positions he's stated in his commercials and in most every political speech.
The only reference Schwarzenegger made to the accusations against him was a vague comment about his gubernatorial aspirations and how friends cautioned him about the character attacks that sometimes accompany politics.
"Of course, I have felt that the last few days," he said during an "Ask Arnold" session in Santa Clarita.
Some supporters said the revelations didn't matter, and others blamed the Los Angeles Times.
Several signs at a rally in Arcadia called upon people to cancel their subscriptions, including one held by 75-year-old James Mramor of Monrovia.
"There's no question Gray Davis is behind this," Mramor said.
Asked about Schwarzenegger's admission that some of the accusations were true, Mramor said: "Name me a man who hasn't done it at one point in his life and I'll show you a gay man."
Shannon Stier, 35, of San Clemente held a sign that said "Gray Davis Groped me ... while reaching for my wallet."
Tina Myers, 39, of Beaumont expressed anger when she encountered a journalist interviewing a man dressed as a chicken, an effort by the man to draw attention to Schwarzenegger's failure to participate in more than one debate.
"I'd rather be groped by Arnold than have Gray Davis digging in my pockets every day," Myers said. As for remarks Schwarzenegger allegedly made in an interview in the 1970s that he admired some of Adolf Hitler's accomplishments, Myers said, "The Hitler remarks obviously were taken out of context."
True lies?
Schwarzenegger apologized Thursday for some of the bad behavior he was accused of with women, but said not all of it was true. He didn't say which parts were true, and a campaign spokesman said he has no plans to do so.
"We're not going to spend four days going through that trick talk when this is about repealing a car tax," said Rob Stutzman, a spokesman with the campaign. "This is about providing leadership in Sacramento, throwing the special interests out of Sacramento, and restoring government to the people. That's what we're going to talk about for four days."
Stutzman called the allegations "a coordinated attack by Democratic operatives" and said a line-by-line response to accusations would be a waste of time.
"We know exactly what will happen," Stutzman said. "You folks will want to talk about specifics for the next four days," instead of focusing on Schwarzenegger's campaign message.
Congressman Darrell Issa, who financed much of the signature gathering in support of the recall, said he was Schwarzenegger's surrogate as he boarded a bus with reporters Friday.
Asked why Schwarzenegger hadn't granted interviews to any newspapers, or magazines, choosing instead to do national talk-show appearances on television and radio, Issa said the candidate does what he can.
Issa said it's a luxury only afforded people like U.S. presidents and movie stars.
"Arnold has a unique ability to do interviews on his terms," Issa said.
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FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
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It is in the breaking news sidebar! |
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OMG! Somebody call the PC police. This man just made a sexist remark. OFF WITH HIS HEAD!
I'll bet that will happen.
Mark
As of Friday people already had bumper stickers, "I'd rather be groped by Arnold than screwed by Davis".
The press has been hammering Arnold, not Bustemante. Apparently the media is not about to accept that a person can change. Except, of course, Democrats.
Uhhh. Right, Tia. Nice double negative. Time to shut your pie hole if you can't structure a proper sentence when speaking to thousands.
Must be listening to the oft cried mantras here on FR.
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