A Deplorable October Surprise (Susan Estrich re: LA Times)

LA Times ^ | 10-03-03 | Susan Estrich

[veronica]

So this is the October surprise? The Los Angeles Times headline that Arnold Schwarzenegger groped and humiliated women?

None of the six women interviewed by The Times filed legal charges. Four of the six were quoted anonymously. Of the two who were named, one, a British television hostess, had told her story to Premiere magazine years ago, and it has been widely known and largely ignored. The other recounts an alleged incident of fondling at Gold's Gym nearly 30 years ago.

[CIB-173RDABN]

"shock and awe",

---

I was thinking the whole week was like the Tet Offensive where the Viet Cong throw everything they had at us, and won some temporary victories, but in the end, destroyed themself.

By going "nuclear" over such minor items, it leaves them no room if any real scandal should appear. Those that already support the left do not need such information to hate Rove, Bush, Limbaugh and Arnold. Those on the right are not going to believe what the media has to say. The only question is, what will those in the middle believe.

After eight years of Clinton Scandal, I would guess those in the middle for the most part don't care, and if anything may get turned off from the glee that those reporting these "scandals".

The world is changing (thanks in part to web sites like this).

[wtc911]

Does he have a track record of any kind? If he were not the Terminator would anyone even be considering him? I asked what he could do for the state...that he couldn't be worse than Davis doesn't sound like any reason at all. My question is still serious and still unanswered.

[prairiebreeze]

Democrats should be angry at the behavior of their party. The community I grew up in was primarily conservative although there were Democrats there too. While their views on certain issues weren't widely shared, they were good and decent people who never would have condoned such outrageousness. They were Americans first and Democrats second.

The Dems of today aren't at all like the ones that my parents knew. Their party has truly been hijacked. In their shoes, I would be worried sick.

Prairie

[mrtysmm]

As of late I have some respect for Susan. I don't agree with her most of the time....but she does call it like she sees it....and is not afraid to bash the dems when she thinks they are wrong.

[cb]

"Gloria wants a full scale investigation by the Legislature into sexual harrassment on the set!"

ME TOO! I would love for the hollywierd crowd to find out what its like for the rest of America. Bring full liberalism to them, next we should try to get it applied in the congress!

[MEG33]

Good point!Let them live by what they enact into law!

[mrtysmm]

that Mull..... guy was on Linda Vester yesterday afternoon. I really thought he was going to have a stroke his blood pressure had to be that high. He kept screaming..."CRIMES" to which Linda kept saying that wasn't true. The audience was telling him that the timing of the leaks was extremely suspect and they weren't buying it. To that Bob baby still kept insisting..."CRIMES". He actually denied that it had anything to do with the timing of the election. My gut tells me it's gonna backfire. I hope my gut is right!

[twigs]

I don't agree with Estrich's views most of the time but my respect for her as a human being has measurably increased.

I agree with you. I used to not like her at all, but recently she has shown the sort of intellectual honesty and consistency that is getting harder to find among Democrats. And, IIRC, she was also raped at one time, so this is a very emotional issue for her. Good on her!

[.cnI redruM]

When the CA Dems decided to defend Gray rather than toss him out for DiFI, Estrich became disillousioned. She is undergoing a common phenomenon, the Dems are moving so far left they are leaving her behind.

[autoresponder]

[Neets]

When Susan Estrich notices, you KNOW they pucked up big time...she, the neverending defender of the Groper-In-Chief....but then after years of defensive posturing on X42's behalf, how can she NOT come to this conclusion?

[flamefront]

Maybe her students' feedback keeps her honest, to some degree.

[poindexter]

And Arnold had the decency to accept responsibility and apologize. Also, there is no indication the behavior occurred recently. Compare these actions with those of certain other elected officials.

[Skooz]

I hit the refresh button in My Comments and thought I was having a flashback.

[OESY]

Isn't Schwarzenegger exactly the type of person the National Organization of Women (NOW) likes to endorse? Didn't their idol, Bill Clinton, teach us that every man gets one free grope (according to Gloria Steinem), that it's not sex if you don't use your hands (just cigars and other body parts), and that a rape in Arkansas ("put some ice on it") is not as bad as coping a feel? So, come on, NOW, let's see your endorsement. Prove to us you are not just a front organization of the Democratic Party and undeserving of your tax-exempt status.

Better show us that you can spot the difference between untoward actions taken by a prospective governor 30 years ago who has apologized and can serve as a role model for exemplary reformed behavior and those take by an unrepentant occupant of the Oval Office?

[finnman69]

Great article. I think the timing of all these smears is reaching critical mass and is about to backfire on the people issuing them. We are getting close to another Paul Wellstone Funeral pep Rally backlash.

[Tamzee]

Excellent column from Susan Estrich SLAMMING the LA Slimes for its hit-piece on Arnold :-)

If you can't access the column and want to read it, let me know :-)

[whereasandsoforth]

"What do they think he can do for the state? This is a serious question."

Can this Texan chime in? Arnold can learn "on the job". That makes the best employees. They bring few preconceived notions to the job. It allows a fresh prospective and clear eye to view the problems at hand and possibly create solutions that no one else can or will pursue. In other words, it's worth a shot! Give Arnold a chance. It can't get any worse (seriously!). Besides, when you find a professional actor that has his left brain wired to his right, you might as well see where the oddity will take you.

[Tamzee]

I do hope they lose a lot of subscriptions, otherwise they're just going to keep doing this same garbage in election after election after election...

BTW, one of Estrich's interesting comments on Hannity and Colmes last night was this fun one...

"The LA Times has been so pro-Davis as to make me, a Democrat, embarrassed!"

[EllaMinnow]

I saw Bill Simon on FOX this morning. He is supporting Arnold as strongly as ever, and even threw in some "office batterer" swipes at Davis.

(I want to read the column!)