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Groups Unveil Anti-Schwarzenegger Ads
earthlink news ^ | 10-3-03

Posted on 10/03/2003 4:40:15 PM PDT by hoosierskypilot

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Women's groups and religious leaders worked feverishly Friday to galvanize opposition to Arnold Schwarzenegger after he acknowledged treating women badly and was accused of telling an interviewer he admired Adolf Hitler.

A coalition of women's groups met at the Feminist Majority offices here to unveil an anti-Schwarzenegger ad campaign and introduce a former TV network intern who said the gubernatorial candidate groped her when she showed him around a sound stage 25 years ago.

She was one of several women - including radio psychologist Dr. Joy Browne - to come forward Friday with new allegations Schwarzenegger groped or made inappropriate comments to them. The allegations echo complaints made by other women against the Republican front-runner in the election to recall Gov. Gray Davis.

Criticism also poured in from religious leaders and the state's top Democrats for remarks attributed to the actor in 1975 that he admired Hitler's ability to rise from humble beginnings. Schwarzenegger also played Nazi marches and mimicked SS officers, according to the director of the 1975 bodybuilding documentary "Pumping Iron."

"To express admiration for a person directly responsible for the death of tens of millions of people during World War II is beyond comprehension," said Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., the only Holocaust survivor in Congress. "I think it probably ends any political ambition he may have had."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., called praise for Hitler "appalling" and Davis said it was "unconscionable."

On Thursday Schwarzenegger acknowledged and apologized for having "behaved badly sometimes" around women, but said he could not imagine saying anything positive about Hitler, whom he said he despised.

On Friday, the second day of his four-day bus tour of the state, as more women came forward to claim sexual misconduct, the actor ignored the allegations, and some his supporters laughed them off.

"He can grope me," one woman shouted at a campaign stop in Santa Clarita. Some supporters held signs reading: "Gray Davis groped me ... While reaching for my wallet."

When his microphone failed at one point, he quipped that the news media might be to blame, quickly adding he could get away with such a remark because his wife, Maria Shriver, is a journalist.

"Our campaign is going great," he said later.

Representatives of the Feminist Majority, National Organization for Women, CodePink and other women's groups said they were organizing demonstrations around the state.

"Arnold Schwarzenegger has an appalling record of disrespect and abuse of women," said Joan Blades, co-founder of MoveOn.org, an Internet-based political action group that paid for the new television ad unveiled at the women's coalition news conference. "It would be a disgrace to women and a disgrace to all the people of California if he became governor."

The Los Angeles Times quoted six women on Thursday - two by name and four anonymously - who said Schwarzenegger had groped or sexually harassed them during separate incidents between 1975 and 2000.

Browne told "Inside Edition" Friday that Schwarzenegger groped her ankles and knees during an interview in the 1970s.

As more women came forward, Schwarzenegger campaign spokesman Todd Harris said one of the accusers was a member of a union that opposes Schwarzenegger.

"So here we have the first direct fingerprint of Democratic involvement in this last-minute anti-Arnold sleaze campaign," Harris said.

The San Diego Union-Tribune, which has endorsed Schwarzenegger's candidacy, said in a Friday editorial that the sexual allegations raise serious questions that must be addressed further. Representatives of several women's groups said they would call for a criminal investigation, though none of the women filed complaints about the alleged groping.

Stories by ABC News and The New York Times said the actor told an interviewer during the filming of "Pumping Iron" that he admired Hitler's rise to power and wished he could have experienced the thrill Hitler must have had in speaking to huge audiences who agreed with everything he said.

The news organizations said the remarks were contained in transcripts from a book proposal made by "Pumping Iron" director George Butler.

In West Los Angeles, leaders of Jewish, black and Muslim community groups called a news conference Friday to denounce the Hitler report.

"There is a chance that a man who admires Adolf Hitler could be the next governor of California," said Scott Svonkin, Southern California chairman of the B'nai B'rith Center for Public Policy.

Jona Goldrich, who said he escaped from the Nazis at age 14, said an apology in this case wouldn't be adequate.

"There is no room for apology, to praise someone who killed 6 1/2 million Jews," said Goldrich, 76.

Amber Bowden, 19, said in San Bernardino that she voted for Schwarzenegger by absentee ballot but wishes she could take her vote back in light of the allegations. That's impossible, said San Bernardino County Registrar Scott Konopasek.

"It lowers my esteem of him," said Bowden, who was voting in her first election. "It might affect his ability to lead the state."


TOPICS: Front Page News; Politics/Elections
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1 posted on 10/03/2003 4:40:15 PM PDT by hoosierskypilot
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To: hoosierskypilot; BibChr; onyx; PhiKapMom; Tamsey; redlipstick; habs4ever; My2Cents; South40; ...
Bah Humbug PING
2 posted on 10/03/2003 4:43:15 PM PDT by EggsAckley (..........................all my pings are belong to ......YOU.....................)
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To: All
CHEAP THRILLS - $1 (the first one's free!)

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3 posted on 10/03/2003 4:44:58 PM PDT by Support Free Republic (Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
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To: hoosierskypilot
"Clinton? Clinton who?" ---NOW
4 posted on 10/03/2003 4:45:25 PM PDT by stands2reason
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To: hoosierskypilot
Amber Bowden, 19, said in San Bernardino that she voted for Schwarzenegger by absentee ballot but wishes she could take her vote back in light of the allegations. That's impossible, said San Bernardino County Registrar Scott Konopasek.

Possible setup for one of many legal challenges to the recall that are sure to come? I think Davis' only hope now is to get the recall election nullified by a friendly court.

5 posted on 10/03/2003 4:48:52 PM PDT by CFC__VRWC (AIDS, abortion, euthanasia - don't liberals just kill ya?)
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To: EggsAckley
Groped her "ankles and knees"?!?

GOOD GRIEF!
6 posted on 10/03/2003 4:48:53 PM PDT by EllaMinnow (Life is too important to be taken seriously.)
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To: hoosierskypilot
In West Los Angeles, leaders of Jewish, black and Muslim community groups called a news conference Friday to denounce the Hitler report.

I'm laughing too hard to comment.

7 posted on 10/03/2003 4:50:03 PM PDT by Argus ((Ninety-nine and forty-four one-hundredths percent Pure Reactionary))
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To: redlipstick
Oh, the humanity!
8 posted on 10/03/2003 4:50:33 PM PDT by annyokie (One good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others.)
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To: annyokie
How can she live with the shame?

Oh dear, I need a hanky.

9 posted on 10/03/2003 4:52:53 PM PDT by EllaMinnow (Life is too important to be taken seriously.)
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To: hoosierskypilot
Whether you like Tom or Arnold, you need to attack Gray and Cruz NOW.
10 posted on 10/03/2003 5:07:47 PM PDT by Taiwan Bocks
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To: redlipstick
She is currently being interviewed by O'Reilly. She is a piece of work.
11 posted on 10/03/2003 5:08:04 PM PDT by Loyal Buckeye
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To: EggsAckley
Ick... just reading the list of folks involved makes me want a shower...

Arnold needs to win and win BIG!
12 posted on 10/03/2003 5:12:06 PM PDT by Tamzee ("Big government sounds too much like sluggish socialism."......Arnold Schwarzenegger)
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To: redlipstick
Did you see Joy Browne on O'Reilly!!

Good grief, that woman is wearing hay for hair.
13 posted on 10/03/2003 5:15:19 PM PDT by Hillary's Lovely Legs (There is no shame in being poor, just dressing poorly)
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To: Tamsey

Gropeable? You bet!!


14 posted on 10/03/2003 5:17:15 PM PDT by Hillary's Lovely Legs (There is no shame in being poor, just dressing poorly)
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To: hoosierskypilot
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa
15 posted on 10/03/2003 5:20:10 PM PDT by DianaN (Eternal Freedom)
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To: stands2reason











16 posted on 10/03/2003 5:22:23 PM PDT by autoresponder (OK libs - it's download time!)
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
Could you bring back the one of the dead horse instead??? Think I liked that one better ;-)
17 posted on 10/03/2003 5:22:57 PM PDT by Tamzee ("Big government sounds too much like sluggish socialism."......Arnold Schwarzenegger)
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To: hoosierskypilot
I was pooping in my diapers in 1975. I have changed alot since then. Maybe Schwartzenegger has, too.
18 posted on 10/03/2003 5:23:22 PM PDT by Blast Radius
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
Or else she's a big fan of The Beach Boys...


19 posted on 10/03/2003 5:25:27 PM PDT by EllaMinnow (Life is too important to be taken seriously.)
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To: hoosierskypilot
"Amber Bowden, 19, said in San Bernardino that she voted for Schwarzenegger by absentee ballot..."

Who'd you vote for again, Ms. Bowden??

Contributor

Occupation

Date

Amount

Recipient

Bowden Caroly
Oakland,CA 94602

Self/Audio Consultant

1/8/2002

$213

Democratic State Central Cmte/California

BOWDEN, CAROLYN
BURBANK,CA 91505

SOUND ENGINEER

7/13/1999

$250

Emily's List

BOWDEN, CAROLYN L
OAKLAND,CA 94602

IATSE/UNION ORGANIZER

10/23/2002

$200

DNC Services Corp

BOWDEN, CAROLYN L
OAKLAND,CA 94602

SELF/AUDIO CONSULTANT

6/28/2002

$200

DNC Services Corp

BOWDEN, CAROLYN L
OAKLAND,CA 94602

IATSE/REPRESENTATIVE

3/28/2003

$1,000

DNC Services Corp

BOWDEN, CAROLYN L
OAKLAND,CA 94602

AUDIO CONSULTANT

9/30/2002

$200

DNC Services Corp

BOWDEN, CAROLYN L
OAKLAND,CA 94602

SELF/AUDIO CONSULTANT

1/8/2002

$225

DNC Services Corp

BOWDEN, CAROLYN L
OAKLAND,CA 94602

CONSULTANT

8/2/1999

$250

Feinstein, Dianne

BOWDEN, CAROLYN MS
OAKLAND,CA 94602

SELF/SOUND ENGINEER

8/20/2001

$500

Emily's List


20 posted on 10/03/2003 5:31:07 PM PDT by Southack (Media bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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