LA Slimes: 4 More Women Go Public Against Schwarzenegger

LA Slimes ^ | 10-4-03 | LA Slimes

[ambrose]

4 More Women Go Public Against Schwarzenegger By Gary Cohn, Carla Hall, Jack Leonard and Tracy Weber Times Staff Writers

11:30 PM PDT, October 4, 2003

Four more women have come forward to say that Arnold Schwarzenegger fondled, spanked or touched them in incidents they said took place as recently as 2000 and as long ago as 1979.

In all, 15 women have now accused the Republican candidate for governor of grabbing or groping them. On the campaign trail Saturday, Schwarzenegger denounced as a "puke campaign" news reports that he has behaved abusively toward women.

[goldstategop]

Well the Democrats are saying its not about sex but about abusing and disrespecting women. I have to laugh at the absurdity of the charge from the party that condoned the violation of a woman's civil rights by the last President Of The United States. But then again liberals haven't given much thought to the hypocrisy of using sex as a political weapon now; as long as they think it gives them a chance to win, they'll keep right on pouring out the sleaze and they won't stop now.

[ambrose]

If the Slimes had dropped this stink bomb back in August, Peter Ueberroth would have likely taken Arnold's place as the front-runner. Who knows, maybe even McClintock?

Instead, the Slimes allowed millions of people to cast absentees (which might actually save the recall!), and waited until all viable replacement candidates had been eliminated from the running, to turn its pages into a National Enquirer-like rag. Why? For the sole purpose of keeping Gray Davis in office.

As much as I believe the GOP establishment sucks for ramming Arnold down our throats in a bandwagon stampede, that genie can't be put back into the bottle. What's done is done. We can't allow Grayout to remain in office. Like you said, we can always recall Arnold should he continue these hijinx while in office.

[ex-Texan]

Giving a few beautiful women an appreciative pat on their asses during the filming of a movie on a rowdy set does not make Arnold what Bill Clinton was and is: a serial rapist!

[SteveH]

The point to the Lewinsky scandal wasn't sex. It was abuse of power, perjury--and hypocrisy. These accusations against Mr. Schwartzenegger don't involve abuse of power, perjury, or hypocrisy (for example, Arnold has never portrayed himself as especially pro-feminist, unlike the case with Democrats in general or Clinton in particular.)

Unwanted sexual advances border on sexual harassment. A pattern is emerging. Sexual imposition is less about sex than about power. I disagree with your assessment that the accusations don't involve abuse of power. Or hypocrisy.

[sourcery]

That being said, Schwarzenegger is a low-life to have mis-behaved in this manner.

And just how has he actually behaved? All we have are unsubstantiated accusations. He has admitted to behavior that he now realizes and admits is and was wrong--without describing the behavior in any detail, and without admitting that the LAT accusations have any specific legitimacy. For all we know, all the LAT accusations are either fabricated or greatly exaggerated.

More importantly, he has not committed perjury, obstructed justice, looked us in the eye and lied with great pomposity and seriousness, or portrayed himself as the world's foremost defender of women and women's rights.

[goldstategop]

Not that the Democrats care about sexual harrassment but all they need to do is use the issue to make Arnold a morally challenged Governor - a politically castrated version of Bubba. If that's their aim, they may succeed brilliantly in making it impossible for Arnold to change the status quo in Sacramento.

[SAJ]

sAt law, slander is only slander if the presumptive slanderer publishes it, i.e. makes it available to the public, therefore, the notion of ''anonymous'' slander is non-existent. So also, if I call you, to your face and in a private conversation, the biggest Nazi Commie M-Fer in the history of the planet, you might punch me out (bad idea, btw), but you will not have an action for slander at your disposal.

And, there are also required the elements of slander; falsity, malice, and intent. The precise standards for these elements vary from state to state, by dint of precedent as well as statute, and (sadly) with these rather varied and assorted precedents, many times contradictory throughout the several states, a civil action brought for slander is little more than a crapshoot, even if the slanderer lied just like a rug about you.

Courts -- liberal, conservative, whichever -- have been reluctant (more so recently) to embrace slander actions, both on 1st Amendment grounds AND because social standards, speaking broadly, have declined sharply in recent years.

Calling a man a homo was probably a potential action for slander (assuming falsity, malice, and intent) in 1945...but it isn't these days. Or, at least, the named supposed homo would have one h*ll of a time getting the action past both the legal system and a jury, bar jurisdictions such as SF; and the named homo would likely have a hugely difficult time proving falsity.

Never assume that either courts or juries will act either consistently or lawfully.

FReegards!

[DoughtyOne]

I may be wrong here, but I think the one thing most people agree on, is Davis has to go. We'll see in a couple of days.

[goldstategop]

It doesn't matter. All the Democrats need to create is the perception Arnold doesn't treat women like human beings and they have him on a short leash if he's elected Tuesday. If its too hot for the voters to contemplate, Davis gets to keep his job. Either way, they win.

[goldstategop]

Maybe but don't forget this is exactly the kind of politics Davis relishes. He can make Arnold look bad. This is exactly what he was counting on the Los Angeles Times to do for him.

[Howlin]

[What happens if there are 20 women on Sunday, and 30 women on Monday?]

If you believe it, it means that the L.A. Times suckered you.

[DoughtyOne]

Who knows, even Simon may have sparked. I pretty much agree with your comments here.

[sourcery]

I disagree with your assessment that the accusations don't involve abuse of power. Or hypocrisy.

'Abuse of power' is a term of art. It has a very specific, well-known and well-defined meaning. It refers to abuse of political power, to a misuse of one's position as an official, to the wrongful use of the power of the state for one's personal aggradizment or protection. That is what I meant. You can use 'abuse of power' to mean whatever you like, of course. But it would be dishonest of you to fail to disclose to your audience that you mean something different than the canonical meaning.

I challenge you to show any hypocrisy on Arnold's part relating to the LAT charges.

[SteveH]

Not that the Democrats care about sexual harrassment but all they need to do is use the issue to make Arnold a morally challenged Governor - a politically castrated version of Bubba. If that's their aim, they may succeed brilliantly in making it impossible for Arnold to change the status quo in Sacramento.

I generally agree. I don't think, however, that the strategy is brilliant. Rather, I think that the country club wing may have been dumb and blind to have placed themselves in such a vulnerable position.

(Obligatory "hope not".)

[Howlin]

This is ALL you need to know about this story:

"Here’s what the newspaper should have said about Evans. She is actually a former close colleague of Gov. Gray Davis, a longtime Democratic operative and a friend of noted Democratic hit man Bob Mulholland."

[DoughtyOne]

I'm pretty sure that Schwarzenegger wasn't just pulling this on rowdy sets. I think there's more. And there is even the remote possibility that he will be allowed to take office, then taken down on criminal charges. I'm not saying this because I know something in particular, but thinking of possible scenarios.

I plan on voting for the man, so don't think this is an attempt to undercut him.

[Robert_Paulson2]

"Unwanted sexual advances border on sexual harassment. A pattern is emerging."

---

By Tuesday it won't make a dent... in anyting but Davis' chance to stay governor, and guarantee that ARnold gets our sympathy vote for an obvious, strategically timed, and unverifiable slime job. MOST journalistic practice amongst professionals declines the "dirt" on folks dumped the weekend before the election because there is NOT enough time to verify and rebut OBVIOUS lies and allegations fairly...

Even Tom is fuming at this BS... and defending Arnold.

come wednesday Davis will be gone and Arnold will be governor elect... and busty will be, very likely in THIRD place trailing McClintock...

We are on the verge of winning a trifecta, davis gone, arnold governor, and busty trailing behind McClintock. That's the pattern I see.

The whole demteam is getting bitch slapped, including the LA Times and Hillary's war masters... We should be getting a little giddy over the prospect...

[goldstategop]

I will vote for the man too only because I can't stand the thought of another three years of Gray Davis. All things being equal, I would have voted for Tom McClintock, but I don't want to waste my vote on someone who can't win.

[Howlin]

Unwanted sexual advances border on sexual harassment.

Twenty years ago they didn't; 20 years ago, a grope was a grope; now everybody has "enabled" women to make these ridiculous charges any time they feel like it.

It's ridiculous and you shouldn't fall for it.

[Robert_Paulson2]

dreamer!!!