Arnold and harrasment

Susan Estrich has this LA Times commentary on the pre-election stories in the LA Times about Schwarzenegger's alleged behavior. I also saw her on Fox on Saterday. Fox also had an NOW representative in California on. Both agreed in general that Arnold's behavior was bad, acknowledged that people make mistakes, and approved of a quick appology. The NOW rep mentioned she would be voting for Arnold and Estrich lamented that a strong Demacrat like Dianne Feinstein wasn't an option.

I have been displeased with the number of outlets that have reported that Schwarzenegger appologized for what the LA Times reported he had done. Arnold contends that some of the stories are exagerations and at least one is totally false (and a woman from his camp who witnessed the occasion has told her story) and the way he structured his statements about the stories, he said that while these stories are not accurate, he could not claim to be innocent of the general charge of friskiness. I am especially unimpressed by the charges that date to the 70's. A sexual revolution had occured, boundaries were being broken, and a sense of promiscuity was all over. To think that a young man in California should have been playing by the old rules or should have known what the rules would later turn out to be is asking a bit much. Given what is sometimes said about politicians, Arnold's real mistake was that he he was "playful" out in the open with random people, rather than people whose lives he could ruin.