SF Chronicle: (Arnold's) Debate barbs put gender gap in the spotlight

[Jack Rabbit]

From the San Francisco Chronicle
Dated Friday September 26

Debate barbs put gender gap in the spotlight
Actor's comments, tone to Huffington anger women
By Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, trying to make light of his cutting remarks to Arianna Huffington at Wednesday's gubernatorial debate, said Thursday he was only giving her a compliment when he told her, "I have a perfect part for you in 'Terminator 4' " and "You need a little more decaf."
The GOP front-runner in the recall election wanted to talk about the California economy and his platform at a town hall meeting in Los Angeles. But Schwarzenegger was grilled by Fox Radio's Sean Hannity, the host of the meeting, about Huffington's reaction to the actor's comments. She noted that the female lead in "Terminator 3" was the cyborg who got her head pushed into a toilet.
"The fact of the matter is, it was a compliment. Because in 'Terminator' we always had powerful women," Schwarzenegger responded. "If she takes it the wrong way, it's not my fault."
But Huffington, sipping a Starbucks extra grande ("It's caffeinated," she said with a smile), said Thursday that she has received an "absolutely amazing" outpouring of reaction from women -- 3,000 e-mails so far.

Read more.
Perhaps next time we see Arnold it will be next summer in another bad action flick.

[hippiechick]

1. 'grilled' by Hannity ? Doubt it ....

Now there's some spin for ya .... Hannity tossing fastballs at a GOP'er ? Please.



:hippie:

[Jack Rabbit]

2. I didn't see it, but . . .

I didn't see it, but I, too, doubt that grilling would be the right word.

However, that is a digression in this discussion. The point is that Arnold put his foot in his mouth and is paying for it.

As of now, I think the recall issue is too close to call and that Arnold will finish third in the replacement contest behind Bustamante and McClintock (in that order).

[hippiechick]

3. I see Arnold fading fast , as well ....

Now that people are actually getting to see him 'on the stump', his true personality is slipping through and while he may be a likeable enough guy (to some), he's certainly not leadership material.

I hope your prediction is right !


:hippie:

[MurrayDelph]

20. (Didn't see it either, but) Grilling would not be the right word...

Toasting, yes
Grilling, no.

[Jack Rabbit]

31. Good one, Murray

:toast:

[Skittles]

17. HA HA

that's what I thought. Please.

[Snellius]

4. Will someone remind Arnold he is just an actor

The "strong women" in Terminator were not his idea but the director, James Cameron. Especially the role of Linda Hamilton in T2 who eventually became (and un-became) his Cameron's wife. Like most of these Hollywood "stars" they eventually end up like Adam West thinking they really ARE batman.

[AP]

14. Cameron had nothing to do with T3, which was very sexist.

Very very sexist.

[havocmom]

5. Is Ahhnold just a ploy by the winger leadership

to get white, sexist, xenophobes off the couch and to the polling places? Are they so afraid of real democracy (where all segments of the population get a voice) that they will run an image of 'manly man' to get their nuetered rams to vote? So afraid of us uppity woe-men and people of color that.... nevermind, I know the answer...

[tabasco]

6. After watching that debacle of a debate

And the more I think about it, the more I think Arnold hurt himself. He should have tried to project a better image at the debate. But he came off as a loudmouth, rude, ignorant muttonhead.

[Tansy_Gold]

22. "But he came off as a loudmouth, rude, ignorant muttonhead."

Um, I think maybe, just maybe, that's because, after all, when it comes right down to the real nitty gritty, he IS a loudmouth, rude, ignorant muttonhead.

[Brucey]

7. Arnie doesn't need, nor especially want,

the women's vote. All he needs are the vast numbers of empty headed, baseball cap backward, young white men to go to the polls for the first and only time in their lives. That, plus a few repug votes and he'll have enough. Davis = 47%, Arnie the Termite-Eater = 29%, therefore, under our wonderful system of democracy, Arnie will be declared the winner. Let it begin: Recall Arnie. All we'll need is 50% plus one. Easy.

[VolcanoJen]

8. Jon Stewart opined last night that...

... when Arianna criticized Arnold's treatment of women, he responded, by offering her a part in 'Terminator 4', essentially, that she should be killed.

Jon did an excellent job of destroying Arnold last night... don't miss the repeat tonight at 7:00 et!

[cally]

9. The best part of this article

is that it was on the front page with a large headline! It's funny that even when Arnie tries his spin, he continues to insult her. "If she takes it the wrong way, it's not my fault." Ahh, more repuke family values. It's never their fault and those assertive women just need a better sense of humor. Ha. I hope this works like the Hillary Clinton debate and this brings out women voters to the voting booth.

[0007]

10. C'mon ya'll

Come one come all, who in the hell thinks Arnold could ever be ONE who is actively involved in politics?

This guy is a real schmuck!

[JPace]

11. "If she takes it the wrong way, it's not my fault."

Arnold should be more worried about
California WOMEN VOTERS taking it
the wrong way!

And Yes.....it is his fault!

[tlb]

12. First polls show no harm to Arnold, and very negative reaction to Ariana

Arnold Schwarzenegger apparently made a positive impression on Californians in his first debate. A survey immediately following the event found that 32 percent of voters believe the film star won the debate.

An exclusive News10/SurveyUSA poll found that those 22 percent surveyed named Republican state Senator Tom McClintock as winner of the event. Thirteen-percent of voters thought Democrat Cruz Bustamante won, with six-percent picking Green Party candidate Peter Camejo, and four-percent naming independent Arianna Huffington.

Participants in the poll were also asked who turned in the worst performance in the debate. Voters surveyed felt strongly that Huffington deserved that dubious title, with 36 percent picking her as the poorest debater. Twenty-one percent said Schwarzenegger was the worst, while 17 percent named Bustamante, seven percent chose Camejo and four percent picked McClintock.

McClintock appears to have gained the most converts in the debate, with 46 percent of those surveyed saying their opinion of him had gone up as a result of his performance in the event. Schwarzenegger also scored well, with 44 percent of those surveyed saying the debate left them with a better impression of him.

The poll found that voter opinions of Huffington and Bustamante dropped following the debate. Huffington's aggressive tactics apparently backfired, with 56 percent of those surveyed saying their impression of her worsened. Bustamante lost ground with 37 percent of voters, while 41 percent said their opinion was unchanged.

The poll surveyed 579 registered California voters who watched the debate. The margin of error in the poll was plus or minus 4.3 percent.





Looks to me like Arianna's ploy attacking Arnold backfired.

http://www.kxtv.com/storyfull.asp?id=5376

[Susang]

25. If she had been a man

She would have received as good a rating as Arnold did. Unfortunately, sexism is alive and well, particularly in politics. Many men (as well as women) are petrified of a woman who is aggressive and strong.

I may not have agreed with Arianna's tactics, but why is she being considered worse than Arnold? They both attacked each other, they both made jokes at the other's expense and they both have foreign accents. Sexism, pure and simple.

[mbperrin]

28. Seems unfortunate that no one mentioned that she has

a master's degree in economics from Cambridge, but WTF...California doesn't need any ECONOMIC expertise, right?

[AP]

13. T3 is one of the most sexist movies I've seen in the last 5 years.

Arnold and that bitch woman terminator fight it out in the men's bathroom? Oh come on. I don't remember, but I wouldn't be surprised if he threw her down through a glass ceiling too.

[Chovexani]

16. I passed on it

And I'm increasingly glad that I did. I liked the first two, but as soon as I saw the trailer I knew this one was a stinker destined for the cheap bin at the video store.

C'mon, some blonde bimbo model? That's not a fucking terminator. What's she going to do, throw carrot sticks at you or jab you with one of her ribs that stick out? You want a woman terminator, get Joanie Laurer, or hell get one of the many gorgeous certified ass kickers from HK flicks. I know I'm not the only one who would pay good money to see Michelle Yeoh or Xiang Xi Yi beating the shit out of that tired old pig Arnold.

Geez I can't wait till this guy fades into obscurity. I hope every woman voter in California brings 5 other women to the polls to jump start it.

[4_Legs_Good]

23. Beyond it being possibly sexist

it was just a really bad film.

david

Kucinich 2004

Arianna YES
Recall No

[PROGRESSIVE1]

15. Arnold WILL NOT debate Gray Davis!

See this link:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/09/26/MN44823.DTL

Now we know that Arnie boy is a total fraud!


:kick:

[piece sine]

18. aw 'cmon

regardless of party, D or R, left or right, we need to realize that adult women -- especially brainy Brentwood divas like Arianna -- can take take of themselves without this chauvinism about offending them, like they were fragile porcelain dolls. Who goes into a debate for high office unprepared to endure the sling and arrows that come with it? I'm for Cruz all the way...but does that imply I hate women?! Arianna herself pecks at the corporate establishment just fine ..she doesn't need the Chronicle to swoon about her over her on this. If she's too tender to take a barb about decaf coffee, what si she doing in hard-ball politicals. This is all a throwback to the double-standards women and men fought against back in the bra-burning 60s. Instead of whimpering about her hurt female feelings, maybe she should fire a few zingers back -- show Arnold who's boss! C'mon Arinana, take it like a man!

[cally]

19. Did you read what you posted?

I think you have some points, however Arianna should take it like a man---ROFLMAO--she's a woman and she should not take it like a man. She's an adult woman who can defend herself. She doesn't need to act like a man to gain credebility.

:shrug: I'm defending Arianna. :eyes: Politics is weird, but the point of this article is not about Arianna. It's Arnie's misogynism. He sexually harrases women and shows no respect for women. Bringing your wife coffee in bed just doesn't sell me on your respect for women. Glorifying gang rape and putting women in the toilet show his values.

[piece sine]

21. I was being sarcastic

in my recycled cliche / throw-away line about "taking it like a man."
(I used to roll my gay eyeballs when dear old Dad said that to me.) Men and women now share the politicial arena as equals. That means we cruise with the good and endure the bad. And we certainly do not pander to females, just as liberal women politicians long ago stopped pandering to men. Double-standards that put the alleged "fairer sex" on a pedestal are bogus and insult the tenacity and guts of females in the arena. Arianna is a sharp wit, she needed to fire back then and there, just like Nancy Pelosi or Hillary would. Snappy retorts truly make or break a person's debate performance.

[cally]

27. I agree, mostly The point is about Arnie's disrespect for women

I agree the Arianna can fight back, but Arnie has a history of desrespect and sexual harrassment. The guy hates women and chooses to act on his sexual predator values. I don't excuse his saying that gang banging is promoting his career. Nor the charges that he tests women's breasts to see if they are real. :eyes:

[4_Legs_Good]

24. ...she *should* throw some barbs back?

She *DID* throw tons of sh*t right back at him. She was on the attack. She didn't run off and cry because he said, effectively, that he wanted to shove her head in a toilet, she stood there and took it. She repeatedly attacked him on substantive issues and can certainly take *anything* he can dish out.

If anything the press is covering poor little Ahnold who took a beating from superwoman Arianna.

david

Kucinich 2004

Arianna YES
Recall No

[Susang]

26. She did better than just take it

She laughed in his face when he said it! I've watched that exchange about five times now and she reacted very well. The sexism comes in when it comes to people's reactions to the participants. The fact that Arnold came out looking great to people and that Arianna was considered bad is ridiculous.

BTW, I don't think it's a double standard to be annoyed by an intentionally diminishing comment like "you need decaf". Had Arnold said that to a male candidate, I think he'd have ample reason to get annoyed and strike back. The fact is, that he said nothing even remotely as rude to any of the male candidates and probably never will. He was comfortable addressing his snarky comments to Huffington precisely because she is a woman. It's representative of his dismissive and condescending attitude towards women that appears to be a life long pattern. Just ask any woman who's worked on a film with him.

[MaryBear]

29. The thing to focus on here

is Schwarzenegger's attitude and behavior toward women. Arianna is not the issue. Ahnold's values are, and we saw a good view of them in the way he treated her during the debate.

BTW, Arianna impresses me as a sharp cookie who is deliberately shedding light on the real creep that he is.

[Susang]

30. I agree

My point was only that Arianna was treated in a way that was significantly different than the way the other, male candidates were treated by Arnold. The fact that he didn't recognize that is very disturbing.

I also think Arianna's a smart cookie. She's been in politics for awhile now and became more progressive after appearing on Politically Incorrect with Al Franken during the 1996 elections. Doesn't hurt that she's got a degree in economics either. :-)

[jamesinca]

32. Thats funny the local FOX affiliate here did a poll

They released the numbers today after Arianna Huffington spoke here in Fresno at CSU Fresno. It said in a poll of Dems Arnold leads Bustamonte by a 31% to 25% and the recall was at a 54%approval among Dems they interviewed. The poll also said that the spread was similar among republican voters. Who is lying to who here. I tend to trust the Chronicle more simply because they are left leaning and anything FOX is already a lie for the GOP. I guess we will just have to wait till the 7th, regardless of the polls