Re-frame the question: Why has Arnold waited so long to apologize?

[NicoleM]

Ever since the first LA Times article came out about Arnold's sexual harassment and assaults, there have been people who don't believe it's true or think it's dirty campaigning because the allegations were made so late in the campaign. Let's leave aside the fact that many of these allegations are not new, and they have all been corroborated by the LAT.

Just now on ABC, Arnold said some of the things he can't remember and some of them aren't true, but some of them sound like something he may have done, and he apologizes for that.

Rather than asking why the women didn't come forward before now, we should be asking why Arnold never apologized before this. Why did he never acknowledge "behaving badly" until it was clear that he couldn't get away with a blanket denial? Does he understand the seriousness of what he did to some of these women? Has he changed his attitude toward women in any way or does he still not get what he did wrong?

Those are the real questions.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Freepers say that it never happened

On the A&E board I frequent, my nemesis freeper creep came on to tell me I was a liar and that kids should follow Ahnold's wonderful example, and that they are all running wild anyway so what did it matter? Man made me want to puke. Glad people over here are more civilized.

[soupkitchen]

2. He still hasn't genuinely apologized

The only genuine apology would be to withdraw from the race, saying that his acts were so demeaning to women that he would demean the office by being Governor.
And if he ssid that, then maybe the groping wouldn't be an issue to me in four years. I can forgive the truly repentant, not those that repent for convenience.

[cliss]

3. He's apologizing now

because this is the only time that it really matters. It just didn't seem all that important to apologize to anybody before, because they were just women, after all.

[NicoleM]

4. I think he's apologizing

because he thinks he's supposed to. I don't believe he's really sorry, because I don't think he believes that what he did was wrong.

[dfong63]

7. it was a lame-ass half-apology at best

while admitting to "some wrongdoing", he is still clinging to the defense that "some" of the allegations are untrue. ie, he's still accusing some of the women of being liars. his much-touted "mea culpa" was more of an "excuse" than it was a sincere expression of contrition. he hasn't come clean, not by a long shot.

he should not be allowed to get away with this.

if he wants us to believe his apology is sincere, then let him specifically and individually apologize to his victims, the ones he admitted to. let him explain in detail why each of his acts was wrong, and what lesson he has learned from each incident. including the ones that have not yet been written about in the news. let him confess to the ones we don't know about yet.

let him confront the cases that he still denies, and explain what specifically was untrue about them.

let him state what he believes the proper punishment should be for someone who is guilty of the same behavior he exhibited. how many years in jail, what level of fine or other punishment. let him state what new laws he'd pass, to battle this crime. what new laws would he pass to empower the victims to fight back, and gain compensation?

let him explain why he has not offered compensation to his victims, beyond a worthless lame-ass half-apology.

until and unless Arnie does all these things, why should we believe he really "gets it" and really has changed?

[neuvocat]

5. Good point.

Why wait so long indeed.

[leftofthedial]

6. You mean Kobe Schwartzeneggar? because he's not sorry

he will do it again

he not only gets away with it; he is rewarded.

[ComerPerro]

8. Somebody informed him that women could vote

So he decided he would have to do some damage control