October 03, 2003

USC law and poli-sci professor, and former Democratic campaign manager for Michael Dukakis, has an excellent article today with the goods on the latest Schwarzenegger mini-scandal:

A Deplorable October Surprise

By Susan Estrich

So this is the October surprise? The Los Angeles Times headline that Arnold Schwarzenegger groped and humiliated women?

...As a professor of sex discrimination law for two decades and an expert on sexual harassment, I certainly don't condone the unwanted touching of women that was apparently involved here. But these acts do not appear to constitute any crime, such as rape or sodomy or even assault or battery. As for civil law, sexual harassment requires more than a single case of unwelcome touching; there must be either a threat or promise of sex in exchange for a job benefit or demotion, or the hostile environment must be severe and pervasive.

...What this story accomplishes is less an attack on Schwarzenegger than a smear on the press. It reaffirms everything that's wrong with the political process. Anonymous charges from years ago made in the closing days of a campaign undermine fair politics.

...But here's my prediction, as a Californian: It's too late for the Los Angeles Times' charges to have much impact. People have made up their minds. This attack, coming as late as it does, from a newspaper that has been acting more like a cheerleader for Gray Davis than an objective source of information, will be dismissed by most people as more Davis-like dirty politics. Is this the worst they could come up with? Ho-hum. After what we've been through?

To his credit, Schwarzenegger apologized for "behaving badly." So should the Los Angeles Times.

Read the whole thing. I give the TIMES a lot of credit for printing this article, which is so critical of the TIMES' own behavior.