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Governor calls foes 'girlie men'


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From the Sacramento Bee

This article is the best one that I found......

THe others were ALL the AP article, and that one is BORING....

quote:

Democrats are outraged over the remark directed at them, calling it sexist and anti-gay.

By Gary Delsohn -- Bee Capitol Bureau

Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, July 18, 2004

ONTARIO - This time he called them "girlie men up there in Sacramento."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, using fiery campaign-style rhetoric and some of the Hollywood lines that made him famous, came to the Inland Empire on Saturday afternoon to bash and threaten Democrats he said were "obstructionists" blocking the state budget and catering to special interests.

"If they don't have the guts to come up here in front of you and say, 'I don't want to represent you, I want to represent those special interests, the unions, the trial lawyers, and I want them to make the millions of dollars - if they don't have the guts, I call them girlie men," Schwarzenegger shouted at a shopping mall rally.

The "girlie men" line was from a comedy skit on the "Saturday Night Live" television show that poked fun at the Austrian-born bodybuilder and movie star. It became a comic landmark after comedian Dana Carvey first uttered it in the 1980s.

On Saturday, Schwarzenegger directed it at Democrats twice, sparking howls of laughter from more than 1,000 people jammed in to see him - and howls of protest from Democrats, who said the remark was sexist, anti-gay and more characteristic of a bully than a Republican governor purporting to seek compromise and bipartisanship.

"About a fourth of the Senate are women," Sen. Gloria Romero, a Los Angeles Democrat who's been working with the Schwarzenegger administration on prison reform, said in a telephone interview. "This is offensive for women. It is offensive to gays and lesbians in the Legislature because of the way that term historically has been applied. 'Girlie man' is a negative term. It is inappropriate for a governor or anybody to name-call someone who, whether he likes it or not, has been elected by a majority of people in a district to represent them."

Assemblywoman Sarah Reyes, D-Fresno, said Schwarzenegger should issue an apology for the "crude and inappropriate" comment. "I think we're seeing the real Arnold Schwarzenegger," she said. "It was alleged in the campaign that he was sexist and that he behaved inappropriately toward women and had no respect for them, and now we're seeing it's true."

Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco and chairman of the five-member Legislative Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus, called the governor's remark a "third-grade insult."

"By playing to certain voters' discomfort with gender and sexuality, the governor has exposed himself as a divider, not a uniter," Leno said.

The Democratic lawmakers were not at the rally, but Democrats throughout the state were eager to respond to his comments once word began to circulate about what he had said.

The governor's press office, when told about the reaction, said there would be no further comment.

"Such a remark is irresponsible and beneath the governor," said Assembly Speaker Fabian N├║├▒ez, D-Los Angeles. He has been among those negotiating with Schwarzenegger and other legislative leaders on a new state spending plan now nearly three weeks late.

"I'm really surprised that he made that comment," N├║├▒ez said. "It's like we're replaying all his movies again here. We've got to get back to Sacramento and sit down and negotiate a budget. That's what we should be doing. If he wants to take us on in November, fine. But this is July. This is time to negotiate. It's not time to campaign."

The governor and his GOP allies in the Legislature have been unable to come to terms with majority Democrats over local government financing. Negotiations also are stalled over Republican calls to kill a state law that restricts school districts from hiring private groundskeepers and bus drivers, and another that grants employees broader rights to sue for labor violations.

Schwarzenegger's comments came on day two of a three-day swing through legislative districts in which the recall prevailed last fall even though Democrats hold the Senate and Assembly seats.

Many at the Ontario Mills mall, including hundreds who lined up more than 90 minutes ahead of time, said they received automated telephone calls the day before with a recorded message from Schwarzenegger that asked for a big turnout.

Schwarzenegger has been growing increasingly frustrated and angry over the stalemate, aides say. On Saturday, he said he was "outraged" by the impasse. He is scheduled to make an appearance today in Stockton.

"Their approval rating is in the 30s. My approval rating is in the 70s," Schwarzenegger said of the Legislature in general and Democrats in particular on Saturday. "Because the people know loud and clear they are obstructionists right now. They're stopping the budget. I am representing you, and the people know that they are representing the special interests and not the public's interests."

The crowd seemed to agree.

"Arnold has been doing a great job, and I think if he gets enough support, he can beat this back," said Hayden Leming, a retired businessman from Claremont who wore a black "Governator" T-shirt with a big picture of Schwarzenegger on it. "I'm just hoping he can change some of the mindset up there because it appears from the budget stalemate that some of these legislators just don't get it."

The main target at Saturday's rally was Assemblywoman Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Chino, who faces a tough re-election campaign against Ontario City Councilman Alan Wapner in a district that has swung between Democratic and Republican control.

"She's up for re-election, and she's going to have a tough campaign," Assemblyman Robert Pacheco, R-Walnut, told reporters after the rally. He said Schwarzenegger's message is, "You better watch out. You better help pass the budget. The message is very strong to Gloria McLeod."

McLeod was not at the rally and could not be reached for comment.


You just gotta love this guy!!!

OMG, the Dem's are freaking out about it.

Girlie men.....ROFLMAO!!!

And they have the cahunas to say that Republicans have no sense of humor when it is aimed at them, which is BS, Republicans can laugh and joke about themselves, but when it is aimed at Democrats and liberals, they have a total Cow.... ROFLMAO!!!

[ 07-20-2004, 11:43 PM: Message edited by: Jaguar ]

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From the Sacramento Bee

This article is the best one that I found......

THe others were ALL the AP article, and that one is BORING....

quote:

Democrats are outraged over the remark directed at them, calling it sexist and anti-gay.

By Gary Delsohn -- Bee Capitol Bureau

Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, July 18, 2004

ONTARIO - This time he called them "girlie men up there in Sacramento."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, using fiery campaign-style rhetoric and some of the Hollywood lines that made him famous, came to the Inland Empire on Saturday afternoon to bash and threaten Democrats he said were "obstructionists" blocking the state budget and catering to special interests.

"If they don't have the guts to come up here in front of you and say, 'I don't want to represent you, I want to represent those special interests, the unions, the trial lawyers, and I want them to make the millions of dollars - if they don't have the guts, I call them girlie men," Schwarzenegger shouted at a shopping mall rally.

The "girlie men" line was from a comedy skit on the "Saturday Night Live" television show that poked fun at the Austrian-born bodybuilder and movie star. It became a comic landmark after comedian Dana Carvey first uttered it in the 1980s.

On Saturday, Schwarzenegger directed it at Democrats twice, sparking howls of laughter from more than 1,000 people jammed in to see him - and howls of protest from Democrats, who said the remark was sexist, anti-gay and more characteristic of a bully than a Republican governor purporting to seek compromise and bipartisanship.

"About a fourth of the Senate are women," Sen. Gloria Romero, a Los Angeles Democrat who's been working with the Schwarzenegger administration on prison reform, said in a telephone interview. "This is offensive for women. It is offensive to gays and lesbians in the Legislature because of the way that term historically has been applied. 'Girlie man' is a negative term. It is inappropriate for a governor or anybody to name-call someone who, whether he likes it or not, has been elected by a majority of people in a district to represent them."

Assemblywoman Sarah Reyes, D-Fresno, said Schwarzenegger should issue an apology for the "crude and inappropriate" comment. "I think we're seeing the real Arnold Schwarzenegger," she said. "It was alleged in the campaign that he was sexist and that he behaved inappropriately toward women and had no respect for them, and now we're seeing it's true."

Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco and chairman of the five-member Legislative Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus, called the governor's remark a "third-grade insult."

"By playing to certain voters' discomfort with gender and sexuality, the governor has exposed himself as a divider, not a uniter," Leno said.

The Democratic lawmakers were not at the rally, but Democrats throughout the state were eager to respond to his comments once word began to circulate about what he had said.

The governor's press office, when told about the reaction, said there would be no further comment.

"Such a remark is irresponsible and beneath the governor," said Assembly Speaker Fabian N├║├▒ez, D-Los Angeles. He has been among those negotiating with Schwarzenegger and other legislative leaders on a new state spending plan now nearly three weeks late.

"I'm really surprised that he made that comment," N├║├▒ez said. "It's like we're replaying all his movies again here. We've got to get back to Sacramento and sit down and negotiate a budget. That's what we should be doing. If he wants to take us on in November, fine. But this is July. This is time to negotiate. It's not time to campaign."

The governor and his GOP allies in the Legislature have been unable to come to terms with majority Democrats over local government financing. Negotiations also are stalled over Republican calls to kill a state law that restricts school districts from hiring private groundskeepers and bus drivers, and another that grants employees broader rights to sue for labor violations.

Schwarzenegger's comments came on day two of a three-day swing through legislative districts in which the recall prevailed last fall even though Democrats hold the Senate and Assembly seats.

Many at the Ontario Mills mall, including hundreds who lined up more than 90 minutes ahead of time, said they received automated telephone calls the day before with a recorded message from Schwarzenegger that asked for a big turnout.

Schwarzenegger has been growing increasingly frustrated and angry over the stalemate, aides say. On Saturday, he said he was "outraged" by the impasse. He is scheduled to make an appearance today in Stockton.

"Their approval rating is in the 30s. My approval rating is in the 70s," Schwarzenegger said of the Legislature in general and Democrats in particular on Saturday. "Because the people know loud and clear they are obstructionists right now. They're stopping the budget. I am representing you, and the people know that they are representing the special interests and not the public's interests."

The crowd seemed to agree.

"Arnold has been doing a great job, and I think if he gets enough support, he can beat this back," said Hayden Leming, a retired businessman from Claremont who wore a black "Governator" T-shirt with a big picture of Schwarzenegger on it. "I'm just hoping he can change some of the mindset up there because it appears from the budget stalemate that some of these legislators just don't get it."

The main target at Saturday's rally was Assemblywoman Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Chino, who faces a tough re-election campaign against Ontario City Councilman Alan Wapner in a district that has swung between Democratic and Republican control.

"She's up for re-election, and she's going to have a tough campaign," Assemblyman Robert Pacheco, R-Walnut, told reporters after the rally. He said Schwarzenegger's message is, "You better watch out. You better help pass the budget. The message is very strong to Gloria McLeod."

McLeod was not at the rally and could not be reached for comment.


You just gotta love this guy!!!

OMG, the Dem's are freaking out about it.

Girlie men.....ROFLMAO!!!

And they have the cahunas to say that Republicans have no sense of humor when it is aimed at them, which is BS, Republicans can laugh and joke about themselves, but when it is aimed at Democrats and liberals, they have a total Cow.... ROFLMAO!!!

[ 07-20-2004, 11:43 PM: Message edited by: Jaguar ]

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It's called "they can dish it out, but they can't take it."

Seriously, the interesting thing is that the pundits are saying that this is bad politics for Schwarzenegger. What they don't realize is that, like the Iraq war, they are playing by the rules of the last war and not the current one.

Schwarzenegger has passed them by and is appealing directly to the population that sees through the political games now. The politicians still think that they can pull one over on the people by playing these "xxxx-card" games. In this case, it is the "homophobe-card" and the "women-card".

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It's called "they can dish it out, but they can't take it."

Seriously, the interesting thing is that the pundits are saying that this is bad politics for Schwarzenegger. What they don't realize is that, like the Iraq war, they are playing by the rules of the last war and not the current one.

Schwarzenegger has passed them by and is appealing directly to the population that sees through the political games now. The politicians still think that they can pull one over on the people by playing these "xxxx-card" games. In this case, it is the "homophobe-card" and the "women-card".

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It's amazing how Kerry can get together with celebrities and call President Bush all sorts of nasty names, but when the roles are reversed and a Republican calls a bunch of Democrats 'girlie men', there's demands for an apology.

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It's amazing how Kerry can get together with celebrities and call President Bush all sorts of nasty names, but when the roles are reversed and a Republican calls a bunch of Democrats 'girlie men', there's demands for an apology.

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Girlie men, lol.

Gay, sexist? Let's see, I don't see him calling anyone gay, there was not a word in his speech about gays, nor did he even incinuate the connection. So by them saying it's gay, who is connecting the comparison of "girlie men" remark with gays? Arnold or Democrats?

Sexist? Where's the sexist part? Stereotypical maybe since a typical woman is known for not being able to make up her mind about anything "Honey, I just can't decide, which dress is better?" Nothing wrong with that, a woman is supposed to be, well, like a woman. I don't need a woman that will open doors for me and pull out chairs, ROFL. A strong man is knows for his character, so what does that remark really say about Dems? That they have no character maybe, which wouldn't even be stereotypical but a factoral statement.

Third, if they are fliping out about about it, maybe it's actually because he hit the nail on the head with that remark, otherwise why would they flip if the remark held no water. LOL. Too good.

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Girlie men, lol.

Gay, sexist? Let's see, I don't see him calling anyone gay, there was not a word in his speech about gays, nor did he even incinuate the connection. So by them saying it's gay, who is connecting the comparison of "girlie men" remark with gays? Arnold or Democrats?

Sexist? Where's the sexist part? Stereotypical maybe since a typical woman is known for not being able to make up her mind about anything "Honey, I just can't decide, which dress is better?" Nothing wrong with that, a woman is supposed to be, well, like a woman. I don't need a woman that will open doors for me and pull out chairs, ROFL. A strong man is knows for his character, so what does that remark really say about Dems? That they have no character maybe, which wouldn't even be stereotypical but a factoral statement.

Third, if they are fliping out about about it, maybe it's actually because he hit the nail on the head with that remark, otherwise why would they flip if the remark held no water. LOL. Too good.

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Yeah, Kudos to Arnold for saying that. I dream that the day when there were fist fights on the senate floor would return, so we can have real men running the nation, not a bunch of sissies.

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Yeah, Kudos to Arnold for saying that. I dream that the day when there were fist fights on the senate floor would return, so we can have real men running the nation, not a bunch of sissies.

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quote:

Originally posted by shasla5:

Yeah, Kudos to Arnold for saying that. I dream that the day when there were fist fights on the senate floor would return, so we can have real men running the nation, not a bunch of sissies.

You're new, but so far, I REALLY like what I am hearing...ROFLMAO!!!

Welcome to the BC Political forum!! LOL

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quote:

Originally posted by shasla5:

Yeah, Kudos to Arnold for saying that. I dream that the day when there were fist fights on the senate floor would return, so we can have real men running the nation, not a bunch of sissies.

You're new, but so far, I REALLY like what I am hearing...ROFLMAO!!!

Welcome to the BC Political forum!! LOL

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