The California Comeback Express

I was assigned to follow Arnold Schwarzenegger on his whirlwind, across the state campaign the week before election night. Four long, cramped days on a bus from San Diego to Sacramento, stopping along the way to rallies in Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, Modesto and Pleasanton.

After that, we hopped on a jet and flew from Sacramento to San Jose, Huntington Beach, San Bernardino and Burbank. Over a dozen rallies hearing the same old speech over and over again.

bus

Arnold's bus was named The Running Man, the staff bus, Total Recall and the press buses, Predator 1 to 4.

Over 200 members of the media followed Arnold. There were crews from Japan, Austria, Germany and France. Lots of interest in the Terminator.

wave

Arnold's past comments and actions caught up to him on the first day of the tour when a LA Times story revealed that a number of women from his past came forward accusing him of sexual misconduct. As Arnold was leaving a rally in LA, this lone protestor held up a handwritten sign. To my surprise, we ran this photo on page 1. Sign says " Reach out and cop a feel Arnold". I wonder what was written on the other side?

women

It amazed me that Arnold survived the sexual misconduct accusations - some of which he acknowledged, some he denied, and some he said "he doesn't remember". And yet at each rally the supporters were predominately star-struck women of all ages. Women who voted for him.

kiss

On damage control, the Schwarzenegger team hastily had thousands of posters printed up : "Remarkable Women for Arnold" and littered the stage with them at each rally. They also made sure there were dozens of women with him as a backdrop at each of the rallies. On the 2nd day of the bus tour, Maria Shriver joined Arnold on stage to tell us what a wonderful man he is and each time, kissed her husband right on cue. It was all so scripted and phony.

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