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Schwarzenegger
gets egged, by Greg Tingle - 4th September 2003
Arnold
Schwarzenegger didn't attend the initial debate
of California's recall election and delivered
his first major campaign speech, getting pelted
with an egg as he moved through a mob at a college
campus.
"You
have such a fantastic life, Arnold, you make millions
of dollars to do movies and all those kinds of
things, why do you want to do this?" Schwarzenegger
asked rhetorically in his address.
"And
you know something, because everything that I've
gotten - my career, my money, my family - everything
that I've gotten and achieved is because of California,"
he preached to cheers at California State University,
Long Beach.
As
Schwarzenegger worked the crowd into a frenzy,
the egg splattered on the back of his left shoulder.
An aide tried to wipe it off, but he took off
his coat and proceeded with his speech.
The
address came hours before five other candidates
were scheduled to participate in the debate.
Schwarzenegger
has agreed to participate in only one debate,
on September 24, in which the questions will be
actually provided to candidates in advance - unlike
today's debate. That decision has drawn fierce
criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike.
The
participating candidates are California's Lieutenant
Governor Cruz Bustamante, the only prominent Democrat
running as a replacement candidate; state Senator
Tom McClintock and former baseball commissioner
Peter Ueberroth, both Republicans; television
personality Arianna Huffington, an independent;
and Green Party candidate Peter Camejo.
Candidates
qualified for the debate by receiving at least
4% support in either a recent poll or the previous
statewide vote.
Schwarzenegger's
absence fits his campaign strategy of appearing
in public in controlled settings where he appears
to avoid protracted questioning from the media,
and some critics have said he is not attending
because he cannot see the questions in advance.
Hundreds
of students crammed the university grounds for
Schwarzenegger's speech. Some were Young Republicans
invited from other schools, according to the actor's
campaign.
Several
student opponents heckled him for his past support
of a bill to deny services to illegal immigrants.
They held a sign saying "Hasta la vista Latinos".
As
many expected, supporters drowned out the hecklers
with chants of "Arnold, Arnold, Arnold."
Looks
like its turned into a 3-way with supporters VS
detractors VS the media.
Links:
Arnold
Schwarzenegger: King of bodybuilding, movies,
politics and media, by Greg Tingle
The
new breed of politicians, by Greg Tingle - 21st
August 2003
Mediaman - interviews Peter Ueberroth
Profiles
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
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