by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright October 4, 2003
All Rights Reserved.

utting its credibility on the line, the Los Angeles Times declared opposition to the recall, refraining from endorsing any one candidate—including beleaguered Gov. Gray Davis. Yet despite its neutrality, The Times ran a merciless series of stories attacking GOP front-runner Arnold Schwarzenegger, largely for sexual harassment against women, though more recently his admiration of Adolf Hitler. No one begrudges the Times the right to report the news. But the extent, timing and vitriol of attacks raise alarming concerns about media bias and the egregious use of a daily newspaper for political purposes. “Here's a newspaper that pretty much doesn't like Arnold Schwarzenegger, so they put this on Page 1 five days before the election,” said Bernard Goldberg, author of “Bias,“ a bestseller exposing liberal bias at CBS News. Going for the jugular, LA's best newspaper has crossed the line.

      When Gallup released its Sept. 28 CNN/USA Today poll showing that Arnold surged to 40% and that the recall was favored by 63%, The Times began its series of negative stories about Schwarzenegger. Two days later, the paper released its own poll Oct. 1 corroborating Gallup's findings, showing Arnold with 40% and the recall winning by 56% of expected voters. The very next day, Oct. 2, The Times released its longest, most extensive recall story, chronicling Schwarzenegger's alleged history of sexual harassment. Rocked by the revelations, Arnold delivered a stunning apology, telling supporters he “behaved badly.” “The LA Times has become more of a political hit maker than a journalistic source,” said Jon Fleischman, former executive director of the state GOP, joining the right wing chorus denouncing the paper—but there's more at stake than just partisanship.

      In The Time's Oct. 2 story, the paper contends it was based on an exhaustive seven-week investigation completed only five days before the Oct. 7 election. “We have treated all the candidates with the scrutiny that they deserve,” said Times Editor John S. Carroll, rejecting charges that the paper unfairly targeted Schwarzengger. Yet The Times failed to highlight a widely reported story that a 24-year old Gray Davis had an improper relationship with budding 16-year-old actress Cybil Sheppard on the beaches of Maui. Child abuse laws forbid any type of sexual contact between adults and under-aged minors. Insisting that no one from the campaign motivated The Times' investigation, Carroll leaves open whether Democratic sympathizers in or out of the paper inspired the reports. It was, after all, Davis' chief campaign consultant Gary South that raised Schawarzegger's indiscretions back in 2000.

       Whether deserved or not, The Times' stories about Schwarzenegger must be tempered with the necessity of public disclosure needed to vet a candidate's fitness for elective office. Knowing his past, you've got to admire Arnold's courage to withstand the muckraking that goes with politics. Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver, an NBC broadcast journalist and niece of the late President John F. Kennedy, said added scrutiny and sexual allegations “show why really good people don't go into politics.” “As I say to my children, it always takes great courage to do—stand before anybody and apologize,” said Shriver, humiliated after her husband apologized for offending anyone in his past. When reports surfaced about Arnold's remarks about Hitler, Davis jumped in: “If true, his personal behavior was disturbing and unacceptable and his professed admiration for Adolf Hitler unconscionable.”

      Reports from George Butler's unpublished manuscript on Arnold's 1977 documentary “Pumping Iron,” first reported by ABC News, indicate that the 30-year-old bodybuilder simply admired Hitler's oratorical skills, charisma and rise to power from humble beginnings—something studied by social scientists for over 60 years, including Longshoreman Eric Hoffer's best selling book “The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements,” must reading for political consultants. Politicians as far ranging as President Bill Clinton and Patrick J. Buchanan have openly expressed their interest and fascination with Hitler's best selling tome “Mein Kampf,” revealing some of Hitler's secrets of mass influence and persuasion—though obliquely. “I have always despised everything that Hitler stands for,” said Arnold, despite the avalanche of specious press reports.

      Faced with a loss of prestige, the LA Times pulled out all the stops, saturating its front pages with damaging stories about the Austrian-born actor turned gubernatorial candidate. “We would happily take a tip from any citizen, including the governor, but in this case we didn't get one from him,” said Times' editor John S. Carroll, denying that his paper unfairly targeted GOP front-runner Arnold Schwarzenegger. If the recall succeeds and Arnold wins on Oct. 7, The Times will look sadly out-of-touch with mainstream voters, disgusted with Davis' gross mismanagement and punitive vehicle license fees. The volume, vitriol and timing point to a well-choreographed attempt to sabotage Arnold's candidacy, despite The Times' transparent denials “The Los Angeles Times is out to get him, to destroy him,” said popular Fox News host Bill O'Reilly, suggesting that LA's most prestigious paper went too far.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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