SMEAR? TRY AGAIN

Interesting bit of dynamic happening out in California over Arnold. The LA Times has an explosive story about Arnold’s alleged mistreatment of women, spanning thirty years. The paper managed to find six women, four who remain anonymous, to say Arnold groped them at one point or another. The LA Times also just happened to print this five days before the election, just when Arnold had pulled into the lead. Now, to be fair, there is the possibility that this is not part of an October Surprise on behalf of Gray Davis, it is an extensive story and it must have been vetted by several layers of editors and a legal department. Coincidence or planning, the people of California are outraged.

At the Los Angeles Times.

Susan Estrich has an op-ed piece in the LA Times slamming the paper for this bit of muckraking. SUSAN ESTRICH!. She’s the Mike Dukakis-campaign chief, Clinton defender we all got to know so well from Hardball. Andrew Sullivan, who admits he believes the women in these types of cases (he believes Anita Hill) slams the Times.

Steve Lopez, a columnist for the LA Times, did a column on the backlash. You can hear the wonder in his voice, “Hey, we dug up dirt! Why don’t you hate him like we tell you to?”

So, what’s happened here? Have the people finally smartened up and see a smear campaign for what it really is? Or are they just in love with the persona that is Arnold? I think it’s the persona thing – the same reason Clinton got such a free pass.