Arnold’s Fatal Flaw: Extreme Chutzpah

18 May 2011 |permalink | email article

The Los Angeles Times reported that former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, separated early this year after she learned that he had fathered a child more than a decade ago – before his first run for office – with a longtime member of their household staff.

“After leaving the governor’s office I told my wife of the event, “Schwarzenegger said in a statement to The Times. “I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family.” Shriver told People “this is a painful and heartbreaking time for me. As a mother, my concern is for the children… I will have no further comment.”

The former first lady, who gave up her career as a broadcast journalist, strongly came to Schwarzenegger’s defense more than once in politics, notably when allegations of groping and molesting women first surfaced when he was a movie star before running in a 2003 recall election for governor. It almost defies credulity that no hint of his paternity with a household staffer remained a secret until early this year. A disgraced Arnold now returns to show business, the only thing he really knows. Will audiences, especially women, remain awed by this burned out hulk?

James Carville, the outspoken Democratic political strategist, said on “Good Morning America” that he was amazed that the former governor ran for public office in the first place knowing that he had fathered a child with another woman. “It was pretty stunning. He put himself out there knowing that all the scrutiny of his personal life, that was the really risky thing he did even to get into politics”

I vividly recall during Schwarzenegger’s first term when frenzied Republicans, who saw him as a reincarnation of Ronald Reagan, unsuccessfully tried to get the U.S. Constitution amended so the Austrian-born muscleman could run for president. Close but no cigar!

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