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CNN Live Event/Special
Schwarzenegger: I Had Group Sex at California Gym
Aired August 28, 2003 - 19:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: It is hardly big news that Arnold Schwarzenegger has been intimate with a lot of women in the past. He said so many times. But the particularly graphic description he gave a magazine 25 years ago about his sex life among other topics is now stirring up controversy as he runs for governor of California.
CNN's Charles Feldman has been looking into it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Schwarzenegger was 29 when he told "Oui" magazine about having joined other bodybuilders to have group sex with a woman at a California gym. Through the miracle or curse of the Internet, that magazine interview has now resurfaced. It forced the actor-turned-Republican politician to tackle the subject matter head on Wednesday night.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I never lived my life to be a politician. I never lived my life to be the governor of California.
FELDMAN: In fact, unlike most politicians, Schwarzenegger has left a public record of his past behavior. In his own 1977 book, Schwarzenegger admits that he had thought of girls as sex objects. But goes on to writes, "My attitude about all that has changed radically."
Is any of this relevant now?
CRUZ BUSTAMANTE (D), LT. GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA: I don't think people are interested in what's taken place in his past. I think they're looking for his ideas for the future.
FELDMAN: And what about women voters in California? Does Schwarzenegger get a free pass on his past because he is a celebrity now?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's past is past. This is about what's happening in California today. That was 30-some on odd years ago.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's his business. Has nothing to do with politics.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FELDMAN: Now, 24 hours can make a big difference politics. You just heard what Schwarzenegger said yesterday night. He's in Fresno, California and few minutes ago here's what he says now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARZENEGGER: I can tell you I have no -- I have no idea what you're talking about. I have no idea what they're talking about. Let me just -- let me just finish. Let me just finish, OK. I'm talking to her. OK. I don't know what you're talking about, but on top of that, I am here to push my economic agenda. I'm here to listen to the people. I'm here to have a rally in Fresno. That's what I'm doing. I am not paying any attention to all of those things. I have no memory of any of the articles I did 20 or 30 years ago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, Charles, how are some of the other candidates reacting to these revelations? I know we saw Cruz Bustamante.
FELDMAN: Well, so far, they've all been quiet about it. And as you also saw, we had some interviews MOSs as we like to say with two of the potential millions of voters in California. So it's a little too early to tell exactly how these revelations are going to play with voters. We're going to have to see how that happens and develops over the next couple of days -- Anderson.
FELDMAN: All right. Charles Feldman, thanks very much for the update. Appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 28, 2003 - 19:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: It is hardly big news that Arnold Schwarzenegger has been intimate with a lot of women in the past. He said so many times. But the particularly graphic description he gave a magazine 25 years ago about his sex life among other topics is now stirring up controversy as he runs for governor of California.
CNN's Charles Feldman has been looking into it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Schwarzenegger was 29 when he told "Oui" magazine about having joined other bodybuilders to have group sex with a woman at a California gym. Through the miracle or curse of the Internet, that magazine interview has now resurfaced. It forced the actor-turned-Republican politician to tackle the subject matter head on Wednesday night.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I never lived my life to be a politician. I never lived my life to be the governor of California.
FELDMAN: In fact, unlike most politicians, Schwarzenegger has left a public record of his past behavior. In his own 1977 book, Schwarzenegger admits that he had thought of girls as sex objects. But goes on to writes, "My attitude about all that has changed radically."
Is any of this relevant now?
CRUZ BUSTAMANTE (D), LT. GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA: I don't think people are interested in what's taken place in his past. I think they're looking for his ideas for the future.
FELDMAN: And what about women voters in California? Does Schwarzenegger get a free pass on his past because he is a celebrity now?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's past is past. This is about what's happening in California today. That was 30-some on odd years ago.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's his business. Has nothing to do with politics.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FELDMAN: Now, 24 hours can make a big difference politics. You just heard what Schwarzenegger said yesterday night. He's in Fresno, California and few minutes ago here's what he says now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARZENEGGER: I can tell you I have no -- I have no idea what you're talking about. I have no idea what they're talking about. Let me just -- let me just finish. Let me just finish, OK. I'm talking to her. OK. I don't know what you're talking about, but on top of that, I am here to push my economic agenda. I'm here to listen to the people. I'm here to have a rally in Fresno. That's what I'm doing. I am not paying any attention to all of those things. I have no memory of any of the articles I did 20 or 30 years ago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, Charles, how are some of the other candidates reacting to these revelations? I know we saw Cruz Bustamante.
FELDMAN: Well, so far, they've all been quiet about it. And as you also saw, we had some interviews MOSs as we like to say with two of the potential millions of voters in California. So it's a little too early to tell exactly how these revelations are going to play with voters. We're going to have to see how that happens and develops over the next couple of days -- Anderson.
FELDMAN: All right. Charles Feldman, thanks very much for the update. Appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
