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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: unclewest who wrote (10845)	10/5/2003 7:22:26 AM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793912

Another "On the Bus" story ___________________________ California Insider A Weblog by Sacramento Bee Columnist Daniel Weintraub October 04, 2003 The woman in red I have just witnessed one of the strangest events I have ever seen on the political campaign trail. It began shortly after the conclusion of Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign rally in downtown Modesto. As the press was filing out, several reporters suddenly surrounded a woman standing in the pedestrian mall near the rally site. Only a few reporters could hear what she was saying. Soon the word spread: "She's looking for Arnold," one reporter told another, who told another. More reporters gathered around. Cameras and tape recorders were thrust toward her face. The woman, with long brown hair, wore a bright red top, black Capri pants, and sandals, and she carried a canvas bag over her shoulder and a manila file in her hand. Schwarzenegger spokesman Rob Stutzman approached her and they began talking. Reporters crowded around closer to try to listen. The woman and Stutzman walked away, onto K Street, which had been shut to traffic for the rally. Reporters followed. Stutzman somehow broke free from the pack and guided the woman to a grassy area off the sidewalk. The pack of reporters held off at a respectful distance. It appeared as if the woman was showing Stutzman some documents from her manila file. Someone said there were pictures. Pictures of a child, or children. Before long, bystanders were shouting that the woman was the mother of a Schwarzenegger "love child." It was now 3:30 p.m. It was time for the buses to depart. Schwarzenegger aides walked down the middle of the street announcing that the media buses were about to leave. At news the reporters started to get edgy. The Italian correspondent started creeping toward Stutzman and the woman. Creeping closer. The reporter extended his mike. Sensing this, Stutzman turned around, trying to shoo away the intruders. The Italians then lunged past him and rushed the woman. "What did he do to you?" the correspondent asked. "Will you tell us what he did to you?" Seeing the barrier breached, the rest of the reporters broke from their respectful distance and swarmed toward Stutzman and the woman. The two began walking back toward the rally site, pushing their way through the crowd of journalists. "Liar," a Schwarzenegger supporter yelled. "Who paid you?" The scrum moved slowly through the remnants of the rally. "Did you know Arnold Schwarzenegger?" one reporter shouted. "Were you sexually harrassed by Arnold Schwarzenegger?" another asked. "The young lady is looking for her sister," Stutzman said flatly. "What are you doing here?" another reporter asked. "I am looking for my sister," the woman said. "When I find her we are going to leave." Stutzman and the woman walked a block down the pedestrian mall, a couple dozen reporters in tow. Onlookers scrambled out of the way to avoid being trampled. "Watch the woman!" shouted the New York Times reporter as an elderly lady approached behind a metal walker. Stutzman and the woman turned right at the corner. Then they walked about a hundred feet, turned around and walked back in the other direction, in the street, against traffic. They came upon a woman holding a small child. The woman in red, the other woman and the child got into a white Ford Escort wagon driven by a man. The car drove off. Reporters scribbled down the license plate number. Stutzman walked back toward the media buses, reporters peppering him with questions. At an intersection he stopped, turned around and addressed the press. "She was seeking to have a conversation with Arnold Schwarzenegger," Stutzman said. "I've talked to her. She has not made any type of accusation or charge." Then he turned and walked away. The reporters boarded their buses, which then departed, about 20 minutes behind schedule, for the next rally in Pleasanton. UPDATE: At a press availabiliy in Pleasanton later, Stutzman said the woman did not show him any pictures. She showed him a document, written in Spanish, which he could not translate. This item was updated at 7:57 p.m. to add a few more details to the narrative. sacbee.com