Schwarzenegger Sorry For Latino Remark

Governor Said In Closed Meeting That Cubans, Puerto Ricans Are 'Hot'

(AP)  Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger apologized Friday for saying during a closed-door meeting that Cubans and Puerto Ricans are naturally feisty and temperamental because of their combination of "black blood" and "Latino blood."

He said the tape-recorded comments "made me cringe" when he read them in Friday's Los Angeles Times.

"Anyone out there that feels offended by those comments, I just want to say I'm sorry, I apologize," Schwarzenegger said. He added that if he heard his children make similar comments, "I would be upset."

The statements were captured on a six-minute tape made during a March 3 speechwriting session between Schwarzenegger and his advisers. On it, Schwarzenegger and chief of staff Susan Kennedy speak affectionately of state Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia and speculate about her nationality.

"I mean Cuban, Puerto-Rican, they are all very hot," the governor says on the recording. "They have the, you know, part of the black blood in them and part of the Latino blood in them that together makes it."

Garcia, who is Puerto Rican, appeared with Schwarzenegger on Friday and said she was not offended by the governor's comments. Garcia earlier told the Times that she often calls herself a "hot-blooded Latina."

Schwarzenegger also said he called leaders from ethnic groups, who he said were not upset.

"All of them understood it was an off-the-record conversation," said Schwarzenegger, a Republican running for re-election in November. "It was not meant to be in any negative way."

A spokesman for Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez declined to comment directly on the remark but said the governor "has always been very respectful toward Latinos."

"These are hardly Nixon's Watergate tapes," Nunez spokesman Richard Stapler said.

However, Schwarzenegger's Democratic challenger, Phil Angelides, said the governor should "conduct himself with dignity."

"Once again, Gov. Schwarzenegger has used language that is deeply offensive to all Californians and embarrassed our state," Angelides said in a statement.

Schwarzenegger aides routinely tape his speechwriting sessions so the writers can keep a record of his thoughts and speaking patterns.

The newspaper did not say how the tape was obtained. The participants suggest during the meeting that they know they are being recorded.

[fancythat-2009]

Dcardona52:
Let's be clear Puerto Ricans and Cubans descedents are from Africa as well as Spain. Its apparent you have not look into your own history. Both cultures are riddle with both. Anglo America is fully aware of this, which is why Old Arnie is making it more than clear. I am not offended by the comment because of our makeup, because it is true, and I am a white skin Cuban. The only way you are offended is if you are ashamed of having both black and Latin blood. Get over yourself and stop feeding into that "we are only Spanish" ***. They already know you are not.

[jsilver2th]

People have been moving out of California in droves since Arnold got elected-

[cantshutup]

what? we aren't allowed to say *** on comments??? OR GAS IM... ha ha

you can hear arnold talking about how lifting weights makes him have a OR GAS IM everytime...!

[cantshutup]

lmao! Arnold's last name means "blackplowman" in Austrian or German...does that mean he's got "hot" black blood? Or maybe just some kind of poor peasant background? Or maybe he's slavic and not ayrian...Or maybe 'cuz he's Austrian and still has that ridiculous accent he's probably has a secret nazi fetish? Didn't his home town in Austria take his name off the stadium for other stupid remarks he made? Maybe he's just pointing out the obvious that everyone thinks is just P.I.C....Or maybe you can catch a really early video of him on YOUTUBE talking about how lifting weigths gives him an *** everytime. California...something is definately in the water out there...the real "fantasy island"...where porn-stars and the terminator know best when it comes to politics...almost as ridiculous as the moronic cowboy running our country into the ground!

[newsjeff-2009]

Governor Schwarzenegger maybe did say some things wrong and maybe owns people an apology,but I have read about a lot of is political views and I do not believe he is doing better that some other GOP political leaders right now. He supports stem cell research and says he supports solar energy and alternative energy sources, which makes him a little different than what Bush and some of the other GOP political leaders are saying now. I am not saying that he necessarily deserves another term as governor since I don't live in California, and I have read that his democrat challenger is only 4 or 5 percent behind him in the polls, but I believe that Arnold and his wife, who is a Kennedy have some better ideas for the country and their state, much more than some other republicans on the ballot this year. On a second thought if anyone out there thinks that Mexicans,Women,Canadians,and other minorities cannot be good governors they need to read political news more. Hawaii,Kansas,Michigan,Arizona,and a few other states have women governors who are doing really well in the polls. Richardson of New Mexico has a really high approval rating in his home state. So when it comes to political offices I think race and gender should be left, out it should be how well the canidate can do the job.

[jsilver2th]

This really isn't about whether dear Arnold is "PC" or about "name calling" - The candid comments are an amazing window in to how Arnold's mind really works when he isn't guarded by his handlers and he isn't mindful that he is "on camera" with his prepared scripts. Heaven forbid anyone should question him- after all he did make the action film a genre- undoubtedly one of the truly great cultural accomplishments.

[daddy4mak]

why would anyone just let him off the hook for saying something _SOOOO_ stupid.

and to janem4 ....I'm sure if Al Sharpton said something like "George Bush" is stupid becuase he's a white texan redneck, people like you and the media would be justifiably all over him.

i would never vote for this steroid enhanced idiot.

[dcardona52]

Mrs Garcia Looks like she has conformed of what Cuban and Puertorican are, Yes we do have diferent backgound from our ancestors, but at the same time she can't use that comment.Mrs Garcia need to inform MR schwarzenegger that MOST of Puertorican and Cubans their descendants are from Spain.She may speek forherself.

[jsilver2th]

Now that we know Arnold's views on the characteristics of "black blood" and "latino blood" perhaps he will be so kind as to educate us regarding the characteristics of other "bloods"- like for example what does he think the characteristics of Austrian blood?

[silencio3]

I believe Mr. Schwarzenegger comment was a disgrace, Mr. Schwarzenegger has no right to generalize every Cuban and Puerto Rican as having black blood or any color blood for that matter; also what is Latino blood? Maybe Mr. Schwarzenegger should not be blamed for his ignorant remark; after all he represents a government that for years keeps referring to people from Latin America, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Dominican Republic as members of the Hispanic race. This is the only country in the world that has made the word Hispanic a race. Hispanic is not a race it is a heritage, there are many races among Hispanics including the Caucasian race. I wonder what Mr. Schwarzenegger would say if in fact is true that we are all decedents of the African continent. That would make him of (black) blood wouldn%u2019t? Perhaps he would then say that is the reason why he himself is feisty at times.

[agnim]

This must be the season for the apologies that might win political hearts. LOL