Response to Governor’s ‘Hot’ Tape Is Too Much

Some political operatives clearly have too much time and money to spare and not enough sleep.

That’s the best explanation I can think of for the hair-trigger overreaction to a Times story Friday by Sacramento reporter Robert Salladay.

Campaign strategists are trained these days in the tactic of rapid response. The idea is to make sure that any negative comments about your candidate are quickly answered. But mostly -- especially in California this year from both sides -- it comes out sounding like yadda yadda, if not nyah nyah nyah nyah.

You’ll recall how President Bush’s reelection campaign instantly returned fire against Democratic Sen. John Kerry, sometimes even before Kerry had squeezed the trigger. Well, some of Bush’s top operatives now are running Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s reelection campaign. And it’s automatic fire all day long.

Salladay’s story was entertaining and informative because it provided a brief eavesdrop on the governor in a private, no-constraints bull session with some top aides. A tape recording of the lighthearted conversation was slipped to Salladay.

On the tape, Schwarzenegger calls former Assembly Republican leader Kevin McCarthy “Bakersfield boy.” Chief aide Susan Kennedy characterizes Assembly GOP leader George Plescia of San Diego as a confused deer. And the governor describes all Assembly Republicans as “that wild bunch,” an “unruly bunch of guys and girls.”

Fine. But Schwarzenegger and the aides then talk about Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia (R-Cathedral City). Kennedy says Garcia “is great. She’s a ball-buster.” They next discuss whether Garcia is of Puerto Rican or Cuban ancestry. (It’s Puerto Rican.)

The governor concludes it doesn’t matter: “I mean, they are all very hot. They have the, you know, part of the black blood in them and part of the Latino blood in them that together makes it.”

Pure Schwarzenegger. Running his mouth. Short on couth. We’ve heard it before. But this comment, I suspect, really wasn’t very damaging politically.

Garcia saved him when Salladay contacted her for a comment, which he inserted into the story: “I love the governor because he is a straight talker just like I am. Very often I tell him, ‘Look, I am a hot-blooded Latina.’ I label myself a hot-blooded Latina that is very passionate on the issues.

“And this is kind of an inside joke that I have with the governor.”

Schwarzenegger, nevertheless, took the wise precaution. First thing after the story ran, he called a news conference and apologized to Garcia “if she got offended by that” (she didn’t) “and anyone out there that feels offended.”

If he heard his kids make that sort of comment, Schwarzenegger continued, “I would be upset. And today when I read it in the papers

That should have done it -- pretty much ended the story.

But the chain-reaction overreaction already had begun the previous night.

Before even reading Salladay’s article, Schwarzenegger press secretary Margita Thompson charged that the governor’s remarks were “taken totally out of context.” Actually, they were reported completely in context.

Some nervous type on the governor’s team apparently leaked to a political blogger, William Bradley, the fact that The Times the next morning would publish a story about a “Schwarzenegger private tape.” The preemptive spin: “Schwarzenegger discusses his admiration for” Garcia.

The leak backfired. It simply promoted the story, which was picked up and prominently run by the Sacramento Bee.

You could argue that The Times overreacted to its exclusive by placing it on Page One. Running it on the California page might have attracted as many readers while not riling up Republicans still upset by our disclosure just before the 2003 recall election of Schwarzenegger’s past groping of women. But a newspaper must lead with what it considers to be its best stories -- most important and interesting -- and not worry about the politics.

At Republican headquarters Friday morning, the response team was hyperventilating. It attacked The Times. “Reveal Your Source,” the party demanded, and it sent out a four-page diatribe of anti-Times media critique dating back to the old groping series. It was like some strategist had this grenade within easy reach, had been waiting for any excuse to toss it and reacted robotically.

The timing should have been embarrassing. Only a half-hour later, Schwarzenegger said his comments made him “cringe.”

Then wouldn’t you know it! The governor’s reelection rival, desperate Democrat Phil Angelides, tried to capitalize with hyperbole: “Once again, Gov. Schwarzenegger has used language that is deeply offensive to all Californians and embarrassed our state.”

Next up was Garcia, with a statement clearly written by some Schwarzenegger lackey: “The only embarrassment in California today is Phil Angelides.... [He] has a long history of divisive, over-the-top political attacks ... “

State Democratic Chairman Art Torres weighed in: “I was offended and disturbed.... He owes all Californians an apology.”

Never mind that the governor already had apologized.

The knee-jerk overreaction by both sides went on and on.

One problem is we’re in this era of instant blogs and 24-hour news cycles, and the political warriors aren’t taking enough time to think -- think about how silly and petty they sound.

There are eight weeks to go before the election. The political pros need to pace themselves. Something important could still happen actually worth reacting to.

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George Skelton writes Monday and Thursday. Reach him at george.skelton@latimes.com.