Romney (MA Gov) cancels trip to Calif.

Backs Schwarzenegger, cites 'side-show politics'

By Yvonne Abraham, Globe Staff, 10/5/2003

Citing the "unfortunate" events of the last few days, Governor Mitt Romney abruptly cancelled plans to travel across the country to campaign for Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In a statement released last night, Romney said he continues to endorse the embattled actor and Republican candidate for California governor but that he's "disappointed in the sideshow politics going on right now in the recall race."

The cancellation comes after several days of controversy, sparked by allegations that Schwarzenegger had groped and sexually harassed women and that he expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler. Schwarzenegger immediately apologized for his behavior toward women, but he has been besieged by questions about the matter, and additional allegations of harassment, in the days since.

Romney said in the statement that the decision not to go to California had been made by mutual agreement. However, a Democratic source said Romney had been disinvited by the Schwarzenegger campaign because of comments made by a Romney aide earlier this week about Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who is the uncle of Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2003/10/05/romney_cancels_trip_to_calif/

Reminds me of the Simon campaign - and the discount fundraising tickets. Oakland Tribune withdrew its endorsement of the Groppinator. Please chronicle the rest of the domino here!

(snip) Romney was due to fly to San Jose today and meet up with the Schwarzenegger campaign tomorrow. The pair were to start the day with a rally at the airport in San Jose, then make stops in Huntington Beach and San Bernardino. The Schwarzenegger campaign had hoped to draw parallels between the two men -- both outsider Republicans with no prior political experience -- with the California candidate hoping to follow Romney's path to victory. (snip)

Poor Gropinator!