Even political enemies had to be impressed with Arnold Schwarzenegger's performance as he jumped head first into the California recall election last night -- both with Jay Leno on The Tonight Show and later as he faced the press outside NBC's studios in Burbank. For more on his chances, and Schwarzenegger's singular appeal, check in with Martin Devon, Ben Domenech, and James Lileks.
One thing for sure: no matter where you stand on Schwarzenegger and his qualifications, the upcoming campaign promises to be a bruising affair. Here in the Washington, D.C. area, I got a preview of what was coming when a popular local morning DJ with clear sympathies for both the Clintons and the Gores, spent an entire segment examining charges about Schwarzenegger's reputation for womanizing.
But for me, the charge that sticks in my mind concerns Schwarzenegger's acknowledged use of anabolic steroids as he dominated competitive Bodybuilding in the 1970s, and the speculation over the last few days that this might become an issue in the upcoming campaign.
Over the past few days, I've seen a number of approving articles about how Schwarzenegger's approach to competitive Bodybuilding will aid him in his political endeavors. Yet, I have to admit some surprise that these same pieces neglect to mention steroids.
Back when he was the Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Schwarzenegger talked about his own steroid use in a June 1992 interview with Kenneth T. Walsh at U.S. News and World Report (available online by subscription):
On his steroid use. In those days you didn't have to deal with the black market. You could go to your physician and just say, ``Listen, I want to gain some weight, and I want to take something.'' Then the physician would say, ``Do it six weeks before the competition, then it will be safe.'' And that's what you would do. The dosage that was taken then versus what is taken now is not even 10 percent. It's probably 5 percent.On his own performance. It was not the drug that made me the champion. It was the will and the drive and the five hours of working out, lifting 50, 60 tons of weights a day, being on a strict diet and training, my posing and doing all the different things that I had to do.
Schwarzenegger is right about one thing: steroids alone would have never made him a six-time winner of the Mr. Olympia competition. Schwarzenegger, much like cyclist Lance Armstrong, is a genetic freak. For the five-time Tour de France winner, it's a massive lung capacity that provides him with several times the aerobic strength of a normal human. And if you've ever seen photos of Schwarzenegger as a young man in Austria, you'd see that he'd been endowed with an ability to train with weights longer and harder than the rest of us. And like Armstrong, he was born with, or developed, an iron will to succeed that few of us can appreciate.
But what sets the two individuals apart, is that somewhere along the line, Schwarzenegger decided that he needed an extra boost in order to reach the highest levels of his profession. And for Arnold in his pre-Hollywood days, that extra boost was anabolic steroids.
As to whether this will cost him political support, I'm not so sure. Back when Schwarzenegger was a champion bodybuilder in the 1970s, what Slate's Virginia Heffernan called "the golden age of steroids," their use and distribution wasn't illegal, and potential side effects not well understood.
If anything, if Schwarzenegger is honest about his past, further admissions will have a political impact similar to an admission that one might have smoked marijuana in college. And in a state like California, that impact may very well be negligible.
But one area that should be a legitimate area of inquiry regarding Schwarzenegger's steroid use concerns its effect on his long-term health -- a proper question of any candidate for public office For a number of years now, Schwarzenegger has been on the lookout concerning public speculation about a possible connection between his admitted steroids use and his problems with heart disease (in 1997, he had a defective heart valve replaced) -- a known side effect of steroids.
In December 1999, Schwarzenegger won $10,500 in damages against a German doctor who predicted that the actor's heart condition meant that he didn't have long to live. Later that same month, he settled a $50 million lawsuit against a supermarket tabloid that claimed his heart was a "ticking time bomb."
Even without a history of steroid use to explain, questions about the candidate's health are right and proper. How he answers those questions are another concern entirely.
POSTSCRIPT: Since Off Wing's inception, I've written pretty extensively about both steroids and dietary supplements and their potential side effects. Simply because I've concluded that an admission of steroid use need not be politically damaging, doesn't mean I approve of their use. If you're genuinely interested in learning how you can use strength training as part of a physical fitness program, I'd suggest you check out Natural Strength, the online home of Washington, D.C.-based strength expert, Bob Whelan.
I've known, and worked out with Whelan for the better part of a decade, and I can't think of a better guide to building strength without using dangerous drugs than him.
The scuttlebut is that Arnold has a bunch of Hollywood skeletons in his closet. Bodybuilder, Actor, married to a Kennedy… the guy has to have a few colorful stories. Steroids is probably the least of his concerns (poitically anyhow).
That’s probably why he hesitated to enter the race, but this is a unique situation. Gray Davis cannot afford to go too negative on Arnold. Why? It might defeat Arnold, but it will make his chances worse too.
The way the ballot is structured Davis is running against the recall. If he goes negative it brings his own numbers down as well as Arnold’s. Absent a revelation of serious criminal wrongdoing by Arnold, I’d venture that mudslinging hurts Davis more than it helps him. As a matter of fact, no matter who slings the mud, it will be blamed on Davis.
This will be fun to watch!
So wait, someone symphatetic to the Clintons is criticizing Arnold for his marital indiscretions? I don’t get it. Why would this criticizism play in California?
Arnold Schwarzenegger nude photo
Yes, this really is a photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger naked as a jaybird. No, I will not reveal where I got it. Yes, during the period in which this picture was taken Arnold Schwarzenegger did take lots and lots of
Arnold Schwarzenegger nude photo
Yes, this really is a photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger naked as a jaybird. No, I will not reveal where I
HELP ME HAS ANY ONE CONSIDERED THAT STEROIDS COMPERMIZE YOU MENTIAL ABITY IE, BAD TEMPER ETC/
HE COULD TURN OUT TO BE A CAZY NAZI.
I would like to start out by wishing Arnold the best with his newly elected position as Govenor of California. I am a graduate student, and have conducted most of my research in kinesiology, endocrinolgy, and aging. Considering Arnold is approaching sixty years of age, if he is using small amounts of certain steroids right now it would actually be benificial to his overall health. Also, the types of steroids available in the sixties and seventies were limited compared to what is available on the market. I would like to see research from any leading institute that connects the use of steroids available in the sixties and seventies to defective heart valves.
Just to respond to Moique; research that has connected testosterone use with aggression have mostly been done on animals models. Humans possess a quality known as “self control”, and research connecting steroid use to aggression in humans is inconclusive at best. The steriotypical aggression caused in humans due to steroid use is psychological and not physiological in nature.
At least everybody knows who the Governor of Cauliflower is now!! And he promised to give everybody in Cauliflower fantastic jobs, so I guess that means that he will make a bunch more TERMINATOR movies, and everybody in Cauliflower will get ONE! MILLION! DOLLARS! to be in them!
Oops, did I say Cauliflower? I meant California!
I wonder what kind he used. I doubt that he took a very small dose because every bodybuilder including me knows that it takes more than 5 or 10 % to get that size. You can work as hard as you want but it takes a major hormone boost to recover that quickly. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. If this country allows women to kill their unborn babies we should be able to shorten our life span by taking steroids and feeling like conquering the world. It’s better than getting hit by a bus(or an airplane). ;(
Arnold is Interesting. But do you think he deserves to be governor ?
I do not thinkg Arnold has a steroid problem. I mean yeah sure he may of had used to of had maybe had a steroid problem when he was a teen. But I mean now a few years ago he had to do a serious constructive heart surgery operation on him and on his own heart! I mean HELLO! People I don’t think he would have a steroid problem right now after that sergury. If you had a pot problem and had to get a lung operation that was a one out of a million chances in surviving right now from smoking too much pot would you have a problem with pot then? I don’t think so. Arnold is 100% steroid free now I think and agree with him and the big man himself, Arnold. Think about it. Steroids are illegal in acting jobs I’m quiet sure they give out and hand out drug tests and in the last movie that he did which was the terminator 3 he looked 100% good and naturally. So now come on people work with me here. The mans not on steroids now anymore whatsoever. I say he learned his lesson and will of how it works to do it the naturally way and the unnaturally way, Use your head. Arnold ain’t on steroids nor me. He just risked his life over them two years ago in a heart operation from them when he used them as a teen! When he not even of had known the side effects then and when they were illegal! How would you like it if you worked out five hours a day and was on creatine lets say for an example then ten years down the road you made five mr. olympia bodybuilding contests and rewards from it and I’m talking about major rewards then from it too. Then become a very big hit top notch action movie star that everybody loves and almost looks up too! Then there’s some butthole that comes along up to you and say you have a steroid problem you suck as a governor you sissy! How would you feel then? Pretty ticked off wouldn’t you say? Uhhh I know I would.