But even as Schwarzenegger was issuing his apology, some of his aides and political allies were taking a different tack, denouncing the Los Angeles Times story and questioning the credibility of the women interviewed.

"I think the behavior of the L.A. Times has been unbecoming of a newspaper," Rep. Darrell Issa, the Republican who bankrolled the recall signature gathering, said in a radio interview from the Schwarzenegger bus convoy. "They have never supported this effort. They have used dozens of reporters to constantly find new and creative ways to be disingenuous about the recall and anyone who stood up for it."

Democrats and women's groups seized the issue, holding news conferences and declaring Schwarzenegger unfit to govern. And as Schwarzenegger's six-bus convey rolled from San Diego to Costa Mesa to San Bernadino to Los Angeles, protesters stole some of his thunder.

At one stop, Gail Escobar, a waitress at a hotel in Santa Monica claimed that 25 years ago Schwarzenegger had threatened to rape her. It was impossible to verify the allegation by Escobar, who was joined by a representative with the AFL-CIO, the large labor organization backing Davis. Nonetheless, the woman was mobbed by perhaps 200 reporters.

Schwarzenegger was not without his defenders. Some yelled "Lesbian," others shouted "Who paid you?" and still others hollered "Liar, liar" at Escobar. For his part Schwarzenegger tried to stay above the fray, preaching about a hemorrhaging budget, jobs leaving the state and a burdensome car tax.

In one campaign stunt in Costa Mesa, Schwarzenegger dropped a wrecking ball on an automobile in protest of a 300 percent hike in vehicle license fee.

With nearly 200 reporters from around the world traveling with Schwarzenegger and two unsanctioned busloads of lesser candidates hounding him, his campaign staff tried to tamp down a story that was being carried live to a mass audience well beyond the borders of California.

"Some of the things in the article are not true," said Todd Harris, a spokesman for Schwarzenegger. "Some are and he's apologized for that. He's addressed it directly and we're going to move on."

Harris and other Republicans said they were curious about the timing of the article, criticizing Davis but stopping short of linking him to it. The Los Angles Times stated that none of the women had been identified by Schwarzenegger's rivals in the recall contest, and Davis campaign officials Thursday denied any involvement.