Arnold knows his ethnic traits

The governor of California, discussing the only Latina Republican in the state Legislature with chief of staff Susan Kennedy:

"She seems to me like Cuban," Schwarzenegger says.

"She's not Mexican," Kennedy replies.

"No," the governor agrees.

"But she said something," Kennedy says, "and I thought, I thought she was Puerto Rican."

Then Schwarzenegger offers a theory.

"She maybe is Puerto Rican or the same thing as Cuban. 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."

The tape got out and you can hear it on the L.A. Times website. By the way, Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, the lawmaker under discussion (of Puerto Rican descent), isn't bothered at all: "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 about the issues, and this is kind of an inside joke that I have with the governor."

Next day apology: Could have seen this coming.