A televised election debate -- actually, the only televised debate during the recent California gubernatorial campaign -- captured a revealing picture of the American political male.

A feminized Democrat, Cruz Bustamante, like a subservient husband beaten down for years, could only repeat annoyingly "Yes, Ariana," in response to attacks on his record by candidate Ariana Huffington. But macho man Schwartzenegger reacted without hesitation to the taunts of an aggressive Ariana Huffington. He counterattacked, smiling, enjoying the counterpunches, confident in his superiority. He had the unmistakable look of an alpha male.

Off stage, former governor Gray Davis waited. Davis is a prototype Democrat feminized male. He, like Bustamante, talks softly, low key; his gestures are tentative and quieted. He too "feels the people's pain." Well, not quite enough, it turns out. But like his fellow feminized colleagues, beneath the service, Davis is a vicious hot-tempered abuser of staff and especially women. And this is the pattern of feminized males in politics.

Whether its Davis, former President Bill Clinton, Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, they share common feminized characteristics. Their voices are restrained, usually not deep; they have choreographed their soft spoken expressions. They work to maintain a permanent smile. They appear sensitive and non-aggressive. They are the 'new man,' beyond primal aggressiveness. Sure!

In reality, their tempers are violent, and their treatment of women boldly disrespectful. Clinton's temper was notorious. Only one photo was taken of Clinton's in a violent temper tantrum, attacking a journalist. That picture is unavailable on the internet. But his temper tantrums were well known.

Most democrats are still embarrassed by Tom Daschle's violent diatribe on the night he gave up the U.S. Senate Majority position to Republican Trent Lott.

But it is the treatment of women that is so grossly hypocritical of the new feminized democrats.

The feminized male feigns sensitivity and a special bond with women. Feminized politicians like Clinton and Davis appear to be sensitive. Even groping and physical abuse is forgiven by their supporters. Such is the case for these two. Women voters overlooked the sexual groping and attacks of Clinton; they turned away from the accounts of physical and emotional abuse by Davis of his staff members.

De-feminized male Schwartzenegger was accused of groping. He responded directly - an immediate acknowledgement and apology. He responded to all Democrat last minute attacks similarly. Directly. Unlike many other Republican candidates, his turned his defense into a counterattack, labeling the Dem's attacks "puke politics.' His campaign style, his personality and internal stamina are precisely the opposite of the feminized male. Call it the dreaded trait of 'masculinity.'

George W. Bush began as a mildly feminized male. He was you will recall by self-admission, a compassionate conservative. He didn't intellectualize concerns for the poor, especially for students left behind. He felt it and projected deep concern. It was a stunning reinterpretation of conservatism and it was effective. The President was able to build a bi-partisan coalition and pass significant, performance-based educational reforms.

But the 2001 terrorist attacks changed Bush. His response to the terrorist attacks was not introspective, not apologetic, not self-reflecting. His response was to exteriorize, retaliate, be aggressive, bold, and confident. Bush was de-feminized. On the other hand, most democrats wallowed in their feminized responses, questioning the war, questioning the need for aggressive response; they tried to empathize with our enemies, seek to understand the enemy's rage, avoided offending or aggravating.

The strength of the family and the nation depend on renewing the virtues of a masculine male. This is not an attack against effeminate behavior, which is for the most part inherited. Both feminization and de-feminization require effort. Restoring masculinity to the American male is to demand a return to the acquired virtues of courage, determination, resoluteness, defending oneself and one's family, friends and nation. In military affairs, it is the restoration of aggressive counterattack; in domestic affairs, unwavering belief in enacted initiatives.

The recent victory of Arnold Schwartzenegger was a dramatic step. He epitomizes the defeminized male. Schwartzenegger dominated the world of muscle building, he dominated the Hollywood of action heroes, and now he dominated over not one, but two feminized democrats, Gray Davis and Cruz Bustamante.

Now he must deal with one of the Democrat's last red-blooded alpha males, California State Senate Speaker John Burton. Burton champions the causes of the poor; but he does it ruthlessly and viciously. At least he wears no masks. Nor does Howard Dean, the leading Democrat presidential candidate.

So, we are returning to brute politics, with a purity and directness that has been missing. Politicians have been triangulating, accommodating and appropriating. Let the battles surge; ideas against ideas, passion versus passion, and straight forward attack and counterattack. The world has become too dangerous for feminized males. It's a luxury our families and our nation can't afford. Our enemies are brutal and heartless. The time for feeling our enemies pain is long gone. Our enemy's aggression has rekindled the masculinity in our leaders, fortunately, for all of us.

Write to Arthur at bruzzone@rightturns.com

Arthur Bruzzone has written over 250 political articles for national and regional media, and has commented on political and urban issues for American and European television and radio networks.  He is an award-winning public affairs television producer/host.His articles and columns have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, Campaign & Elections Magazine, among other publications. Mr. Bruzzone holds a Masters Degree in Philosophy from C.U.A in Washington , D.C., and a M.B.A. in real estate. He is a returned Peace Corps volunteer serving two years in the Kingdom of Tonga, and the former chair of the San Francisco Republican Party. He is president of a real estate investment company headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

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