"It uses an image that is associated with gay men in an insulting way, and it was supposed to be an insult. That's very troubling that he would use such a homophobic way of trying to put down legislative leadership," said Kuehl, 20 percent of the Legislature's five-member Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus.

San Francisco Democrat Mark Leno, chairman of the caucus, called the remark "as misogynist as it is anti-gay."

"To disparage a group of law-abiding tax-paying citizens is just wrong," Assemblyman Leno complained.

At a rally Sunday in Stockton, Schwarzenegger gave a speech nearly identical to the one in Ontario but without mentioning the "girlie men," the Associated Press reported today.

Schwarzenegger dropped the reference not out of regret but because he had already sent his message, spokesman Rob Stutzman said.

"It's a forceful way of making the point to regular Californians that legislators are wimps when they let special interests push them around," Stutzman said. "If they complain too much about this, I guess they're making the governor's point."

Editor's note: