Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger last night apologised for past sexual harassment and distanced himself from a 1975 statement a close associate said he made expressing admiration for Hitler.
With polls showing the Austrian-born actor en route to becoming California governor in Tuesday's election after voters opt to oust incumbent Governor Gray Davis, Republican Schwarzenegger found himself facing renewed questions about his behaviour and statements dating back three decades.
His leading Democratic rival, Lt Gov Cruz Bustamante, said the former Mr Universe's past harassment of women violated California law.
"Yes, I have behaved badly sometimes, yes it is true that I was on rowdy movie sets," Mr Schwarzenegger told a rally in San Diego to kick off a four-day bus tour.
"I have done things I thought were playful that now I recognise that I have offended people. I want to say to them that I am deeply sorry about that, and I apologise because that is not what I was trying to do."
Mr Schwarzenegger spoke after the Los Angeles Timespublished a detailed story on how he had inappropriately touched, harassed and verbally humiliated six women.
He also denied an television report that quoted a 1975 interview in which he allegedly made favourable comments about Hitler.
"I don't remember any of those comments because I always despised everything that Hitler stood for," Schwarzenegger said.