Schwarzenegger scandal not to blame for approval slide

BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor: Now we go to the West Coast . The fallout from yesterday's bombshell out of California , the revelation that Arnold Schwarzenegger fathered a child with a member of the household staff. Time magazine has decided to broaden the topic this week, you might say. Very little ambiguity there. That's the first look at their new cover for the week. NBC 's Miguel Almaguer reports on what we learned about the situation today from Los Angeles .

Unidentified Man #1: Arnold , any comment?

Unidentified Man #2: How you feeling?

MIGUEL ALMAGUER reporting: News Arnold Schwarzenegger fathered a child out of wedlock broke Tuesday morning. By late afternoon the scandal turned to focus on the family employee of 20 years, the mother of the former governor's now teenage child. In Bakersfield , 110 miles north of Los Angeles , media gathered in an upper middle class community for any sign of the mother. Neighbors say she was last seen here the day before the scandal broke.

Unidentified Man #3: It's sadden because of the family and especially the young boy that's going to be caught up in all this.

ALMAGUER: The former first family's private drama is unfolding in the most public way.

Unidentified Woman: New details coming out about Arnold 's mess.

Unidentified Man #4: We'll talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger . We'll talk about infidelity. We'll talk about sex.

ALMAGUER: Birth certificates and property records are going scoured for the smallest details.

Mr. HOWARD BRAGMAN (Crisis Relations Consultant): And the one thing I'll give the media credit for, they haven't run the pictures of the kids, but somebody will. That's the kind of world we live in.

ALMAGUER: After Schwarzenegger and Shriver released separate statements Tuesday...

Unidentified Man #2: How you feeling?

Unidentified Man #5: Arnold , any comments?

ALMAGUER: ...the former governor was spotted leaving his office without comment. Meanwhile, Shriver was in Chicago on stage with Oprah Winfrey . She never spoke of her husband's infidelity, but received a loud applause when the two spoke of honesty. At the state Capitol some lawmakers are asking for a full investigation into the former governor's conduct.

Mr. ERIC BAUMAN (Los Angeles County Democratic Party Chair): I would like to know if there were any costs to the people of California or if any campaign funds might have been used to perpetuate this cover-up that's gone on lo these many years, the seven years that Schwarzenegger was governor of California .

ALMAGUER: Experts say the former governor's political career may have already been over. He left state office with low approval ratings. Tonight, both he and Maria Shriver are asking for privacy. Brian , they say they will release no further statements.

WILLIAMS: All right, Miguel Almaguer in Southern California tonight. Miguel , thanks.