Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday praised the self-styled Minutemen, branded as "vigilantes" by President Bush, as doing a "terrific job" in reducing illegal border crossings.

The governor's comments on a Los Angeles radio talk show evoked an orchestrated outcry of "immigrant bashing" from legislative Democrats.

They asked the Republican governor why he thought the president called the estimated 750 citizens who patrolled the Arizona-Mexico border "vigilantes." ...read on