Say Anything Blog

The media is saying that Kerry has apologized:

The White House is even accepting Kerry’s apology (from the article linked above):

The White House accepted Kerry’s statement. “Senator Kerry’s apology to the troops for his insulting comments came late but it was the right thing to do,” said Dana Perino, deputy press secretary.

But did Kerry really apologize?  I don’t think so.  Here’s the text of his apology from his website:

As a combat veteran [he can’t even apologize without mentioning that he served in Vietnam….], I want to make it clear to anyone in uniform and to their loved ones: my poorly stated joke at a rally was not about, and never intended to refer to any troop.

I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended.

It is clear the Republican Party would rather talk about anything but their failed security policy. I don’t want my verbal slip to be a diversion from the real issues. I will continue to fight for a change of course to provide real security for our country, and a winning strategy for our troops.

So, in summary, Kerry is sorry that none of us understood what he was trying to say.  And he’s also sorry if any of our troops were offended because they couldn’t understand what he was trying to say.  Plus, Republicans are doodie heads.

Wonderful.

What he’s not sorry for, though, is actually saying what he said.

This is the standard apology all celebrities and politicians issue when they say something really dumb or offensive.  “I’m sorry you found it offensive.”  Well I’m sorry, but that isn’t really an apology.

I also find it interesting that all the media pundits on CNN and MSNBC are busy going on and on about how an “off hand political comment” could cause such a media storm.  It’s like they’re shocked about this or something, which is odd because the exact same thing happened to Trent Lott with his Strom Thurmond comments.  And Rush Limbaugh with his Michael J. Fox comments.  And some others that I can’t seem to think of right now.

I think what the journalists in the media are shocked about is that they’re being expected to cover Kerry’s dumb comments in the same sensationalist, over-the-top, never-ending manner that they cover every miscue by a conservative political figure.