An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
Stark
Stark apologizes for harsh remarks on GOP war attitudes
Fremont Democratic Rep. Pete Stark made an emotional apology today to his House colleagues and President Bush for his assertion last week that Republicans supported sending U.S. soldiers to Iraq “to get blown up for the president’s amusement.”
“On a very serious note, I want to apologize to my colleagues, many of whom I have offended, to the president, his family, to the troops,” Stark, 75, said in a somber, almost tearful floor speech in sharp contrast to his confrontational remarks last week.
“I apologize for this reason: I think we have serious issues before us, the issue of providing medical care to children, the issue about what we’re going to do about a war that we’re divided about how to end,” Stark said. “I hope that with this apology I will become as insignificant as I should be and that we can return to the issues that do divide us, but that we can resolve in a better fashion.”
I realize that we, as humans, make mistakes. We sometimes say things we honestly don’t mean, but say them in anger. Sadly, I don’t think that’s the case with Stark. I think he meant every word he said. While I believe strongly in forgiveness, does he really think it’ll be so easy to forget?
