Bunning's Folly
From WKYT 27 NewsState Senator Dan Mongiardo is demanding U.S. Senator Jim Bunning release the videotape of a campaign fundraiser where the Kentucky Senator told the crowd mongiardo looked like the sons of Saddam Hussein.
Bunning's campaign issued an apology saying they were sorry if the joke, which got a lot of laughs, offended anyone.
Bunning however has not apologized to Senator Mongiardo.
From the Mercury News:
"The fact that Jim Bunning finds ethnic slurs amusing shows how out of touch he is with Kentucky voters," said Jody Lassiter, Mongiardo's campaign manager.
Bunning's campaign at first denied the remark, then said Wednesday it was a joke.
"We're sorry if this joke, which got a lot of laughs, offended anyone," Bunning campaign manager David Young said.
Bunning made the remark March 20 at the annual 4th Congressional District Lincoln/Reagan Day Dinner at the Hilton hotel in Florence. Bunning's speech was videotaped, but Young declined to make the tape of Bunning's speech available.
Mongiardo's campaign said he had received no call from Bunning and that the senator should make the tape available so people can judge his comments for themselves.
"Sen. Bunning is having a lot of trouble being honest," Lassiter said. "First he denies saying anything, but now he admits making ethnic slurs about Dan Mongiardo. He admits that he has a tape, but won't let the people of Kentucky see it. What does he have to hide?"
Matt's Chat
Two things to address here: 1) the remark, even if a joke (which I believe it was) was out of line and not befitting a public official. 2) Bunning's campaign shouldn't release the tape because Mongiardo's campaign will use it for political purposes which in my opinion is not a good thing.I'm sure Mark will bring up Hillary's "gas station" gaffe, so I'll let him make that argument. But the reality is that Republicans should maintain the moral high ground and maintain those standards. There is no room for this kind of stupidity. Republicans have the tendency to pull defeat from the jaws of victory. This is another sign of that particular fault.
Mark's Remarks
As you made your argument with Hillary's gaffe, it is time to have a small bit of sense of humor. It was just a joke, albeit in poor taste. And, as you set up, if Hillary can get away with basically stereotyping all Indians/Hindus by saying Ghandi worked in a gas station, then I think Mr. Bunning deserves a small bit of leeway here. But of course, we are dealing with the liberal media, so this will be held up for years as Conservative/Republican intolerance and hate, even as Hillary's gaffe will be banned from the airwaves and forgotten.
I am for the equal treatment of these morons. Give them a book on tact and hit them over the head with it until they understand.
