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Election season is in full swing, and it’s easy to tell. In their zealousness to strike back at the Republicans for having such an impressive national convention last week, two Democratic Party chairmen made remarks that after some thought, decided to regret.
Massachusetts Democratic Party Chairman John Walsh was speaking at the first breakfast meeting of the state’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention, which officially begins Tuesday. Walsh was discussing the hot race for the senate seat in his state; incumbent Republican Senator Scott Brown is being challenged by the up-and-coming Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren.
“We’ve also experienced Scott Brown,” Walsh told the delegates. “We’ve got to say a few good things about him: He handsome, right? He’s still got the coat. He’s still got the truck. He’s a regular guy. I mean, he spent a couple million dollars folding towels on TV to prove he’s an honorary girl. We appreciate that.”
Republicans were able to live with Walsh calling Brown handsome, or pointing out that he owns a coat and a truck. But calling him an honorary girl? Well, that was just beyond decent. Fortunately Walsh realized his blunder and apologized:
“In the excitement of getting the convention underway and getting the message out about how important it is to re-elect President Obama and elect Elizabeth Warren, I made a statement about Scott Brown that I regret,” party Chairman John Walsh said in a statement this afternoon. “I apologize for that remark.”
Less innocuous was the comparison the chairman of the California Democratic Party made before the California delegates breakfast leading up to the DNC. Chairman John Burton was talking about Paul Ryan, referring to the alleged lies the vice presidential hopeful may have uttered during the RNC and at other times as well.
“They lie and they don’t care if people think they lie… Joseph Goebbels – it’s the big lie, you keep repeating it,” Burton said Monday before the delegation breakfast. He said Ryan told “a bold-faced lie and he doesn’t care that it was a lie. That was Goebbels, the big lie.”
After the comment Burton was reminded that California Governor Jerry Brown was criticized for saying that the 2010 GOP gubernatorial campaign of Meg Whitman was like Goebbels. Burton responded sarcastically, “(Bleep) that’s right, she won the election!”
Burton just shrugged when he was reminded that Brown got in trouble for his remark and added, “He won it big. Goddam he was in trouble!”
Despite his early denial that there was a problem comparing a legitimate Republican candidate for vice president with the notorious Nazi propagandist of the Second World War, Burton did, sort-of, apologize.
“To correct press reports of my recent comments about Republican lies, I did not call Republicans Nazis nor would I ever. In fact, I didn’t even use the word.
“If Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, or the Republicans are insulted by my describing their campaign tactic as the big lie – I most humbly apologize to them or anyone who might have been offended by that comment.”
Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, doesn’t it?
