Pete Stark flip flopped.
It took a while for Pete Stark to make an apology for his disgraceful remarks about President Bush and his degradation of our troops.
He refused at first.
Today, he changed his mind. He now regrets his original remarks. At least he said that he does.
WASHINGTON -- Democratic Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark of California apologized Tuesday for comments he made last week suggesting President Bush was sending troops to Iraq to get their "heads blown off for his amusement."
The apology came after the House voted 196-173 with eight members voting present to table a resolution introduced by House Minority Leader John Boehner censuring Stark.
Though the motion amounts to a failed vote, Stark addressed fellow lawmakers afterward to apologize.
"I want to apologize first of all to my colleagues, many of whom I have offended, to the president, his family, to the troops that may have found (offense) in my remarks as were suggested in the motion that we just voted on, and I do apologize. ... With this apology I will become as insignificant as I should be and we can return to the issues that do divide us but that we can resolve," Stark said to applause.
After his mea culpa, Stark walked walked off the floor to the Democratic side of the chamber and for at least five minutes stood sobbing while fellow Democrats gathered around him. Reporters close to the Speaker's Lobby were not able to hear why he was crying.
...Stark's emotional demeanor was in direct contrast to his position last week, outlined in the eight-paragraph resolution that claimed his "personally abusive language" impugned the president's and Congress' motives and dishonored the troops.
The resolution quoted Stark and then concluded that "Mr. Stark, by his despicable conduct, has dishonored himself and brought discredit to the House and merits the censure of the House for the same. Resolved, that the member from California, Mr. Stark, is hereby so censured."
Is Stark's apology sincere?
He had a chance to take back his comments last week, but he stood by what he said.
With demands from House Republicans to apologize, Stark then said he neither respects "the commander-in-chief who keeps (the troops) in harm's way nor the chicken hawks in Congress."
It's hard for me to believe that Stark is sincerely sorry.
I'm guessing that his sobbing had less to do with real remorse over the pain he caused military members and their families and more to do with being close to a censure.
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