Gimme a Break

Today is not the time for truth-telling

Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) was censured by his fellows this week and forced into a teary apology for a controversial remark he made about soldiers in Iraq getting "their heads blown off for the president's amusement

The Washington Post called the statement made last week during debate to override the president's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, "a gaffe." But a gaffe is a mistake, and this was an accusatory, intentional statement.

"You don't have money to fund the war or children, but you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people, if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President's amusement."

The Post went on to explain that "House Democrats were furious with Stark for taking them off message on the SCHIP bill." That may be, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi was out of line calling his remarks "inappropriate."

They chided Stark, 75, for "putting his foot in his mouth for years," but you only need to hit one home run.

--Lisa