Bunning apologizes

Posted: Monday, February 23, 2009 2:10 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Congress, Courts, Republicans

From NBC's Ken Strickland and Mark Murray
In a written statement today, Kentucky GOP Sen. Jim Bunning apologized for remarks he made about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in which he predicted that she would pass away in nine months.

"I apologize if my comments offended Justice Ginsberg," Bunning said. "That certainly was not my intent. It is great to see her back at the Supreme Court today and I hope she recovers quickly. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family."

Note: Bunning's office misspelled Ginsburg's last name.

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Comments

Apologized, just like the Liberal do, so now it is all better.

Move on please.

Enough of the whining.

Sandy Moore, Indy (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:16 PM)

On the Note at the end:

Seems like some of the Obama nominees made an error here or there in their expolits so all is well.

Pete, Salinas, CA (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:17 PM)

Then Bunning gave Ginsburg (or Ginny as he likes to call her) a bucket to use if she has to.

HP (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:17 PM)

What a dumb ass - the Republicans continues to show their inability to be compassionate.

Absolutely amazing and ridiculous - heartless buffoons, conservative pucks.

Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA

The - Democrat Soldier (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:18 PM)

Nice...you apologize but you don't know enough to get her name right?

Baseball fans, I'm scoring that "E-1"!

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:19 PM)

So many Liberals that are haters here today! Just what is your problem?!

Conservative Ike (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:21 PM)

LMAO...is this guy a sick joke or what? Geez, I hope all ex ballplayer senators drop over dead from all of the pork they've eaten...and soon

Rojer that Jim (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:21 PM)

And people are complaining about Roland Burris ??

Why not expel THIS CLOWN too ??

Burriss and Bunning !!
You get 'two for price of one'

(Where have I heard that before)

MSierra, SF (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:23 PM)

Jimbo...tell us how those toes taste,maybe a little whine to wash down the filth.You are one sick bass=turd.

jesse St.Paul Minnesota (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:23 PM)

He said what he ment. What a loser.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:24 PM)

Anna Molly (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:26 PM)

This one will come back to bite Bunning in his soft parts...

BST, Silver Spring, MD (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:28 PM)

Too late!!! i just hope you don't develop some form of cancer, you know what goes around comes around!!!
have you been to a doctor lately!!

Jeff D Evanston IL (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:30 PM)

That's the Washington political animal at it's best. No compassion for anyone or anything except it's own interests. All good things come to an end sooner or later. The trouble is all the brainless idiots seem to last forever in office.

Joe Sepeda,Early,Texas (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:34 PM)

If I've made you blue, I've had heart aches too...from the bottom of my heart dear, I apologize.
______________
This story has to be one of the worst ever. Nasty deplorable people in the GOP.

Here you go Keith Olbermann! Another "I'm sorry" (so sorry, that I was such a fool...)

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:35 PM)

Little Senator Bunting needs to realize, as do many politcos, supposed apologies that start with "IF" aren't apologies at all---just further, and greater, INSULTS!! True and heartfelt apologies just state what one regrets---straight out---not "if so and so didn't like it, I'm sorry," etc. I think the little SC senator is just another narrow, mean-spirited, down on his luck, neocon RePUKElican shithead who has not pride in his ancestry or hope for his posterity, the bastard!

an84u (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:39 PM)

Well, this will keep Olbermann employed for another day. Times running out though.

Harris Ege (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:42 PM)

WOW THE GOP RIGHT WING NUT JOBS REALLY DONT KNOW WHEN TO SHUT THEIR MOUTHS NOW DO THEY JUST REMEMBER GRAND OLE PARTY THAT THIS KINDA OF STUFF IS GOING TO BE THE REASON OUR DEMOCRATIC PARTY STAYS IN POWER FOR A LONG LONG TIME!!!! THE CONSERVATIVES THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING TO MY DEMOCRATIC PARTY!!!!!!!HAHAHAHAHA

GREG REMINGTON (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:44 PM)

Let's show some compassion here. Bunning has clearly lost his marbles. The RNSC is getting set to torpedo his re-election bid. And even if he got the nomination, somehow managed to get out the "let's vote for Grampa Simpson" vote, and won... he'd still be a member of a backwards, obstructionist, and intellectually bankrupt super minority in the Senate.

Let's all be better people and stop poking the crazy old man.

John Doe, The Peanut Gallery (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:45 PM)

OOps! I genuinely and heartily apologize to the entire state of SC for getting little KY Jelly-Belly Bunting in the wrong state. I've been reading too much about your poor little Linsey/Woolsey GAYham lately. My mind played a trick (no pun intended!) on me, and for a second I just thought of them as 2 in a bed. I know SC is capable of improving...but KY, o my! Sorry, SC!

an84u (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:50 PM)

Stock Market has fallen to Pre-Bush Level.

Stock Market has fallen to Pre-Bush Level.

Stock Market has fallen to Pre-Bush Level.

Money for nothing and the checks are sweet!

Money for nothing and the checks are sweet!

Money for nothing and the checks are sweet!

Me Re Peat, Doster, GA (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:53 PM)

Senator Bunning be careful not to leave this world before Justice Ginsburg. There is only one God.
You are another example of the thought process coming from the party of no.

WOW!!

edward l. Williams hinesville, GA 31313 (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:55 PM)

As much as I've hated conservative republicans over the years, I've never cackled about any of them with life threating illnesses, no matter how ill they were.
Harry Reid and the Democrats should expel Bunning.

And I have a feeling who will be on the top of KO's list of Worst Persons in the World tonight-and the hall of shame, too

Spud, Delmont, PA (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:55 PM)

This story has to be one of the worst ever. Nasty deplorable people in the GOP.

Here you go Keith Olbermann! Another "I'm sorry" (so sorry, that I was such a fool...)
Pat, Boston, MA

Absolutely! This story is as bad as when the NYTimes accused McCain of having an affair, when Dan Rather lied about Bush being AWOL, when liberals blogs called the Bush twins anything but ladies.

Deplorable.

Deps (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:58 PM)

The apology should go to the American people as well as the SCOTUS.

The good news for America is that Bunning has exactly 0% chance of being senator after 2010, and is likely to get booted by his own party (McConnell and Cornyn are both looking to have him primaried).

Bunning is the perfect face of the GOP, crazed old white hate-filled racist (see, i.e., the NY Post cover and "macaca" George Allen just for starters), I hope he stays around.

Dems will pick up another 4-6 seats in the senate in 2010 (KY, FL, OH, MO, NH, PN and NC are all prime pick-ups for the Dems).

Jack Abramoff (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:01 PM)

Another non-apology apology. "I;m sorry someone was offended," meaning I'm not sorry I said it, no matter how idiotic a remark it was.

Michael, AK (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:01 PM)

"So many Liberals that are haters here today! Just what is your problem?! "

Eight years of abject stupidity applauded at every turn by the most miserable pud knockers to ever stain this country.

Now you know (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:03 PM)

He shouldn't have said it in the first place. It was nice to have him appologize. I wonder who clued him into that idea. Apparently, his office is too lazy to double check the spelling of her name. I guess that comes with automatic nay-saying.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:10 PM)

Am I the only one reading these comments and disturbed at how we Americans now view each other as enemies?

Brian Andrew (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:14 PM)

Bunning is still walking around in the GOP manure field that they had created over the last 8 years. The only thing that Bunning is sorry about. Is how bad this is going to hurt him politically. Time to move forward America!

Rock,Janesville,Wisconsin (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:14 PM)

This is not an apology. When I was a child my mom make sure we knew the difference: in an apology I take responsibility for what *I* said. "I'm sorry I hit him and hurt him" is an apology. "I'm sorry he's a crybaby" would've got me sent to my room.

"I'm sorry I said something offensive that could cause her pain" is an apology.

"I'm sorry that she felt offended" says nothing about how Bunning thinks of his own words.

Katie, Sunnyvale, California (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:21 PM)

While they are too polite to say it out loud liberals are looking forward to the chance to replace Ginsburg with someone younger who shares her/their views.

They are looking for twenty more years to legislate from the bench!

Keepin Itreal (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:25 PM)

Folks, this isn't just about Justice Ginsburg. Bunning incorrectly claimed pancreatic cancer is fatal in 6-9 months for everyone. That's the real problem and what he needs to apologize for, not some perceived insult to the Justice. No one should think a diagnosis is a death sentence. First, hers was detected early, with a small non-metastized mass that could be operated on giving her a much better survival chance. Second, advances are being made every day and people are doing much better with diseases we once assumed to be death sentences. Patrick Swayze, for example, has a much more advanced form of pancreatic cancer but he's still working and fighting. Bunning needs to apologize to the folks fighting this and other serious diseases, not just Justice Ginsburg.

Cal Bear in Illinois (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:26 PM)

Sad....hey, anybody catch some loudmouth conservative on Morning Joke making a movie trying to save Sarah Palin's butt? Wow! Is he ever in denial...The GOP is turning this country in nothing more than the Hatfields and McCoys ...or the Shites and Sunis. Don't they profess to love this country or something?! As we Dems say, if Princess Palin was on our ticket, we would only be embarassed.

Michigan Sue (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:26 PM)

"IF my comments offended Justice Ginsberg?!?!?" IF?!?!?

I don't know about Justice Ginsburg, but Bunning's idiocy is offensive to the rest of the country. He should race Roland Burris to the door.

This, tragically, is an indication of the current state of the "world"s greatest deliberative body." I'm not entirely sure it wasn't better before ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment. Too many Senators have no sense at all, and no skills beyond basic pandering.

Joe Don, Topeka, KS (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:35 PM)

Apologized, just like the Liberal do, so now it is all better.

Move on please.

Enough of the whining.
Sandy Moore, Indy
==============
You are just use to the Republicans NEVER doing anything wrong...or at least NEVER admitting it....i.e. Bush, Cheney, et al.

Diane from Illinois (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:38 PM)

Take a breath.....I've not read anything about the context of his statement or to whom it was made. I know that I have a great deal of respect for Justice Ginsburg and when I heard the news of her cancer I made a similar comment. Pancreatic cancer is a killer...just ask Jimmy Carter...

I just hate to think that we are going to assume the same self-righteous sort of nit-picking that we see so often from the right.

New Indi (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:38 PM)

Here you go Keith Olbermann! Another "I'm sorry" (so sorry, that I was such a fool...)

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 2:35 PM)

****************************************************

And just how many do you think your idol Olberman has offended with his ignorant rants.

BTW: I work with Pancreatic Cancer patients everyday. No one can predict how long a person has from the point of diagnoses, but the prognosis is bleak at best. Generally a person has about 6-9 months from diagnosis. Even with surgery, a persons prognosis is bleak. It may add 2-3 months to life but this is a terrible disease with a definitive ending. If she makes it until 2010, it will be a blessing but we have to look at it for what it is. Is it offensive when a Congressman says something that is actually dictated in many journals or is it offensive because he is Republican? You guys in here are so slanted...........

George, NC (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:42 PM)

To paraphrase Senator Bunning ~ "I happened to say somewhere in public that you'll be dead in six to nine months. I'm sorry if you took my comment wrong. Not that I can tell you what legitimate purpose a comment like that would serve, and not that I really said anything wrong, but just sorry if you were offended."

Why was it necessary to make a public statement about his opinion regarding Justice Ginsburg's health in the first place? What he said is probably true but it is not the polite thing to do to express that publicly. We wish her well and genuinely hope she does get better. It could happen and I personally hope she does. Shame, shame Sen. Bunning. Suppose it was you who had the cancer treatment and someone made such a public statement. How do you think you would feel? Would you be cold and uncaring, hurt, upset by such a callous statement? How would you feel, Sen.?

eagle1776 (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:46 PM)

I sent an email to his office this morning letting him know I thought it was unbelievely insensitive to use someone's health issue as a way to flex some political muscle. I'm sure I'm not the only one who emailed him. I suggest that he might be out of a job before the Justice Gensburg.

Stephanie Griffith, St. Louis, Missouri (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:47 PM)

I think the little SC senator is just another narrow, mean-spirited, down on his luck, neocon RePUKElican shithead who has not pride in his ancestry or hope for his posterity, the bastard!

Typical liberal hate mongers. The country is filled with them. This is the gun toting, rednecks that Obama talked about, so this has to be coming out of PA.

Ed Crane, Middlebury, IN (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:51 PM)

Sorry, that's an unacceptable apology! He's sorry IF she took offense?! He should apologize for his statement WHETHER OR NOT offense was taken! A CONDITIONAL apology is not an apology at all. Man-up and take responsibility for that which flows from your mouth.

Mark, Fort Mill, SC (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:51 PM)

Bunning will lead the GOP just like he lead the Reds...to disasater

Bob Colbert (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 3:58 PM)

Bushist Republicans who ruined this entire country in 8 short years continue to demonstrate their utter worthlessness as human beings.

John Doe, Seattle, Wash. (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 4:02 PM)

Why not a simple and authentic "I screwed up". McCain aplogized to Letterman that way, the President apologized to EVERYONE re the Daschle matter that way.

These unapolgetic apologies are just dumb. As several have said, bad karma tends to come back around.

Justice Ginsburg is now recovering from her 2nd cancer and still at work. It would be nice if her efforts to stay on the job were simply appreciated and not sneered at!

Ed, FW, TX (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 4:02 PM)

I just sent an e-mail to Senator Bunning's office relating the story of my wife, who was diagonsed with pancreatic cancer in January 2001 at the age of 57. Dr. Carlos Fernandez performed a "Whipple" (a 13-hour surgical procedure that removed the tumor) at Mass General in Boston. Now, eight (8) years later, Rose is the picture of good health and actually broke 100 for the first time today, after not taking up golf until after she survived pancreatic cancer. I do not know if Justice Ginsburg's surgery was a Whipple, but I wish her the best.

Charlie Murphy, Naples, Florida (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 4:07 PM)

Maybe he should think first next time before making tasteless and hurtful comments just to hear himself speak. What disgusting remarks to make about any person. How would he feel if the situation were reversed? Apologies don't replace the poor judgement and stupidity it took to make the comment in the first place.

Jody, Iowa (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 4:11 PM)

Another idiot Conservative that is lining up behind Limbaugh, Graham, Crying John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Sarah (plain and tall), Mitch McConnell, and the list will go on and on.

Bunning was a lot better pitcher than he is a politician! The problem is obvious...the Republicrooks don't have a "manager" yet to tell Bunnning he is being removed from the game and tell him to hit the showers!

A.Brocco,Albuquerque,NM (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 4:12 PM)

George Bush - destroy our stock market system - we can not recovery.

We must let it go and dissolve - it's now up too the main streeters to save this country.

The wall streeters are doomed - they can not be saved.

We must start a new – and carry on. George Bush - destroyed our economy and our financial system.

But - President Obama and his administration have another plan for a new system - once Wall Street crumbles completely.

Don't get it twisted "Wall Street" you control NOTHING!!!.

Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA

The - Democrat Soldier (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 4:17 PM)

What is Bunning "pitching"? Hoping that Obama appoints conservatives to the Supreme Court? Not a chance. Boy is he ripe to get Grand Slammed in 2010!

Rich, Pittsburgh, Pa (Sent Monday, February 23, 2009 4:34 PM)

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