Today's winner is Republican Congressman Rep. Patrick McHenry. He gets the award for the following.
A North Carolina congressman has apologized for calling a contract employee in Baghdad a "two-bit security guard."It was incorrectly reported at this blog that McHenry was calling a soldier a 'two-bit security guard'. I'm going to The Think Progress post and one of its critics blogger Michael Goldfarb in another post.Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., used that term when talking about a visit to Iraq where he was denied access to a gymnasium. "It was a poor choice of words to describe a foreign contractor," McHenry said in a statement.
McHenry was recorded at a local Republican fundraising dinner talking about his visit and being annoyed when he was denied gym privileges while staying in VIP quarters in the pool house of a palace once used by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. A copy of the video is available on YouTube.
While some reports have said McHenry was referring to a U.S. service member, McHenry and his staff said the person was a contractor providing security at the embassy.
Now back to McHenry. Even if it was a contractor, his behavior is out of line. Both bloggers Don Surber and Ed Morrissey agree with me. A contractor in Iraq is putting himself in danger for this nation. He or she deserves more than to be treated like shit by some spoiled congressman. The lack of respect Congressman Rep. Patrick McHenry has for people putting their lives on the line in Iraq is why I name him today's Knucklehead of the Day,
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Congress, House of Representatives, Iraq, Knucklehead of the Day, Politics, Republicans
Comments (7)
Bill, this is a very poor ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by SPQR | April 5, 2008 12:52 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Bill, this is a very poor choice for a knucklehead award. Its been shown that the comment was taken out of context and is arguably something the congressman was talking about in a self-deprecating manner. The video has been shown to be conveniently edited.
I think this is another example of a poor choice for this on your part. I think you need to reconsider your criteria for these kind of posts more carefully.
1. Posted by SPQR | April 5, 2008 12:52 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 5, 2008 12:52
2. Posted by Baggi | April 5, 2008 1:00 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
I think Bill, Don and Ed get the knucklehead of the day award for this one.
These liberal blogs schnookered you guys. He was being self-deprecating. Saying in effect, "Here I was, angry and upset at this guy who was just doing his job and then bang, I learn that had he not done his job, i'd be dead. What an idiot I was."
2. Posted by Baggi | April 5, 2008 1:00 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 5, 2008 13:00
3. Posted by Laddy | April 5, 2008 2:35 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Gotta agree with the points above. You jumped on this before getting all the facts like Morrisey and Surber, et.al.
3. Posted by Laddy | April 5, 2008 2:35 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 5, 2008 14:35
4. Posted by mcg | April 5, 2008 3:24 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Yeah, he gets a pass from my. First of all, the context shows that he was basically admitting he wasn't acting very well. And second, he goes on to reveal tat the guard's actions (and those of his supervisor) may very well have saved his life. And finally, he still apologized. It was a knuckleheaded things to say, but a knucklehead he is not.
4. Posted by mcg | April 5, 2008 3:24 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 5, 2008 15:24
5. Posted by mcg | April 5, 2008 3:25 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Sorry for the obvious typos.
5. Posted by mcg | April 5, 2008 3:25 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 5, 2008 15:25
6. Posted by SPQR | April 5, 2008 7:05 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Hot Air's post on this subject which I think shows why this is not an appropriate "knucklehead" award.
6. Posted by SPQR | April 5, 2008 7:05 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 5, 2008 19:05
7. Posted by Jim Beam | April 6, 2008 12:17 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
It was only taken out of context by a few blogs- even if it was a "Security contractor" like the person who brought the news to light (McHenry's opponent) said, it's still a stupid and horrible thing for him to say. Since when is a security contractor in any less danger?
Original press release:
http://sigmonforcongress.com/pressrelease/mchenry-calls-sentry-two-bit-lies-about-death.html
7. Posted by Jim Beam | April 6, 2008 12:17 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 6, 2008 12:17