PostPolitics announces that Arlington, Tennessee Mayor Russell Wiseman apologizes for his unwise statements accussing President Obama of deliberately scheduling his Afghanistan speech to pre-empt the "Peanuts" Christmas Special.
Regarding all of the reports about my recent Facebook remarks, I want to take this opportunity to say how much I regret that I offended anyone with my poor attempt at tongue-in-cheek humor amongst friends. While my comments were certainly blown way out of proportion, I do recognize that I allowed things to go too far.
As you might have guessed, I don’t really care for President Obama or his policies. That being said, I understand how my comments might have been interpreted by people who don’t know me and who have no reason to give me the benefit of the doubt. When defenders of President Obama started chiming in on the Facebook comment thread, I’m afraid I let my frustrations and my sarcastic and joking nature get the best of me, and so I egged and goaded them on within the confines of what I considered at the time to be a semi-private conversation among friends.
I trust that we have probably all experienced things getting out of hand from time to time, and I do regret it. I also take some measure of comfort in knowing that the people who know me best, and who know my background, my work in the community, and my heart — they understand that I am a progressive and tolerant person who believes wholeheartedly in the rights and equality of all people. I think my record and the way I live my life certainly reflects those views, and I hate that I may have caused anyone to question my commitment to it. I also regret any embarrassment that might have been unfairly visited on my friends, my family, my church, and the citizens and officials of the Town of Arlington.
One troubling and eye-opening aspect of this whole episode has been the literally hundreds and hundreds of fanatics who have directed some of the most vile and profane comments towards me and my family that I’ve ever heard, including making physical threats and even posting my home phone number and address online for the benefit of the fringe element.
In the interest of moving forward, I will not be giving interviews or fielding questions because I have no interest in taking any step that might perpetuate this whole episode or inadvertently be interpreted as an attempt to dignify my unfortunate comments. I have learned a valuable lesson, and I look forward to moving on and focusing on the business of the Town of Arlington in a manner befitting the good citizens I represent.”
Hrrrrm. I am tempted to speculate about what was meant but not said...
ReplyDelete'I have learned a valuable lesson. The expression of the Revealed Truth that God whispers in my ear when I sleep at night after drinking a quart of moonshine is meant for my ears alone. I should not share it with the general public because they will look at me funny, challenge me to support it with evidence, and generally suspect me of being stupid and/or insane. Instead I must quietly wait for the Second Coming of Sarah Palin and then humbly lobby for an appointment to the new position of Secretary of Schultz.'
Not as funny as my Joe Lieberman bit, sadly, but it's the best I could manage.
including making physical threats and even posting my home phone number and address online for the benefit of the fringe element.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of thing needs to be condemned, regardless of who's doing it or to whom. There are more than enough legitimate ways of responding to malignant stupidity like Wiseman's without resorting to ugly harassment.
Infidel: I totally agree with you. But, is this guy telling the truth? Politicians caught in the squeeze aren't above making such false claims. There have been a couple lately but right now I can't think of them - of course.
ReplyDeleteActually, I think Palin has even used it - surprise, surprise.