Update: When an apology is not a apology

Tony Bennett "apologizes" for 9/11 remark

Tony Bennett has apologized for remarks he made during an interview with Howard Stern Monday.

Talking about 9/11, Bennett said the U.S. caused the attacks.

In a statement issued late Tuesday, according to Newsday.com, Bennett said, "There is simply no excuse for terrorism and the murder of the nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks on our country. My life experiences -- ranging from the Battle of the Bulge (in World War II) to marching with Martin Luther King -- made me a lifelong humanist and pacifist, and reinforced my belief that violence begets violence and that war is the lowest form of human behavior.

"I am sorry if my statements suggested anything other than an expression of my love for my country, my hope for humanity and my desire for peace throughout the world."

While promoting his new album of duets, "Duets II," on Stern's radio show, Bennett asserted that the U.S. was responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

"They flew the plane in, but we caused it," Bennett told Stern, according to the New York Daily News. The "they" in his statement is presumably terrorists.

(This is particularly disturbing) 

Bennett also says former president George W. Bush admitted to him that the war in Iraq was a mistake. At an event at the Kennedy Center to honor Bennett, the singer says Mr. Bush told him, "I think I made a mistake," according to the Daily News.

A spokesman for Mr. Bush denied that to the Daily News, telling the newspaper, calling the account "flatly wrong."

"President Bush has always felt, and consistently expressed, that America is safer without Saddam Hussein in power," spokesman Freddy Ford said to the Daily News. "He has never said the decision to liberate Iraq was a mistake to Mr. Bennett or to anyone."

Update: When an apology is not a apology

Author Provides Evidence Of 'Hostile' Workplace Claim In White House

The author of an explosive new book offering an inside account of the Obama presidency is fighting back against charges that he plagiarized material and falsely accused the White House of creating a "hostile" work environment for women. 

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Suskind's book, "Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and The Education of A President," was released Tuesday amid a firestorm of controversy over the depiction of a dysfunctional White House fueled by testosterone at the expense of top female advisers who said they felt outgunned at meetings and excluded from key conversations.

On Tuesday, Suskind described the book as "solid as a brick."

"The book was pushed through with great effort and the fact is, is that this book, like all the books that I've written, is densely sourced and the analysis is picture-perfect," Suskind told NBC's "Today" show. 

According to a Washington Post account of the book, former White House communications director Anita Dunn is quoted as saying, "This place would be in court for a hostile workplace. Because it actually fits all of the classic legal requirements for a genuinely hostile workplace to women."

But Dunn, who is married to former White House counsel Bob Bauer, told the newspaper in an interview on Friday that she told Suskind "point blank" that the White House "was not a hostile environment."

"The president is someone who when he goes home at night he goes home to a house full of very strong women," she said. "He values having strong women around him."

But Suskind allowed a Post reporter to listen to a recorded excerpt of the original interview, which occurred via telephone in April, that includes Dunn's "hostile" remark. 

"With Anita, The Washington Post this morning confirms the quote," Suskind said. "I had to do something that I've never done before, but I said it's a special occasion, which is I let The Washington Post listen to the tape. "They're like, there it is clear as a bell."

Although Jarrett acknowledged the Obama White House had a problem with women, White House spokesman Jay Carney still questioned the accuracy of the book overall.

Carney acknowledged he has yet to read the book.

Dunn made the comment as she recounted for Suskind a conversation she had with senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, the newspaper reported.

Author Provides Evidence Of 'Hostile' Workplace Claim In White House

I think he left more then his heart in SF

Tony Bennett, legendary crooner, delivers rant about 9/11 on Howard Stern show: 'We caused' it

Legendary singer Tony Bennett raised eyebrows in a bizarre interview with Howard Stern when he proclaimed that "we caused" the 9/11 attacks and former President George W. Bush admitted to him that the Iraq war was a mistake.

"They flew the plane in, but we caused it," the 85-year-old crooner told Stern on his Sirius Radio show Monday night. "Because we were bombing them and they told us to stop."

Bennett's controversial answer came after Stern asked the World War II vet how the U.S. should deal with the terrorists responsible for toppling the Twin Towers.

"But who are the terrorists?" Bennett said, according to ABC News. "Are we the terrorists or are they the terrorists? Two wrongs don't make a right."

Bennett went on to describe a night in 2005 when then-President Bush made a frank admission to him about the war in Iraq.

The pair were at an event at the Kennedy Center honoring Bennett.

"He told me personally that night that, he said, 'I think I made a mistake,'" said Bennett, who was appearing on the show to promote his new album, "Duets II."

Bennett said he believed that the president made this revelation because "he had a special liking to me."

Bush could not immediately be reached for comment.

Bennett said he just so happens to agree with the former president.

"To start a war in Iraq was a tremendous, tremendous mistake internationally," he said.

I think he left more then his heart in SF

Well...which is it?

You can't have it both ways.

After he said this he now wants to raise taxes by 1.5 trillion. The only bone of contention; are we or are we not in a recession?

 Recession defined is a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters.

 However, U.S. real gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 1.0 percent in the second quarter of 2011, that is, from the first quarter to the second quarter. In the first quarter, real GDP increased 0.4 percent.

So technically, by a hair, we are not in a recession. But by raising taxes in this environment is tantamount to visiting your sick uncle in the hospital on life support after a heart attack and asking him if he would like to join you for a 10K run.

His catchphrase bullshit about millionaires and billionaires...fairness... and shared sacrifice is just that --bullshit. 


Just once I would like a reporter to ask.


 Mr President how is it 47% of all Americans who earn a living pay no income tax whatsoever? Explain to me how that is fair?





How could someone who has never run a business conduct the business of government?

Well...which is it?

This one slipped by me

 Not a joke.

He actually said this. 

Obama made the remark before a gathering of 50 donors to his reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee who each paid $35,800 to attend.

  To bad Fantasy Island was cancelled. He could have had the starring role.

 January 2010 he said this.

"I'd rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president."

He failed on both assertions. 

1. Jimmy Carter is looking "really good"compared to him. 

2. As far as "mediocre"... he can only pray he rises to that level.

This one slipped by me