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Kagen Apologizes For Behavior At White House
WFRV.COM ^ | 22 JANUARY 2007 | AP

Posted on 01/22/2007 7:06:32 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist

(AP) WASHINGTON -- Freshman Congressman Steve Kagen has apologized to constituents for mishandling reports of his behavior at a reception where he taunted White House adviser Karl Rove.

"You have probably heard more about my appearance at last year's White House reception for new lawmakers than you have about the issues my colleagues and I are grappling with today on your behalf," the Democrat wrote in an op-ed piece that ran in several Wisconsin newspapers Sunday. "And that's a shame because you deserve better.

"I apologize for handling this situation as I did. I allowed this distraction to get out of hand and divert our attention from the critically important work we are doing. My mishandled attempt at humor wasn't delivered or received well. It won't happen again."

Kagen's office declined an interview request Monday.

At issue is a story in The Scene, a Fox Valley monthly, in which Kagen told a group of peace activists that he taunted Rove, Vice President Dick Cheney and First Lady Laura Bush at a White House reception for new lawmakers in November.

The story said:

Kagen saw Rove in the bathroom, blocked his exit, and said, "You're in the White House and you think you're safe, huh? You recognize me? My name's Dr. Multimillionaire and I kicked your ass."

He then came across Vice President Dick Cheney and told him, "Mr. Vice President, thank you for your service to the nation, and thank you so much for coming to Green Bay and campaigning against me. I couldn't have won without your help."

And when he had a chance to take a photo with President Bush and his wife, Kagen told Bush he couldn't have won the race without him coming to Wisconsin, too.

"Then I go to his wife, 'Hi Barbara, how are ya?' I did that because I learned on the campaign that the meanest thing you can say to another gentlemen is, 'He's a fine fellow,' and you then refer to his spouse by a different name."

Bush's mother's name is Barbara.

But the White House has denied Kagen's version of events, and he has backed away from his original account. He told the Oshkosh Northwestern last week that he never insulted the Bushes.

He told The Associated Press in November that his comment to Rove was, "I'm the one who beat you in Wisconsin." In his op-ed piece, Kagen said that he and others may differ on specific issues in the future.

"But I won't let my constituents down," he promised.


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: assclown; assclownkagen; braggadoccio; kagen
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To: msnimje
Kagen was bragging in front of the "peace activists" so of course, he made himself look like the guy who went into the White House and kicked the President, First Lady, Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove around, for laughs.

"I'm Doctor Multimillionaire"? Gawd, who hasn't met a blowhard like this? If you are lucky enough not to know someone who is a self-aggrandizing little dweeb, think of John Stewart. He is only amusing on his show, any other time you see him on TV, Stewart is a very angry and unhappy man. Now he has had to semi-apologize. How many times does Kagen talk about his critical work in Congress? He just got there! Also, it was a "mishandled attempt at humor" just like Kerry's big joke about the troops in Iraq.

Shine a light on a rat. Watch him scurry.
21 posted on 01/22/2007 7:33:56 PM PST by ishabibble (ALL-AMERICAN INFIDEL)
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To: gotribe

Interesting picture at his allergy clinic web site.

That little girl on the right looks just like JonBenet Ramsay to me. Can't make up my mind whether the whole picture is cute or gruesome.


22 posted on 01/22/2007 7:37:38 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Botched joke™...Democrat Trademark.


23 posted on 01/22/2007 7:39:47 PM PST by RGSpincich
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Maybe Kagen can get a job at the New York Times if the politican thing doesn't work out. But hey what would you expect from people who learned their manners from Howard Dean.


24 posted on 01/22/2007 7:42:25 PM PST by fkabuckeyesrule (If a cow freezes to death does that mean we got ice cream?)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

I've said it before but I'll repeat it here - those who were happy that the adults were in charge are now watching the kiddies return. It's going to be a long two years.


25 posted on 01/22/2007 7:45:01 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

What can I say? You either have class and manners or you are a scumbag.


26 posted on 01/22/2007 7:53:09 PM PST by IrishCatholic (No local communist or socialist party chapter? Join the Democrats, it's the same thing.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
Who hasn't known a little weasel like him, who shrinks into the background in reality, but in the later re-telling portrays himself as the man with the instant wit. I'm thinking he may actually have managed to mumble something mild to Rove along the lines of, "Hello Mr. Rove, I'm the Democrat who won the X District in Wisconsin" or whatever, which comment the little Napoleon subsequently built up in his own mind as having been a flaming attack on Rove and all Republicans.

In other words, he's a classic dweeb.

27 posted on 01/22/2007 8:04:56 PM PST by KellyAdmirer
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

What a doofus. Is this what we can expect for leadership from now on? Beam me up, Scotty! I'm in the Twilight Zone.


28 posted on 01/22/2007 8:07:05 PM PST by Marysecretary (GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL.)
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To: RGSpincich

HE and his brother John Kerry are both botched jokes.


29 posted on 01/22/2007 8:09:03 PM PST by Marysecretary (GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

What a punk ass. Unfortunately, he will be right at home in congress.


30 posted on 01/22/2007 8:27:48 PM PST by paul51 (11 September 2001 - Never forget)
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To: NittanyLion
A Jim Webb in training, perhaps.

At least Webb makes a failing attempt. Kagen doesn't even try to show some class.

31 posted on 01/22/2007 8:30:43 PM PST by Hacksaw (Appalachian by the grace of God!)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

This guy is a unstable basket case.


32 posted on 01/22/2007 8:31:09 PM PST by AZRepublican ("The degree in which a measure is necessary can never be a test of the legal right to adopt it.")
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
Kagen introduces a little levity to the White House

While meeting last month with a group of area peace activists, then Congressman-elect Steve Kagen told a story of his first visit to the White House that shows a feisty and humorous side to our new man in Congress.

He told the group one of the first lessons he learned in Washington is to never pass up a rest room because you don’t know when you’ll see one again.

He’d already had a long day of freshman orientation when he and his wife, Gail, were expected at the White House. Upon arrival, he asks a Marine where he can find a rest room, and is sent down a long flight of stairs, to another Marine, who directs him to a rest room.

“It’s a small room ­– two spots on the wall, one stall one sink. I see in the mirror the door opens, and who walks in, Karl Rove (Bush’s deputy chief of staff who was charged with orchestrating strategies for the 2006 general election).”

After Rove washed his hands (“At least he’s a hand washer,” Kagen said), he attempted to leave, but Kagen prevented his departure by holding the door closed and said, “You’re in the White House and you think your safe, huh? You recognize me? My name’s Dr. Multimillionaire and I kicked your ass.”

Kagen expected to make Rove squirm, but said acted like it was a tennis match and simply said, ‘Oh, congratulations.’

“We’re walking up these long steps, I stopped him and said, ‘Look, the race is over. We’re here to do the people’s business. I want you to join me on something, but you can’t steal it, I’ve got the trademark, ‘No patient left behind.’ He goes, ‘I like the sound of that.’ We get to the top of the steps and there’s Vice President Cheney with a glass of white wine and a hand in his pocket. So I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity. Gail wasn’t there to hold me back. ‘Mr. Vice President, thank you for your service to the nation, and thank you so much for coming to Green Bay and campaigning against me. I couldn’t have won without your help.’

He then asked Cheney to enunciate his vision for Iraq.

“ ‘Well, Id like to see a stable government that could take care of itself and its people.’ I said, ‘at what price?’ He said, ‘I don’t understand your point.’ I walked away. Then we had an opportunity to take a picture with the president and his wife. I was feeling real good at this point.

“I said to my wife, ‘Honey, just follow my lead.’ She said, ‘Steven, it’s the president.’ I said, ‘Yeah, but he’s not any taller than I am.’ So the cameraman’s here. We’re introduced by a Marine. I said, ‘Mr. President , thank you for coming to Green Bay. My name is Dr. Multimillionaire.That was before the race. Now they call me Doctor Thousandaire. I couldn’t have won without you coming.’”

He said Bush gave one of his smiles and said, ‘I’ve lost a lot of money in my life, too.’ Then I go to his wife, ‘Hi Barbara, how are ya?’ I did that because I learned on the campaign that the meanest thing you can say to another gentlemen is, ‘he’s a fine fellow,’ and you then refer to his spouse by a different name.”

Expect this side of Kagen to show up when he appears on the “Colbert Report” in February.

33 posted on 01/22/2007 8:39:56 PM PST by jordan8
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Photo of Steve Kagen with his twin brother "Ass Clown"!
...not sure which is which since they are identical!


34 posted on 01/22/2007 8:41:28 PM PST by Bommer (If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?)
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To: AZRepublican

No where in this 'apology' do I see the words, "I lied". George Allen was crucified over his use of ONE word and lost his election. But all we get from this blowhard is an "oops"...and "I MISHANDLED a situation."


35 posted on 01/22/2007 8:44:31 PM PST by Carolinamom (To oppose everything while proposing nothing is irresponsible. -- President Bush)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Class, they're all class...

I imagine Mrs. Bush smiled at him and shook his hand anyway - and waited to wash her hand thoroughly until everyone had gone home.


36 posted on 01/22/2007 9:27:04 PM PST by Redbob
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

What an ass.


37 posted on 01/22/2007 9:29:38 PM PST by JCEccles
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Another classy Dem.


38 posted on 01/23/2007 7:16:37 AM PST by pabianice
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Typical Dimwitted, little boy trapped in a man's body.


39 posted on 01/23/2007 7:20:14 AM PST by VeniVidiVici (Celebrate Monocacy!)
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