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Kirk says he regrets words on Iraq, race - Cornyn sought apology for 'divisive comments'
The Dallas Morning News ^ | September 18, 2002 | By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News

Posted on 09/18/2002 1:55:41 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP


Kirk says he regrets words on Iraq, race

Cornyn sought apology for 'divisive comments' about his motivations

09/18/2002

By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News

Democratic Senate candidate Ron Kirk, dogged by criticism that he insulted military personnel, said Tuesday that he regretted saying last week that GOP rival John Cornyn's position on a possible war with Iraq was motivated by race and class.

In a statement released by his campaign, Mr. Kirk said his remarks were based on his "concern about each and every American who potentially will be on the front lines fighting in Iraq."

"I regret the way I stated those concerns and had no intention of offending anyone, particularly those who serve or like my father have served this country," he said.

Mr. Kirk, however, did not say whether he stood by his original comments, which included him saying that U.S. forces fighting Iraq would be "disproportionately minority" and that Mr. Cornyn "would be just as deliberative as the rest of us" if his wealthy friends were on the front lines.

"I think the statement speaks for itself," said Justin Lonon, a spokesman for Mr. Kirk, who was in Washington for a fund-raiser. "He regrets the way he stated his concerns."

*
AP
Senate hopeful John Cornyn visits students in Fort Worth.

Mr. Cornyn was campaigning Tuesday in Dallas and Fort Worth when he called on Mr. Kirk to apologize for the "firestorm" he created with remarks about the military's ethnicity. The Kirk campaign then issued its statement, and Mr. Cornyn later said Mr. Kirk's "regret" was appropriate.

"There are people who want to serve their country for patriotic reasons and Mr. Kirk turned that into something ugly," Mr. Cornyn said. "His divisive comments were shot out of the blue and they offended me because my dad served in the Air Force for 31 years."

Mr. Kirk's father, the first black postal worker in Austin, was a veteran of World War II.

Iraq and politics

As part of Mr. Kirk's statement, he accused Mr. Cornyn of using the Iraq question for political gain.

"John Cornyn is the only Senate candidate in the nation who has tried to politicize the important decision about how we conduct a war in Iraq," said the former Dallas mayor.

"Throughout this campaign, my opponent has attempted to distort my position on the war on terrorism, my support of President Bush and our troops and my support of a strong national defense."

Mr. Cornyn, the state attorney general, rejected the accusations.

"I wish he would make it clear," Mr. Cornyn said. "The problem is that Mr. Kirk's position on this and other subjects is very fluid. When he encounters public criticism over what he's said, he tries to cover up his opinions and make them more politically palatable."

The Senate candidates sparring over Iraq began when Mr. Cornyn criticized Mr. Kirk for siding with Senate Democrats and calling for a deliberate approach before possibly attacking Saddam Hussein.

Mr. Kirk said the president should get support for a military strike against Iraq from the United Nations, Congress and the American public.

Mr. Cornyn said the United States should deal with Iraq regardless of how the rest of the world felt.

After Mr. Cornyn questioned Mr. Kirk's views, the Democrat called it a knock against his patriotism. At a campaign event with veterans Friday in San Antonio, he lashed out at Mr. Cornyn.

"I wonder how excited they'd be if I get to the United States Senate, and I put forth a resolution that says the next time we go to war the first 500,000 kids have to come from families who earn a million dollars or more," he said to the veterans.

He later said minorities would do most of the fighting in a war with Iraq.

Critics of the Vietnam War had similar sentiments.

"Look who would be doing the fighting," Mr. Kirk said later that day. "They're disproportionately ethnic; they're disproportionately minority. ... The point is, I would be curious to see if we would go to war without any thought of loss if the first half-million kids to go came from families who made $1 million."

According to the Department of Defense, minorities as of September 2000 made up 41 percent of the uniformed personnel in the Army, 36 percent in the Navy, 32 percent in the Marines and 25 percent in the Air Force.

Saturday, Mr. Kirk stood by his comments, which he said were motivated by his anger at Mr. Cornyn's suggestion that the Democrats were not being supportive of Mr. Bush.

"Everyone commended the president and stood with him after his speech to the United Nations," Mr. Kirk said. "It just bothers me ... that John Cornyn would question my patriotism because I didn't make a blanket pledge to go [to war]."

Other remarks

Mr. Cornyn said Tuesday that his criticism of Mr. Kirk was based on policy, not his personal patriotism. He suggested Mr. Kirk was prone to making reckless statements on the campaign trail, only to later back away from them.

In August, Mr. Kirk apologized to Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas after he accused Mr. Cornyn of trying to score political points by criticizing Travis County prosecutors for not seeking the death penalty against a man convicted of killing a sheriff's deputy.

Some law officers were upset because Mr. Kirk had not taken a stand on whether he supported the death penalty for offenders who intentionally kill police officers. Mr. Kirk told the group his campaign's statement was more "political than thoughtful."

More recently, Mr. Kirk said his campaign erred in suggesting that the Cornyn attorney general's office allowed racist testimony to be used in several murder trials.

Other Republicans have been quick to criticize Mr. Kirk.

Campaigning in Dallas, Republican Gov. Rick Perry said Mr. Kirk's initial remarks on the military were inappropriate.

"I think Ron's about 35 years too late with his statement," he said. "That sounds like something that I heard in 1967, 1968 from the radical left. We have a volunteer Army today. Day in and day out, I am proud of the young men and women who volunteer to serve their country, keep us free."

Also in Dallas, Tony Sanchez, the Democratic nominee for governor, declined to comment on Mr. Kirk's remarks, but said he supported Mr. Bush's approach in dealing with Iraq.

E-mail gjeffers@dallasnews.com


Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/tsw/stories/091802dntexsenate.4371.html


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: imminentiraqwar; johncornyn; ronkirk; texas; texassenaterace; traitorkirk
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John Cornyn-R, left, and Ron Kirk-D

1 posted on 09/18/2002 1:55:41 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: MeeknMing
Oh man. Politicization? Whiteness vs. blackness regarding the war was gross politicization. Amazing how Kirk can keep making cuts while he's standing in a puddle of his own blood. That offers another invitation for Cornyn to speak.
2 posted on 09/18/2002 1:57:55 AM PDT by Arthur Wildfire! March
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To: MeeknMing
Kirk doesn't want parents to have any say when their child decides to murder her own flesh and blood. [Teen abortions.] Pretty extreme. In fact, he doesn't even want a justice to be appointed to a Federal Court if that justice wants parental consent.
3 posted on 09/18/2002 2:00:11 AM PDT by Arthur Wildfire! March
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To: Arthur Wildfire! March
This race is why I'm keeping my registration in Texas whilst I'm out here on the left coast for law school. I would love for Simon to beat Davis, but the Senate is more important to me right now.
Cornyn is as boring as Gramm, but like Gramm he's smart and represents what I believe.
4 posted on 09/18/2002 2:06:39 AM PDT by GOPyouth
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To: GOPyouth; Arthur Wildfire! March
Thanks, folks !!


Don't worry, John. With you and
Thune in the Senate, we can put a
muzzle on Daschle!


5 posted on 09/18/2002 2:36:59 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: MeeknMing
Another 'Rat hugs the Iraq tar-baby.

What positive thing could a 'Rat possibly have to say about war with Iraq, the single most important issue of our time?

You know, for a dumb guy, that Bush feller is pretty smart!

6 posted on 09/18/2002 2:50:00 AM PDT by gridlock
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To: MeeknMing
"When he encounters public criticism over what he's said, he tries to cover up his opinions and make them more politically palatable."

If Clinton was the first Black President, then Kirk is the first Black Clinton-- at least the first one to run for office. They are peas in the same pod.

7 posted on 09/18/2002 4:33:22 AM PDT by San Jacinto
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To: MeeknMing
Ron Kirk sure does seem to have a bad habit of regretting things he says. What's next? Lip biting as he clutches his Bible?
8 posted on 09/18/2002 6:52:40 AM PDT by Coop
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To: San Jacinto
"I think the statement speaks for itself," said Justin Lonon, a spokesman for Mr. Kirk, who was in Washington for a fund-raiser. "He regrets the way he stated his concerns."

I'm not familiar with this Texas town. Is it near San Angelo?

9 posted on 09/18/2002 6:54:44 AM PDT by Coop
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To: Coop
I'm thinking that the reference to Washington must be "Washington-on-the-Brazos" since I'm sure Ron wouldn't be in the District for a fundraiser
10 posted on 09/18/2002 6:59:11 AM PDT by TexasRepublicans
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To: TexasRepublicans
No-o-o-o-o-o-o, certainly not here in the district. Kirk's a Texan, for Texan concerns! ;-)
11 posted on 09/18/2002 7:33:17 AM PDT by Coop
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To: MeeknMing
Sorry Ron, too late you lose!
12 posted on 09/18/2002 7:58:44 AM PDT by CPT Clay
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To: Arthur Wildfire! March
Kirk was out of state again?!? How many days has he even been in State?
13 posted on 09/18/2002 8:00:48 AM PDT by CPT Clay
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To: MeeknMing
Kirk says he regrets that he got caught.
14 posted on 09/18/2002 8:01:09 AM PDT by InvisibleChurch
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To: MeeknMing
Kirk also said that if he went to the Senate he would propose “a resolution that says the next time we go to war, the first 500,000 kids have to come from families who earn $1 million or more.”

http://www.msnbc.com/news/808740.asp
15 posted on 09/18/2002 8:34:02 AM PDT by finnman69
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To: InvisibleChurch

KIRK IRKS!


16 posted on 09/18/2002 8:35:47 AM PDT by antivenom
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To: antivenom

JERKS love KIRK


17 posted on 09/18/2002 8:39:59 AM PDT by antivenom
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To: Coop
Maybe it is Washington-on-the-Brazos---where they signed the Texas Declaration of Independance. I doubt, though, that he would get much fund raising done at that location.
18 posted on 09/18/2002 9:30:29 AM PDT by San Jacinto
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To: MeeknMing
Screw the apology! Go for the jugular, Cornyn!

I'm still waiting for the reportage to surface regarding Mr. Kirk's ethical lapses as Mayor. My favorite is where his wife made over $500K while sitting on the board of a Tom Hicks controlled company. I'm sure it was mere coincidence that Mayor Kirk spent so much time and effort getting the bond issue for the new arena passed.

Hey Ron, it's got to be easy to be a 'public servant' when your law firm paid your salary during your tenure as mayor, and you contributed very little in billable hours. Gee, I wonder how they benefitted while you were in office?

I'm not holding my breath while I wait for you to disclose these items to your adoring marketing department, known to all DFW Metroplexites as The Dallas Morning News.

19 posted on 09/18/2002 9:40:39 AM PDT by Night Hides Not
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To: MeeknMing
Not as much as Kirk will regret being a racist after he looses the election in November.

The rats are running scared. They know that they are toast in the November elections. Disallusioned Dems will stay home and pi$$ed off Republican voters are going to turn out in droves.

Keep it up DNC, you are motivating Republicans better than the RNC is capable of doing. :) (Note to RNC: Wake up, as sooner or later the DNC will and they will stop doing your job for you.)
20 posted on 09/18/2002 10:12:31 AM PDT by anymouse
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