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Politics : I Will Continue to Continue, to Pretend.... -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sully- who wrote (12603)	7/25/2005 8:09:13 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

THE FUNERAL CRASHER: SORRY EXCUSES By Michelle Malkin July 25, 2005 03:17 PM I just got off the phone with Sal Sirabella, Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll's chief of staff. They are in the midst of drafting a letter of apology to Marine Sgt. Joseph Goodrich's family, which I will post as soon as Sirabella faxes it over. Sirabella read parts of the letter on the phone, and it will include boilerplate pablum about how Knoll "supports the troops" and is "sorry for the misunderstanding" (as if the family is somehow to blame for misinterpreting her anti-war sermonizing at Sgt. Goodrich's mass?). Meantime, Sirabella says that Knoll has no plans to make herself available for public comment about her obnoxious crashing of Sgt. Goodrich's funeral. She will not hold a press conference. She will not take phone calls from the media. She will not address constituents who have complained or veterans who have protested. If Knoll thinks the letter is going to put things to rest, she clearly misunderstands the situation. Update 4pm EST: Here's the letter from Knoll addressed to Sgt. Goodrich's wife... <<< FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 25, 2005 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA Office of the Lieutenant Governor Commonwealth News Bureau Room 200, Main Capitol Harrisburg, PA 17120 LT. GOVERNOR CATHERINE BAKER KNOLL LETTER OF APOLOGY HARRISBURG: July 25, 2005 Dear Mrs. Goodrich, I am writing to further apologize and clarify what happened at the funeral of your beloved husband, Joseph. As a wife and mother, I can only imagine how difficult it must be to lose your spouse so suddenly. As an adored member of your family and one of Pennsylvania’s sons serving with soldiers from across the commonwealth, SSGT Joseph Goodrich, is one of this nation’s heroes. As I said in my phone message to Rhonda, after I learned through press reports that your family was offended by my attendance, I was incredibly upset. I wanted to assure you once again that my intention was not to add to what must be a tremendously, heartbreaking, difficult period. The war on terror is an immensely personal conflict for the thousands of people whose families continue to serve with honor, and I have attended dozens of funerals to offer my sympathy and condolences to the families of soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. My heart and prayers are with your family, and to the families of all the men and women serving the cause of freedom in the fight against terror. I unfortunately, did not arrive at the church services for SSGT Goodrich’s funeral in time to offer my personal condolences to you. As I also mentioned on Rhonda’s phone message, as I do with many Pennsylvanians I meet, I offered my business card so she could contact me, and as a sign of my willingness to help the family through this difficult time in any way I can. To do anything that was deemed insensitive was completely counter to my intent. Sergeant Goodrich’s service was beyond the call of duty. If my regard for his family’s grief was seen another way, it is thoroughly regrettable. The fact that you have been offended deserves and receives my most profound apology. I will continue to support our troops in my role as Lt. Governor and support our President as an American. That I somehow conveyed an impression that was interpreted as other than that will forever be saddening and upsetting to me. Again, please accept my heartfelt apology and deepest sympathy. Sincerely, Catherine Baker Knoll Lieutenant Governor >>> Brian J. Noggle observes: "When the first words of a personal message are FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, you know it's a poll-felt communication from a politician." Yep. Blackfive: ""One of Pennsylvania's sons"? Guess that makes the Lieutenant Governor the Wicked Step-Mother..." *** Previous: Update: The funeral crasher michellemalkin.com Outrage: The funeral crasher michellemalkin.com michellemalkin.com ltgovernor.state.pa.us

To: Sully- who wrote (12603)	7/26/2005 3:04:10 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

THE FUNERAL CRASHER: FALLOUT By Michelle Malkin July 26, 2005 09:01 AM The family of Marine Staff Sgt. Joseph Goodrich accepts Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll's apology, but hoped for more: <<< "We asked for an apology and that's what we got," said Rhonda Goodrich, Joseph Goodrich's sister-in-law, who has been speaking on behalf of the family. She said the apology was accepted, although the family had also wanted Knoll to apologize to the Marine Corps. "Probably, in all honesty, she didn't even know she was acting inappropriately, she's so out there," said Goodrich, of Indiana. "The business card, I will always believe, was handed out as campaign fodder." Knoll said in her letter that she arrived too late to offer her personal condolences. That rankled Rhonda Goodrich, who said she believed Knoll came to get publicity. "She didn't have time to be with Amy or Joe's parents, but she made time for the TV cameras," she said. "That's where I'm still a little bitter." Goodrich said Knoll remarked to Joseph Goodrich's aunt that "our government" was opposed to the war. >>> The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, which broke the story, runs this telling photo this morning of Knoll hogging the TV camera during SSGT Goodrich's funeral: michellemalkin.com <<< Knoll's spokesman, Sean Pendrak, would not say whether Knoll is reconsidering her policy of attending funerals without an invitation. >>> Clueless. The Pittsburgh Tribune Review blasts both Knoll and Gov. Ed Rendell, who remarked that "It's not the business of state government to support the war." <<< [That] would be news to those federal agencies, D.C. politicos and nongovernmental organizations to which the state has been whining about potential military base closings in Pennsylvania, citing the war effort and national security. Apologies were the order of the day Monday. But the damage was done and the egg on the face is thick. The best public service Knoll could perform would be to not seek re-election. As for Rendell, he could use a class in thinking before speaking. >>> WaPo/AP story here. washingtonpost.com michellemalkin.com zwire.com philly.com pittsburghlive.com