Owens' jokes get gonged

[Freddie Stubbs]

Remarks at Michigan event offend Francophiles, embassy officials

By Susan Greene
Denver Post Staff Writer

France's U.S. Embassy blasted Gov. Bill Owens on Monday for "unfortunate and ill-informed" jokes about the French.

Keynoting Saturday at the Michigan Republican Party Convention, Owens quipped, "You know why they planted those big trees along the boulevard in Paris? So the invading armies could march in the shade."

And, he continued, "You know why the new French navy has glass-bottom boats? So it can see the old French navy."

C'est dommage, responded Nathalie Loiseau of the French Embassy in Washington. She admonished Colorado's two-term governor for "uselessly practicing French bashing for the purpose of playing politics." Owens delivered his riffs to a crowd of 2,000 Michigan Republicans after contrasting President Bush's leadership with that of likely Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. Kerry, he said, "would wait for a permission slip to be filled out by the United Nations and initialed by France" before rebuilding Iraq.

more: http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E53%257E2169586,00.html

[johnlal]

1. Pitiful

Leave the humor to the comedians. These Republicans think that if it's funny on Rush Limbaugh, it must be funny in the mainstream as well. I'm and American of French descent. I remember stories about the anti-immigrant massacres that my family had to endure. It sickens me that we are going back to the Know-Nothing era. Don't these politicians think before they talk?

[Jivenwail]

2. These people have no shame

What disgraceful behavior for an elected official. It's maddening that these people feel they can say/do whatever they want because they think it's acceptable. This is disgusting and I sincerely hope that our good friends in Colorado throw this guy out on his ass when he is up for reelection.

[coloradodem2005]

3. He can't run again anyway.

He is term limited and this is his second term. He will be gone after 2006.

[mountainvue]

4. I'd like to

crack Governor Glass Jaw in the mouth just once.

[CO Liberal]

5. You'll Have to Stand in Line

There's a lot of people ahead of you....

[donco6]

6. He's been invisible for quite some time.

And then this stupid faux pas. I'm not sure what we're paying him for.

[mountainvue]

7. Why, to be the CEO

governor. Run a leaner, meaner Colorado state government. Fewer state services for more money. Oh yeah, our budget surplus is gone too.