U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz made a seriously ill-timed crack about Vice President Joe Biden.
Cruz, a Texas Republican and a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination, made the quip to a Republican audience.
He then apologized. Immediately and sincerely.
He said this: “It was a mistake to use an old joke about Joe Biden during his time of grief, and I sincerely apologize. The loss of his son is heartbreaking and tragic, and our prayers are very much with the Vice President and his family.”
The Biden family is mourning the death of the vice president’s oldest son, Beau, who died of brain cancer at the age of 46.
It’s a joke Cruz has used before. You can see it here:
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/ted-cruz-apologizes-biden-joke-days-after-vice-presidents-son-dies?cid=sm_fb_msnbc
Yes, the joke was ill-time and ill-advised.
However, Sen. Cruz’s apology was the real thing, not one of those phony “If anyone was offended” sorts of non-apologies. If only all politicians who make similarly inappropriate comments would be so forthright.