I kid you not.
Although the interview is not scheduled to be broadcast until Tuesday evening, a partial transcript was posted at the NY1 News website (emphasis added throughout):
Kerry: “I think that the…you know the punishment has to fit the crime so to speak. I think a long suspension, or a strong suspension met with his appropriate level, given that the team forgave him. To me it was in the hands of the young women. They made the judgment that they thought he was genuine and they felt they could forgive him. And I think it was appropriate to pay a price on the airwaves but I’m not sure that it was appropriate to say you’re off forever.”
I find myself in the uncomfortable position of agreeing with the junior senator, but it does indeed seem obvious that if the team felt his apology was enough, so should his employer.
Regardless, Kerry was asked if he would appear with Imus in the future if he gets a new show:
Kerry: “It would depend on what the context of the show was obviously. If he goes back to doing the same old same old I’d have trouble doing that, but if it’s a different show and he says it’s going to be different sure.”
Bravo, Senator. Frankly, it’s high time that Democrats that have been regular guests of Imus’s over the years come out and show support for a man who made a mistake, has apologized, and just wants to move on with his life and his career.
*****Update: Glenn Reynolds yesterday posted about Kerry hinting at a possible 2008 presidential run. Could his surprising position on Imus be part of some campaign makeover? Stay tuned.
