Yesterday, I helped make a fuss over the disgusting actions of Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll, along with many other folks around the blogosphere, including Blackfive and Michelle Malkin. Well, we seem to have had some effect.

Written apologies will be sent to a fallen Marine's relatives angered by Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll's uninvited appearance at the soldier's funeral and her criticism of the war in Iraq, Gov. Ed Rendell said Sunday.

Rendell said he will send a personal letter to the family of the late Marine Staff Sgt. Joseph Goodrich, of Westwood, and will ask Knoll to do the same. Goodrich, 32, a police officer and infantry unit leader, died July 10 in a mortar attack in Hit, Iraq.

Rendell said he hadn't spoken with Knoll about the incident, but was disturbed by the family's charge that she made a political statement against the war.

"It's not the business of state government to support the war, but our state supports the men and women who are fighting this war," Rendell said during an appearance in Mt. Washington.

Lt. Governor Knoll, on the other hand, is trying to backpedal through her spokesperson -- but has failed to speak herself, or to contact the offended family.

Knoll spokesman Sean Pendrak would not comment specifically on the Goodrich family's allegations.

"Obviously, the lieutenant governor extends her most sincere condolences to all families who have lost loved ones in the fighting," Pendrak said. "She also wants to convey her support of all of our fine young men and women in uniform."

That support means little to Rhonda Goodrich, who believes Knoll was more interested in jump-starting next year's re-election bid than offering genuine sympathy to mourners.

"She never said to anyone, 'If there's anything I can do to help, just call my office,' " Goodrich said. "It seems like she's going to funerals and using business cards as campaign fliers."

Rhonda Goodrich remains angry, but she is grateful for one thing.

"I'm glad she didn't sit down next to me and say those things," Goodrich said. "I would have smacked her on the spot."

You know, part of me wishes that Knoll HAD sat down next to Rhonda -- she might have gotten a small measure of what she deserves.

Now if we can just get this woman out of office -- she is still a disgrace.

(Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin, Narcissistic views on News/Politics, Blackfive, and Irish Pennants)

And look -- Chris Muir has taken notice!

Posted by: Greg at 03:01 AM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
Post contains 428 words, total size 3 kb.

1 Greg, thanks for posting the toon, even when I had to make corrections!

Posted by: chris Muir at Mon Jul 25 05:11:27 2005 (g/gbg)

2 Hey, what an honor. Chris Muir graced your website, Greg.

Posted by: mcconnell at Mon Jul 25 06:41:41 2005 (yJZQw)

3 Chris --

What can i say -- I've been a fan forever. The mistakes just prove you are human, not a god.

Or maybe that you are merely a demi-god.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Mon Jul 25 09:01:09 2005 (ajHgW)

4 If gods are fat, well then...

Posted by: chris Muir at Mon Jul 25 09:57:46 2005 (g/gbg)

5 I am not convinced even these 'apologies' rise to the minimal standard of an apology. Both Rendell's and Knolls' comments (which last I looked were only hinted at by Michelle Malkin) were more caveat ridden excuses instead of meaningful apologies.

If you are interested here is my latest post with a link to the Rendell post

http://strata-sphere.com/blog/index.php/archives/425

Mark me down as unsatisfied and unimpressed.

Posted by: AJStrata at Mon Jul 25 10:11:33 2005 (67DAA)

6 There is nothing for Scholl to apologize for. Rhonda Goodrich is a Right Wing activist exploiting her brother-in-law's death for poltiical reasons. Shame on her. Hopefully, as more people in the media figute out who Goodrich is, the chickens will come home to roost. She successfully manipulated people, but it won't last.

Posted by: June Gordon at Mon Jul 25 19:36:57 2005 (+vcVQ)

7 And you base your assessment on what, exactly, June? I mean seriously -- if you are ging to make that accusation, what is the evidence for it?

Clearly you don't really have any evidence or understanding of the details -- after all, you can't even bother to get Lt. Gov. Knoll's name correct.

But since you raised the issue -- Who is Rhonda Goodrich, and what should we "figure out" about her? And what constitutes her "Right Wing activis[m]".

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Tue Jul 26 00:17:20 2005 (pCcWs)

8 Fact: It was a memorial service for a fallen service member. A time for FAMILY and FRIENDS to come together and remember the departed and to grace his memory. This official, as far as I have been able to discern, was neither. Since when is it good manners to intrude upon a family's grief.

Posted by: Jan Perry at Tue Jul 26 06:53:45 2005 (uNVZy)

9 June Gordon,
Nothing "will come out about me"....To accuse someone of exploiting a loved ones ( A heros ) funeral is obscene...The event we ,NOT taxpayers sponsered against Michael Moore came about because the university would not let Ann Coulter counter Moore.Professors gave extreme amounts of extra credit to those students who would see Moore. None given to the other side
You know nothing of me or my beliefs, you know nothing of the Marine Corp either. I have received hundres of letters from Marines and Marine family who are disgraced at Knolls words and actions.
My family ( not just myself have been talked to by the press to verify the dispicable behavior of Knoll.
So write these Marines and ask who they are minipulating!
Republican or demorcrat is not the issue. The issue is a women holding as a high ranking officials gave her unwanted opinion to a grieving family memebr of a fallen Hero.
Get a grip June
Rhonda Goodrich

Posted by: Rhonda Goodrich at Tue Jul 26 12:15:21 2005 (P93XD)

10 Rhonda, you are a hypocrite. (Assuming of course that the person who posted is the Right Wing activist.) Your motivation for attacking Knoll is that she does not share your politics, not her attending the funeral. She has attended many such funerals, and despite the presence of many Republicans no one else sunk so low as to attack Knoll for political reasons. Your antics at rallies against anything you consider 'liberal,' including the puerile displays at Michael Moore events, pale in comparison. Yes, some people have figured out that you are the person in the wrong. It was graceful of Knoll to apologize, but she had no real reason to do.

(Rhymes, your question is answered as well.)

This foolishness about 'private' funerals needs to stop. People attend funerals they are not expressly invited to often. Nor is Knoll alone in attending the funerals of soldiers in her area to pay respects. The governor of Oregon has tried to attend the funerals of all soldiers killed in Iraq. There is nothing wrong with that. We need to focus on things that unite us, such as regret for people who die young, instead of succumbing to the incitements of trouble makers like Rhonda Goodrich.

Posted by: June Gordon at Tue Jul 26 14:31:17 2005 (+vcVQ)

11 Actually, you have provided exactly ZERO in the way of evidence. And would you clarify which "people have figured out that [Rhonda is] the person in the wrong"

After all, I could use your letter about Guide Dogs in Ragged Edge to claim that you are an activist against the disabled.

Ultimately, Knoll arrived late for the funeral and didn't meet with the widow or parents of the deceased soldier -- but was more than willing to talk to the press outside the Church. That doesn't sound like paying respects to me. Neither does making anti-war statements to other family membrs in the Church during the funeral.

Knoll is a disgrace.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Tue Jul 26 15:01:03 2005 (AOU2g)

12 "and despite the presence of many Republicans no one else sunk so low as to attack Knoll for political reasons. "

Please tell that to the the hundreds of people who wrote Tribune -Review, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Called numerous radio stations , flooded the Lt Gov office with emails and phone calls....Marines from all over the country
You madam seem to be the be activist here.

"Your antics at rallies against anything you consider 'liberal,' including the puerile displays at Michael Moore events, "

Only one Rally in 38 years, not Rallies,
The university would not balance the debate and denied students request for balance.
Me an activist? You do sound like a lefty activist.You make no sense and ramble on about things you know nothing about.
This is the last post to you Ms.Gordon. Clearly you are the minority in your feelings on this issue . Do some research before you spew off. It really makes you look ignorant....It's people like you who should Thank and be so utterly gratefull to hero's like SSGT.Goodrich...Without them you'd be obsolete.

(to Greg)
Your email did not come through ,please resend

Posted by: Rhonda Goodrich at Tue Jul 26 16:29:42 2005 (P93XD)

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