Apr 05 2008
McHenry Apologizes for Guard Comment
A North Carolina congressman has apologized for calling a contract employee in Baghdad a “two-bit security guard.”
Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., used that term when talking about a visit to Iraq where he was denied access to a gymnasium. “It was a poor choice of words to describe a foreign contractor,” McHenry said in a statement.
McHenry was recorded at a local Republican fundraising dinner talking about his visit and being annoyed when he was denied gym privileges while staying in VIP quarters in the pool house of a palace once used by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. A copy of the video is available on YouTube.
While some reports have said McHenry was referring to a U.S. service member, McHenry and his staff said the person was a contractor providing security at the embassy.
McHenry’s “Two Bit Security Guard” Comment Not Directed Towards American Soldier