Harkin ‘Regrets’ Comparing Joni Ernst To Taylor Swift

FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2013 file photo, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. Boosting the federal minimum wage as President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are proposi... FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2013 file photo, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. Boosting the federal minimum wage as President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are proposing would increase earnings for more than 16.5 million people by 2016 but also cut employment by roughly 500,000 workers, Congress' nonpartisan budget analyst said Tuesday. Harkin, author of the Senate legislation, cited other research concluding that a higher minimum wage would create jobs, not reduce them. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) MORE LESS
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Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) on Monday said he regretted commenting on Republican Senate candidate Joni Ernst’s looks.

“I shouldn’t have said those things, I know that,” Harkin said in a statement, according to Buzzfeed. “I regret anytime someone feels offended by what I have said. But I am only human and I can make mistakes sometimes in how I say something. In fact, I have complimented her on running a very good campaign.”

During an event last week, Harking compared Ernst to pop star Taylor Swift while commenting on the race to fill his seat in the Senate.

“You know, in this Senate race, I’ve been watching some of these ads,” he said. “And there’s sort of this sense that, ‘Well, I hear so much about Joni Ernst. She’s really attractive, and she sounds nice.'”

Ernst on Monday said she found the comment offensive and sexist.

“I think it’s unfortunate that he and many of their party believe that you can’t be a real woman if you’re conservative and you’re female,” she said in an interview with “Fox and Friends.” “If my name had been John Ernst attached to my resume, Sen. Harkin would not have said those things.”

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  1. Yes, please, Harkin…Swift is a lot smarter, more centered, and actually has a modicum of talent…Ernst is a dingbat from Iowa.

  2. Avatar for mantan mantan says:

    Wa-huh?!?!

  3. Avatar for topcat topcat says:

    That’s a horrible apology to Taylor Swift.

  4. Tom Harkin has nothing to apologize for.

    I could say about New Hampshire, “Even if Scott Brown is as handsome as Tom Cruise, stop him from joining Ted Cruz.”

    Neither remark is sexist.

  5. And he does exactly what the Liberal media expects of him. And what I knew he would do.

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