What was Tony Bennett thinking this week? Right after the legendary singer celebrated his star-studded 85th birthday bash in New York City at the Metropolitan Opera House, he put his foot in his mouth.
He appeared on the Howard Stern show this week and said that “we” caused 9/11. We as in America caused its own attack.
Bennett was on the show to promote his new “Duets II” album when Stern asked him how the U.S. should deal with the terrorists, specifically those that masterminded the 9/11 attacks. After all, we just had the 10 year anniversary of the horrific attacks, so it’s been on a lot of people’s mind.
But, the reaction Stern got from Bennett shocked many. His answer was, “Who are the terrorists? Are we the terrorists, or are they the terrorists? Two wrongs don’t make a right.” He then said, “They flew the plane in, but we caused it.” Exactly how did we do that? Bennett replied, “We were bombing them, and they told us to stop.”
He also claimed that President Bush admitted to him that maybe the war in Iraq was a mistake. At the Kennedy Center to honor Bennett, Bush reportedly told him, “I think I made a mistake.” Why would the president tell Bennett that? Bennett replied, “He had a special liking to me.”
As you might imagine, a Bush spokesman said that statement was “flatly wrong.”
After a backlash because of his words, Bennett himself has had second thoughts. The day after the interview, he wrong on Facebook “There is simply no excuse for terrorism and the murder of nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks on our country.”
He went on to say, “I am sorry if my statements suggested anything other than an expression of my love for my country, my hope for humanity and my desire for peace throughout the world.”
I can understand being a pacifist and not liking war. At his age, it is unlikely that this will affect Bennett’s career much, but I am certain it won’t help his new album sales!