War Room - Salon.com

Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 05:24 PDT

Let's hope he doesn't get the flu

Tommy Thompson says fatigue and a cold were behind his claim that moneymaking is "part of the Jewish tradition."

By Tim Grieve

Republican presidential contender Tommy Thompson, who has long preached the "the gospel of personal responsibility," tells the Politico that fatigue and a persistent cold caused him to tell a Jewish group this week that making money is "part of the Jewish tradition."

"I was tired, I made a mistake and I apologized," Thompson said. When the Politico's Jonathan Martin pressed him, a "testy" Thompson snapped back: "Have you ever made a mistake?"