Obama was “for” Kerry after he was against him?

It wasn’t a typo, but the omission of a word which made us laugh in the Radio Iowa newsroom yesterday when Barak Obama’s statement regarding John Kerry not running for president in 2008 came into the newsroom:

Here’s what we received at about 4:15 p.m.

Obama Statement on Senator Kerry’s Decision Not to Run for President in 2008
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement on Senator Kerry’s decision not to run for President in 2008:

"From his earliest days in Vietnam to the Presidential Election in 2004, John Kerry has fought his country (emphasis added) and his ideals. I am proud to call him a friend and a colleague in the United States Senate, and know that he will continue to serve his country with honor and distinction in the years to come."

Did Obama believe that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth stuff from the ’04 campaign?  I emailed Obama press guy Bill Burton to ask if they had left out a word.

"I think you’re right!," Burton replied via email about 15 minutes later.  "Oops."

This was issued shortly after 5 o’clock.

Obama Statement on Senator Kerry’s Decision Not to Run for President in 2008
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement on Senator Kerry’s decision not to run for President in 2008:

"From his earliest days in Vietnam to the Presidential Election in 2004, John Kerry has fought for (emphasis added) his country and his ideals. I am proud to call him a friend and a colleague in the United States Senate, and know that he will continue to serve his country with honor and distinction in the years to come."