Kerry Still Electable

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Jean's Apology

Ohio Republican Jean Schmidt has issued an apology of sorts for her controversial attack on a fellow representative on the House floor last week. Schmidt delivered a scathing message from an Ohio state legislator to Democrat John Murtha, a former Marine who had proposed an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, saying, "Cowards cut and run, Marines never do."

Since then, Schmidt has been lampooned on "Saturday Night Live" and profiled in the New York Times and even the state senator/reservist she claimed to be quoting has distanced himself from her remarks. Schmidt now says she didn't mean to impugn Murtha's character, but blames the media for making her a scapegoat, saying, "I am amazed at what a national story this has become. I have been attacked very personally, continuously since Friday evening."

School's Out for Professor

The Warren County Community College professor who called on soldiers to shoot their commanders has resigned, just as the board of trustees was set to hold an emergency meeting to address the matter. The controversy started when John Daly sent an e-mail to a conservative student activist... saying he would "continue to expose your right-wing, anti-people politics until groups like yours won't dare show their face on a college campus" and that "Real freedom will come when soldiers in Iraq turn their guns on their superiors."

In accepting Daly's resignation, Warren County's Community College president pledged to push for tolerance training seminars for all faculty members.

Push for Peace or Political Promotion?

Citizen action... or anti-war protest? A Madison, Wisconsin elementary school teacher says that when she assigned her third graders to write letters urging fellow students, lawmakers, and the media to press for an end to the war in Iraq — she was merely "advocating that people keep working toward peace."

But the school board sided with several parents of students with family members in Iraq, ruling that the assignment was a direct violation of policy prohibiting teachers using their position to promote political views. The board's president says students could decide to write letters expressing their own views, but "it isn't appropriate to mandate it."

Still Electable

Senator John Kerry didn't let his busy Washington schedule keep him from his civic duty. Not only did Kerry serve on a Boston jury this week, the Massachusetts Democrat was elected foreman and led the jury to reject a personal injury suit against the city.

Kerry says he was "surprised" to be chosen, but that he enjoyed the experience and his fellow jurors called Kerry "a natural leader." But not everyone was thrilled with the senator's role. The plaintiff who lost the case says federal employees should not serve on lawsuits involving city workers.

— FOX News' Aaron Bruns contributed to this report