Greta: My apology to Thailand ... but 'jerk' is an entry-level insult for me

Greta: I'm the Thai bad guy

'Off the Record', 3/25/14: Thailand is mad at me for referring to it as a lame country and its leaders as 'jerks' for its handling of the search for Flight 370. 'Jerk' is an entry-level insult

By Greta Van Susteren

Let's all go "Off the Record" for just a minute. Have you seen the Thai press headlines? They are mad at me. Last week, I called Thailand the lamest country of the day because for 10 days, while the world frantically looked for 239 people who were aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Thailand knowingly sat on radar showing the flight path of 777. Thailand's excuse? They said no one had asked.

Well, that's lame. They knew how desperate people were looking for that plane. I also used the term "jerks." Jerks for me is entry-level insult. They should see how expansive my vocabulary could get. Maybe not suitable for TV. Now, I'm the Thai bad guy. I'm getting the emails, headlines, and editorials all upset with me. Emails even complain that I said "Thailand" and telling me it as not everyone in Thailand that hid that information.

Well, duh. When one says Russia invaded Crimea, one doesn't mean all 143 million Russians plowing over the border, but whatever.

One newspaper that caught my attention called me rude, crude, and uncivil and reports the Thai government is going to file a complaint with Fox News. As I read it, I thought sarcastically, "Need the address?"

Buried at the editorial is this: "The unpleasant fact is, name-calling aside, the core of Ms. Susteren's comment was correct. Ms. Susteren is rude, crude, and deeply offensive, but at least she cared enough to comment and bring to light this deep failure."

OK. That was sort of nice. So, it's my turn. To Thailand, I'm sorry I got mad and I'm sorry I insulted them. That's my "Off the Record" comment tonight.