Bunning Apologizes for Swearing on Conference Call

U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning apologized Wednesday for using profanity in his weekly conference call with reporters -- the second comment the Kentucky Republican has had to take back in recent weeks.

In the latest incident, Bunning swore when he told reporters he wouldn't release the results of an internal political poll conducted in February. The irascible baseball Hall of Famer said "it's none of your goddamn business" what the poll results showed.

He released a statement on Wednesday that said: "I am sorry for taking the Lord's name in vain. After 59 years of dealing with the media, sometimes they get under your skin, but that is no excuse."

That was after Bunning issued an apology in late February for predicting Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsburg wouldn't live out the year.

The Louisville Courier Journal quoted Bunning at a political fundraiser Saturday night telling about 100 people that Ginsburg had "bad cancer. The kind that you don't get better from."

"Even though she was operated on, usually, nine months is the longest that anybody would live after (being diagnosed) with pancreatic cancer," the paper quoted Bunning as saying at a Hardin County Republican gathering .

"I apologize if my comments offended Justice Ginsburg," Bunning said afterward. "That certainly was not my intent. It is great to see her back at the Supreme Court today and I hope she recovers quickly. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family."

Ginsburg was back on the bench last month and appeared in good form just two and a half weeks after cancer surgery and despite Bunning's pessimistic prognosis.

Bunning has been elected twice to the Senate, but is seen as vulnerable in next year's election after nearly losing his 2004 re-election bid to a little-known Democrat from eastern Kentucky.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.