Democratic candidate John Kerry released a statement saying, "President George Bush showed a stunningly cavalier attitude toward the failed search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and the administration's rush to war." He continued with, "George Bush insulted me as a veteran and as a friend to many still serving in Iraq."

President George W. Bush's references made towards the search for weapons of mass destruction have met extreme criticism by Democrats and voters alike.

Democratic candidate John Kerry released a statement saying, "President George Bush showed a stunningly cavalier attitude toward the failed search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and the administration's rush to war." He continued with, "George Bush insulted me as a veteran and as a friend to many still serving in Iraq."

The references, which were meant to be humorous in nature, were made at the annual dinner of the Radio and Television News Correspondents Association on Wednesday, March 24. The slide show featured President Bush, often doubled over, looking under furniture in the Oval Office. The President commented on the slides.

"Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be somewhere…nope, no weapons over there…maybe under here?"

The attendees of the event seemed to get the jokes as it was reported that laughter broke out numerous times at the event. The annual dinner, held for American radio and television journalists, usually contains the lighter sides of serious issues. It has become a kind of tradition at these events for the President to make fun of not only himself but also other issues concerning the Government.

Robert DiClerico, a political science professor at the University of West Virginia, feels that President Bush, while trying to be funny, went about it in an inappropriate way.

"At these dinners it is tradition for the President to make light of certain issues and situations being faced by the Government but there are ways to do it and there are ways not to do it. I think the way that the President did it was completely inappropriate."

He went on to say that, "When I heard about it I was tempted to write a letter or send a telegram expressing my view."

DiClerico also offered some advice to the advertising campaign of Democratic candidate John Kerry.

"The Democrats should create an ad that shows the slides that the President presented and then immediately follow them with a mother saying, 'I don't think that is funny at all. My son fought and died in Iraq,' I think this would help to show the insensitivity of the President concerning the war in Iraq."

Vicki Reed, a resident of Middletown, NY, has her husband over in Iraq right now fighting for our country and feels that Bush was very inconsiderate.

"My husband is overseas right now and for Bush to joke around about such a serious issue is totally disrespectful to all the Americans that have lost a loved one because of this war. My husband is still alive, thankfully, but I was deeply offended when I heard about the President's comments."

Caitlin Dillon, a senior at John S. Burke Catholic School in Goshen, NY, expressed many of the same concerns and opinions regarding President Bush's so called jokes about weapons of mass destruction.

"My boyfriend has recently joined the army and is preparing now to be sent overseas sometime soon. Joking about the search for weapons of mass destruction is something I don't necessarily find funny." She said, "The fact that someone I love is going to be sent to Iraq to fight for a cause that the President is joking about really makes me mad."

Not everyone has taken the President's humor so personally, however, and to some, the comments made by Bush were taken as they were meant to be taken, as a joke.

Chris Banky, a Marist College student, believes that the President was just acting out of tradition of the event and really meant no harm towards America or the troops overseas.

"When I found out, I thought it was hilarious," he said. "We all know that President Bush has said some things in the past that have made him look a little unintelligent and when I heard that he was looking under furniture for weapons of mass destruction I couldn't help but find it funny."

Banky went on to explain that he thought the slides were funny simply because they touched upon a very well known fact that the President can come off as a little dull sometimes.

Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie stood up for the President in a recent interview with ABC saying, "The fact is that this is the custom in these things. Presidents have made jokes about very serious matters at these dinners. You can hear the laughter, the people in the room obviously saw the humor in it at the at moment, and to play it back now in a different context is unfair."