[BRIEF NOTE] Bad, bad jokes

[rfmcdonald]

Via Reuters, thanks to Will Baird:

The Kremlin said on Friday President Vladimir Putin was joking and not condoning rape when he commented about the virility of Israeli President Moshev Katsav, whom police suspect of raping female employees.

Unaware a microphone was switched on during talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Putin called Katsav a "mighty guy" and said: "Raped 10 women! I would never have expected that from him. He surprised us all. We all envy him."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Putin had made the comments on Wednesday and said Russian humour did not always travel well across linguistic borders.

I'm right to read Peskov as someone desperately trying to cover up a catastrophically insensitive gaffe, correct?