NOW IT’S JOHN KERRY who’s getting flak for racist remarks:

“There can never be an appearance of racism or bigotry in any high position of leadership,” he declared.

Funny, but that’s pretty much what prominent Italian-Americans were saying about Kerry the morning he tried to come off as droll on the Don Imus show, quipping, “The Iraqi army is in such bad shape, even the Italians could kick their butts.”

State auditor Joe DeNucci led the angry backlash, charging, “He wouldn’t have the guts to say that about Jews or blacks,” prompting a Kerry spokeswoman to suggest DeNucci cool his jets, that the senator was obviously being facetious.

Of course, that’s the same thing his office said following another appearance on the Imus show when, attempting to belittle Bill Weld’s work ethic, Kerry described the former GOP governor as “a guy who takes more vacations than people on welfare.”

Of course, if we got rid of every member of Congress who said stupid things, we wouldn’t have any left. Hmm. . . .