WELL, HE'S CORRECT

He didn't say it was a mistake. He just said he didn't need to win in the South - which isn't likely to win him a lot of friends in Dixie.

A pointed denial to a very pointed question...and Kerry covered up the issue with a denial on the wording.

Similarly, Kerry snapped at Brokaw for raising the recent controversy over comments Kerry made about the political importance of the South. Kerry had pointed out that it was not mathematically necessary for a Democrat to win Southern states to beat a Republican in the general election -- a point that went over very badly among Southerners who are afraid the Democratic Party is ceding the region to Republicans.

''How can you come South given what you said about the Democrats making a mistake in spending too much time worrying about the South?'' Brokaw asked.

''I never said that,'' Kerry interjected. ''I never said Democrats made a mistake. I never said that at all.'' He went on to pledge that he will campaign in the region, both as a Democratic candidate and a nominee.

Here is what he actually said.