Actor and possible gubernatorial candidate Val Kilmer says he was misquoted by a national magazine.

Again.

Kilmer has caused a stir among military family groups because of statements attributed to him in a 2005 article in Esquire magazine.

In that article, Kilmer was asked whether he thought he was more qualified to play a Vietnam combat veteran than an actual veteran.

"I understand it more," the magazine quoted Kilmer. "It's an actor's job. A guy who's lived through the horror of Vietnam has not spent his life preparing his mind for it. He's some punk. Most guys were borderline criminal or poor, and that's why they got sent to Vietnam. It was all the poor, wretched kids who got beat up by their dads, guys who didn't get on the football team, couldn't finagle a scholarship.

"They didn't have the emotional equipment to handle that experience. But this is what an actor trains to do. I can more effectively represent that kid in Vietnam than a guy who was there."

Asked about that quote during one of Kilmer's visits to the state Capitol last week, the actor replied, "I didn't make that statement. ... I have nothing but praise and respect for veterans."

One military blog, Military-Money-Matters.com, said, "If he really said those things, Val Kilmer gets my vote for brass-balled moron of the year!"

Kilmer later responded to the blog, repeating his claim of being misquoted. "My father served proudly in WW2 and I have never uttered a single word of disrespect to any armed servicemen anywhere ever.

"I sincerely apologize for causing any discomfort to any vets and would not have pursued a line of thought that could have been turned into such an ugly version of a simple rule in acting," Kilmer's statement said.

But it's not the first time Kilmer has claimed to have been misquoted by a national publication. In 2003, Kilmer, who lives in San Miguel County, was quoted in Rolling Stone saying, "I live in the homicide capital of the Southwest. Eighty percent of the people in my county are drunk. So driving home on the highway, especially with kids, (carrying a gun is) just a precaution."

The magazine also quoted Kilmer joking about how he spends his time in New Mexico. "We shoot the automatic weapons at the trespassers and people a different color than us."

Kilmer in 2003 said Rolling Stone had misquoted him and taken his comments "out of context."

Kilmer has said he's thinking about running as a Democrat for governor in 2010. He visited the state Capitol at least twice last week. On Friday, he met with Gov. Bill Richardson.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com. Read his political blog at roundhouseroundup.com.