The venerable blog Little Green Footballs has a shot of what Kerry would have said if he had stuck to his prepared statement in that fateful moment.
When Kerry says that he was making a joke at Bush’s expense, I believe him. Even Kerry isn’t so stupid as to deliberately shot himself in the foot as he did Monday night. Sometimes things get lost in translation when travelling from the brain to the mouth. Heaven knows I’ve made some really stupid and unintended statements that sounded better in my head. All of that is fine as far as it goes.
What isn’t fine is the damage control that has followed and the continuous bashing of the Republicans for taking Kerry to task for what he SAID, not for what he MEANT. Because what he SAID was despicable and inexcusable, pure and simple. And what Kerry should have done immediately afterward was to sincerely apologize to the men and women in our armed forces, and their families and stated what was in his prepared statement, instead of lashing out at people for being unable to read his mind. It certainly would not have made his actual joke any funnier or true, but it would have been par for the course with him. And Kerry wouldn’t be the big donkey with the target on his back.
This is a test.
Shame on Kerry for giving the right wing something to distract people with that watch popular media. For that alone he is truly a dumbass. Can we get back to discussing issues that matter now?
ok thanks bye
Oh and there is a kernel of truth to what Kerry actually did say otherwise people wouldn’t be all pissy over it I think.
It is ironic to see political correctness bite him in the ass now though.
We could start with the matter of censure of Mr. Bush.
This speech was inspirational to me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csDeQdgn0fg&NR
This a stand up Democrat if there ever was one.
Voted against the Patriot Act the 1st time around in 2001, and against H.J. Resolution 114 authorizing President Bush to use military force in Iraq.
While I may not agree with some of his stances on healthcare, etc. he would’ve been a FAR better candidate in 2004 than John Kerry. Maybe 2008? Better him than Hillary eh? lol
First it was Foley’s antics throwing the race towards the Dems…then Kerry’s foot in mouth has voters swinging who KNOWS where. They are all creeps and liars. Vote for anarchy.
Actually, Paul, there is not a kernel of truth in what Kerry said. That is a perception that has lingered from the Vietnam era when, if you let your grades slip in college you could get drafted. The modern military is made up of smart people who are highly trained and who want to be in the military.
And who is anonymous? Thanks for commenting.
Just watched the Feingold speech. He certainly is much more articulate that Kerry. I agree he would make a better candidate for the dems than Kerry or Hilary. Even if I think McCain-Feingold is an unconstitutional pile of crap.
What Kerry said was a generalization and those are always problematic at best; much like Mrs. Bush’s (sr.) comments about all the poor people in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina.
Are military personell motivated? You betcha. Are they smart while that a bit subjective I’d have to say yes. Even though we don’t have a draft board these days surely you can’t see how having no higher education limits your options in employeement? For that segment of the population joining the military has always been an option – especially for the poor looking for a way out of the ghetto.
Again, I don’t want to make generalizations like Kerry but I bet I could find some military personell that fit the profile I just described without breaking a sweat.
Of course you could. I certainly won’t claim that every person in the military is a genius. I will say that by the time they get out, they’re further along the intelligence curve than they were before. Knowing what sort of equipment they have now, these people have to have at least a minimum level of smarts to grasp the concepts, etc.
Further, Kerry was making a comment that was straight out of the 60′s and early 70′s when the Vietnam War was still going. I was just a kid then, but I remember that attitude well. What I’m saying, and everyone else whose jumped on this, is that paradigm doesn’t wash anymore. This army is an all volunteer army. The people in that army want to be there. And I bet many of them want to be there for the education they would get but could not afford in civilian life. There’s nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, if that’s the reason a guy joined the army, they I salute him for wanting to do whatever it takes to get ahead in life.
What Kerry said implied that if your only choice is to join the army or marines, you’re joining to get stuck in Iraq. I find that logic problematic at best.