Does anybody have more than this?

[Craig234]

When I first saw Kerry's statement, I interpreted it as saying that people who did not get educated were more likely to end up joining the military and being in a bad war.

Upon consideration/discussion/seeing his following comments, I think he was saying that a poor student might end up being a bad president, causing a bad war.

I understand some would be offended by the first; I wouldn't; but it's time to recognize that he was saying the second, and not try to say otherwise.

 

[palehorse]

Originally posted by: Craig234
When I first saw Kerry's statement, I interpreted it as saying that people who did not get educated were more likely to end up joining the military and being in a bad war.

Upon consideration/discussion/seeing his following comments, I think he was saying that a poor student might end up being a bad president, causing a bad war.

I understand some would be offended by the first; I wouldn't; but it's time to recognize that he was saying the second, and not try to say otherwise.

lol.. of course that's how you would see it... kudos to Kerry's quickthinking PR folk!

he said what he said, and everyone I work with was/is offended. They've said as much. Then again, we also already knew that Kerry is a douchebag, so there's nothing new to see here...

 

[theeedude]

Kerry not running in this election. Bush is

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: palehorse74

Originally posted by: Craig234
When I first saw Kerry's statement, I interpreted it as saying that people who did not get educated were more likely to end up joining the military and being in a bad war.

Upon consideration/discussion/seeing his following comments, I think he was saying that a poor student might end up being a bad president, causing a bad war.

I understand some would be offended by the first; I wouldn't; but it's time to recognize that he was saying the second, and not try to say otherwise.

lol.. of course that's how you would see it... kudos to Kerry's quickthinking PR folk!

he said what he said, and everyone I work with was/is offended. They've said as much. Then again, we also already knew that Kerry is a douchebag, so there's nothing new to see here...

of COURSE that's how you would interpret the events.

I took into account the idea that Kerry might be trying to change what he had meant when I reached my opinion.

My opinion includes that I think it's what he meant *when he said it*. This comes from my understanding to some extent the sorts of things Kerry says, his views. I've watched the man for enough years now to have a feel for what 'rings true' in what he's saying; a bit of logic applied helps, too. When has he ever said anything along the lines of his first interpretation? Not that I recall - but the second fits his usual comments exactly.

The only one here putting ideology ahead of the truth in interpreting this is you. You see a chance to slam Kerry if you interpret it one way, and you are grabbing it.

In contrast, the right is racing to let Cheney get away with lying about what he said.

For a long time, the right-wing has minimized the torture of waterboarding by using the phrase 'dunk in water' as if it were the way children play in the bathtub or pool - so when the phrase was used, it was clear what it meant. Cheney wasn't pointing out the value of having used it on a high value prisoner because it was a fun little dunk, it was waterboarding; no other interrogation technique fits the description.

The right is just lying again and again. Last week's statement by Tony Snow that only 8 uses of 'stay the course' could be found is another.

 

[Termagant]

I really think Kerry meant a non-studious president could end up in Iraq.

But unfortunately his comments can be interpreted easily as demeaning soldiers.

Unfortunately there is a huge stigma that the military serves as a poor man's college, or a way to get skills and marketable experience regardless of making the grades for college.

But what is interesting is how quickly the right wingers picked up on that interpretation of Kerry's nebulous remarks, almost reinforcing that stigma they claim to be fighting.

What strikes me is the elitism of some segments of the right wing operatives, the Freepers and the college Republican types, who very much think they should be lording over the rest of America, using cultural conservatives to get votes when they don't practice what they preach. How many college Republicans are in ROTC?

That is exactly what the Neo-con philosophy espouses; that the intelligentsia should define common foreign enemies and develop national moral ideals to promote social order and allegiance, while the intelligentsia is not actual beholden to said mores and standards. This methodology of governance seems to be executed very well in China, for example.

 

[DealMonkey]

Ahhh the GOP's secret weapon (Kerry) has reared his big mouth yet again. Like I said Dems, keep your mouths zipped until November 8th. Sheesh, is it that difficult?

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
Ahhh the GOP's secret weapon (Kerry) has reared his big mouth yet again. Like I said Dems, keep your mouths zipped until November 8th. Sheesh, is it that difficult?

Did you see the "Democrat" ad on the Daily Show yesterday? If not, it was right up your alley.

 

[catnap1972]

Well that settles it--I'm definitely not voting for Kerry on the 7th.

 

[xenolith]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
He's right. Most of the idiots are in the military.

Thank you for that well thought out, intelligent input to the debate at hand.

But actually, as was pointed out by Genx87 in an earlier post, The Heritage Foundation refutes what most liberals believe -- including John Kerry apparently -- that the average military recruit comes from a poor home and are uneducated.

The Demographic of Military Enlistment after 9/11

Heritage Foundation analysis of DOD enlistment data for 1999 and 2003 shows that, contrary to some claims [John Kerry's], voluntary military recruits are better educated than the general population and were more likely to come from higher-income areas after 9/11.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

A Democratic congressman told ABC News Tuesday, "I guess Kerry wasn't content blowing 2004, now he wants to blow 2006, too."

Hahahahaha I wonder who the congressman was who said that.

ABC is already looking at this as a total disaster on Kerry's part.

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 31, 2006 ? For weeks, Republicans on the campaign trail have been looking for something ? anything ? to talk about other than the record of the Republican Congress and the way the Bush administration has conducted the war in Iraq.

Monday, they got their wish. While stumping for local Democrats in California, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., addressed students at Pasadena City College and made a comment about education and the war in Iraq that lent itself to much controversy.

"You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. And if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq," he said.

It was a rhetorical gift for the embattled Republican Party, which is eager to run against Kerry again. The White House, in an unusual move, notified the media ahead of time that the president would address Kerry's comment in remarks at today's campaign rally in Georgia.

.........

After Kerry's remarks were mentioned on the Web sites of local newspapers, including the Whittier Daily News, the video popped up on YouTube and conservative blogs like Newsbusters.org, and then talk radio seized on them.

Though, as opposed to 2004, it didn't take Kerry weeks to respond to attacks against him. Shortly before noon Tuesday, Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, responded, insisting in a statement that he had not belittled the intelligence of soldiers serving in Iraq, but rather that of "the president who got us stuck there."

But it may have been too late. The train had left the station.

Like I said earlier, I know what he meant to say when he made that comment but it won't matter. It's everywhere... He is now going to spend the rest of the week trying to explain what he really meant and in doing so will only dig himself a deeper hole.

This is going to be fun.

 

[Craig234]

But actually, as was pointed out by Genx87 in an earlier post, The Heritage Foundation refutes what most liberals believe -- including John Kerry apparently

You have reading comprehension issues - it has been explained repeatedly that Kerry was not saying that.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Nevermind... Someone already handed Kerry the shovel. :laugh:
Link

Kerry, who is considering another run for the White House in 2008, angrily fired back.

His statement called Republicans "assorted right-wing nut jobs."

And at a hastily arranged news conference in Seattle, Kerry said: "I apologize to no one for my criticism of the president and of his broken policy."

Kerry said the comment in question was "a botched joke about the president and the president's people, not about the troops ... and they know that's what I was talking about."

Pour a little more gas on that fire John.

 

[Aegeon]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Like I said earlier, I know what he meant to say when he made that comment but it won't matter. It's everywhere... He is now going to spend the rest of the week trying to explain what he really meant and in doing so will only dig himself a deeper hole.

This is going to be fun.

Indeed its amusing to see Republicans hysterically desperate as things collapse around them. It was extremely obvious that the initial statement was referring to the President given its context in the speech, and Republicans are obviously streaching it conclude it was meant to insult the troops.

The more Republicans want to talk about Iraq the better. I suppose it stops us talking about Embryonic Stem Cell Research or Mark Foley for the moment.

 

[xenolith]

Originally posted by: Craig234

But actually, as was pointed out by Genx87 in an earlier post, The Heritage Foundation refutes what most liberals believe -- including John Kerry apparently

You have reading comprehension issues - it has been explained repeatedly that Kerry was not saying that.

Oh my reading comprehension of you liberal apologists is clear. I'm just not buying it...

 

[Pens1566]

Again, what would be more insulting to a soldier: dying for no good reason in Iraq, or what Kerry said (either interpretation)?


I'd rather be insulted and alive than dead/horribly wounded.

 

[Aegeon]

Originally posted by: xenolith
Oh my reading comprehension of you liberal apologists is clear. I'm just not buying it...

Seek mental help then, because no-one in their right mind could believe anything else. Its blatantly obvious it was referring to Bush in the context of speech. This becomes especially true once you recognize there is no benefit to making the joke in any political context and Kerry would have basically been insulting himself otherwise.

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: DonVito
Wow - Kerry's response was surprisingly strongly worded. Although I agree with his reaction, it reads more like something someone here would post than the words of a US Senator.

From the NYT:

But if anyone should apologize, Mr. Kerry said, it is President Bush and his administration officials who started the ill-conceived war. He said his remarks, which he conceded were part of a ?botched joke,? had been distorted and called the criticism directed at him the work of ?assorted right-wing nut jobs and right-wing talk show hosts.?

?If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize the more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they?re crazy,? Mr. Kerry said in a statement. ?I?m sick and tired of these despicable Republican attacks that always seem to come from those who never can be found to serve in war, but love to attack those who did.?

?I?m not going to be lectured by a stuffed-suit White House mouthpiece standing behind a podium, or doughy Rush Limbaugh, who no doubt today will take a break from belittling Michael J. Fox?s Parkinson?s disease to start lying about me just as they have lied about Iraq,? Mr. Kerry went on. ?It disgusts me that these Republican hacks, who have never worn the uniform of our country lie and distort so blatantly and carelessly about those who have.?

At a televised news conference today in Seattle, Mr. Kerry said he was ?disgusted? by the Republican attacks, which he noted were coming at the end of a bloody month in Iraq. ?Sadly, this is the best this administration can do,? he said.

Mr. Kerry did not mention Mr. McCain in his statement, although at the news conference he said Mr. McCain should seek an apology from President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney if he wants an apology from anyone.

McCain asked for the apology, he pretty much called McCain a hack who has never served, which would be wrong.

 

[theeedude]

This is going to give false hope to GOP, like the Webb novel stuff. Nov 7, it's gonna be the beginning of the end for the GOP.

 

[spidey07]

Yeah, this is all over the news. The look on his "what did I do?" look on his face says it all.

He honestly believes his own words and is now shifting blame to the republicans (lack of personal responsibility anybody?). Thank you John Kerry. You have delivered the perfect death blow, at the perfect time.

Vote Republican. Because John Kerry is a shining example of why you shouldn't vote democrat.

 

[Aegeon]

Originally posted by: thepd7
McCain asked for the apology, he pretty much called McCain a hack who has never served, which would be wrong.

Obviously Kerry did no such thing if you care about accuracy at all.

He was referring to Bush and other adminstration officials, and suggest that McCain had been received by them about what he had said.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: Aegeon

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Like I said earlier, I know what he meant to say when he made that comment but it won't matter. It's everywhere... He is now going to spend the rest of the week trying to explain what he really meant and in doing so will only dig himself a deeper hole.

This is going to be fun.

Indeed its amusing to see Republicans hysterically desperate as things collapse around them. It was extremely obvious that the initial statement was referring to the President given its context in the speech, and Republicans are obviously streaching it conclude it was meant to insult the troops.

The more Republicans want to talk about Iraq the better. I suppose it stops us talking about Embryonic Stem Cell Research or Mark Foley for the moment.

LMAO... Come on, you have to see the humor in this. At the very least you have to laugh at an elitist prick like John F Kerry stepping all over his privates with golf shoes. I wish I could have seen the faces of his handlers when he let that line go. The WTFBBQ :Q faces must have been priceless.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: xenolith

Oh my reading comprehension of you liberal apologists is clear. I'm just not buying it...

I don't love what Kerry said, simply because it lends itself to being misunderstood, but this is a man with a significant military record, even if you believe the Swift Boat Vets for Truth. He also has an exemplary record on veteran's rights. I just don't believe he would intentionally attack combat troops for no reason - it seems clear to me he was referring to President Bush. That said, in today's know-nothing, sound-bite era of "broadcast journalism," his comment, taken out of context, sounds bad, and will resonate with some voters. Ah well . . .

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: xenolith

Oh my reading comprehension of you liberal apologists is clear. I'm just not buying it...

I don't love what Kerry said, simply because it lends itself to being misunderstood, but this is a man with a significant military record, even if you believe the Swift Boat Vets for Truth. He also has an exemplary record on veteran's rights. I just don't believe he would intentionally attack combat troops for no reason - it seems clear to me he was referring to President Bush. That said, in today's know-nothing, sound-bite era of "broadcast journalism," his comment, taken out of context, sounds bad, and will resonate with some voters. Ah well . . .

John Kerry's hate for the military goes back 30 years. This is a continued pattern for him.

-edit-
his comments on torture during vietnam were false, he couldn't refute Swiftboat, he says soldiers are terrorists, that soldiers like to torture. So it's just more of what he's been saying for decades. He's a tool.

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Yeah, this is all over the news. The look on his "what did I do?" look on his face says it all.

He honestly believes his own words and is now shifting blame to the republicans (lack of personal responsibility anybody?). Thank you John Kerry. You have delivered the perfect death blow, at the perfect time.

Vote Republican. Because John Kerry is a shining example of why you shouldn't vote democrat.

sarcasm?

Tell us how the current Republican party should even be considered Conservatives.. do you know about BIG GOVERNMENT AND THEFT AND MURDER.. then if you want more of it vote republican.. that is what they do best.

 

[trenchfoot]

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: fmj7six2

Originally posted by: DonVito

Typical chickenhawk outrage. I don't think most veterans or service members would be offended by this at all, though it would be helpful to know more about the context of that remark.

I'm a veteran, and I'm outraged at Kerry's comments!

So am I, and I'm not "outraged" at them. I think his words were not carefully chosen, but they're far less offensive to me than sending thousands of Americans to their death for political reasons that have nothing to do with our national security.

same here. :thumbsup:

it's really hilarious to see desperate people say desperate things. get real already. it's not working.

and if you do believe that kerry purposely insulted our troops, then you need some kind of special help that you can't get here on this forum.

if anyone thinks any politician would go out of their way to insult our troops at a time like this, then i can say without a doubt that they are either brain-dead or have an agenda that requires them to behave like rush limbaugh and ann coulter, or in this case, even worse.

some of you need more practice on your orson welles radio show impersonations. :roll: