Kerry said what!?

[sperry]

Just one of the 1,000 different copies of the story floating around:

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=44314

The Massachusetts senator, who is considering another presidential run in 2008, had opened his speech at Pasadena City College with several one-liners, joking at one point that Bush had lived in Texas but now "lives in a state of denial."

Then he said: "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. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

Due to all (the media generated) outrage, I must be the only person in America that actually read what Kerry *actually* said and understood what he meant. Let me rephrase his statement:

"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. If you don't, and skate throught life living off your father's popularity, you get to become a crappy President that makes up a war and gets stuck in a lose-lose situation in Iraq."

Kerry made the same bad joke that's been made about a million times since 2000. Do people really believe that a Vietnam vet with 3 Purple Hearts, and a Silver and a Bronze Star would disrespect our troops in the way that the GOP and the news media are implying? Give me a break. I guess the quote makes a great out of context sound bite though.

[Kevin M]

It's especially humorous given the fact that the vast majority of one-term enlistees joined the military for the MGIB/College Fund, particularly those in the Army.

[JonnydaJibba]

Originally Posted by sperry

I guess the quote makes a great out of context sound bite though.

I thought that was the political media's job...

[sperry]

Originally Posted by JonnydaJibba

I thought that was the political media's job...

That's my point.... the media is making this into a big deal: "EXTRA EXTRA! KERRY SAYS OUR TROOPS ARE UNEDUCATED. ALSO, HE EATS BABIES!"

And of course the Republicans are jumping all over this, since they need anything that can get to distract us from:

The $1 TRILLION failure of the war in Iraq.
The N.Korean nukes.
The failing housing market (that's not being balanced by a massive stock turn around).
Having given up on capturing Osama.
The bribery money in congress.
The sex with little boys in congress.
The perpetual removal of personal freedoms, with no demonstrable gain in security.

When your own credibility is torn to tatters, you have to jump on any little thing your opponent says, even if you have to intentionally take it out of context for it to help your message.

[Kevin M]

But, it's imperative that we Stay The Course!

[Dean]

I think Kerry should stand up and flat out say what he meant...

~~As a veteran, I would never demean our men and women in uniform. My comments were targeted directly at President Bush who is responsible for those brave soilders "in IRAQ", and can't complete a coherent sentence in the english language as to why they are there and more importantly, when they will be coming home.~~

Edited to remove implication it was an actual quote. (Oh how I wish it was)

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

I think Kerry should stand up and flat out say what he meant...

Is that an actual quote, or what you think Kerry should say? If that's an actual quote, Kerry just earned my vote. I'm so tired of all the egg-stepping, spin zone, garbage that spews forth from our leaders... and that's true from both parties.

At this point I'll take anyone that says what they mean and means what they say, that owns up to their mistakes, and stands for something. I don't even have to agree with their policies, I just want someone that I can believe isn't perpetually lying to my face.

[Dean]

No, unfortunately, it is not a quote. I feel the same way. I wish it was...

[ScottyS]

Kerry is wrong. Popular higher education is way overrated.

[tysonK]

what kind of babies does he eat?

[cody]

uneducated ones

[NevadaSTi]

Originally Posted by sperry

At this point I'll take anyone that says what they mean and means what they say, that owns up to their mistakes, and stands for something. I don't even have to agree with their policies, I just want someone that I can believe isn't perpetually lying to my face.

Scott, based off of your statements, you should not vote for any politicians then. And no I am not saying not to vote at all. I was once told by an WW2 Vet that if I don't like the politicians that are running that I should run for it instead. That way I would have an excuse not to vote for anyone but myself.

I also like it when the voting ballats include the NONE OF THE ABOVE box.

[Libila]

It looks like Kerry is a quiter anyway...

[MattR]

Fun

[cody]

Originally Posted by MattR

Fun

From Reuters:

Kerry apologizes for "botched" Iraq joke 25 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Sen. John Kerry said on Wednesday he was sorry about a "botched joke" that drew election-year fire from President George W. Bush and other Republicans who accused him of insulting U.S. troops in Iraq.

Kerry reiterated the target of his joke was Bush, who immediately seized on the senator's remarks to rally Republican supporters ahead of Tuesday's elections, in which the party's control of Congress is at risk.

Kerry said he was returning to Washington from a trip campaigning on behalf of Democratic congressional candidates because he did not want to be "a distraction."

A day after rejecting calls to apologize for his remarks, Kerry, appearing on the "Imus in the Morning" radio show on MSNBC, declared: "I said it was a botched joke. Of course, I'm sorry about a botched joke."

While campaigning in California on Monday, Kerry told a college crowd: "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. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

Kerry's office said the senator had misread his prepared remarks. They said he had intended to say, "Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush."

-------------------------------------------------

Backpedal much?

BTW, I beleive that he meant to take the shot at Bush and his war, not at the troops.

[Nick Koan]

I don't think its a backpedal, if its really what he meant to say.

[JonnydaJibba]

Originally Posted by nKoan

I don't think its a backpedal, if its really what he meant to say.

Well, since it's Kerry and he likes to vote 8 different ways on one issue... I think it's safe to assume that whatever it was that he meant to say, he's still an ass.

[cody]

LOL, I just didn't buy that he botched the wording of the speach that badly, but obviously we can't know. It really doesn't sound right the way it was supposedly meant to be said either.

[Nick Koan]

Originally Posted by cody

LOL, I just didn't buy that he botched the wording of the speach that badly, but obviously we can't know. It really doesn't sound right the way it was supposedly meant to be said either.

He probably did botch it. Kerry isn't that bright. I mean, he couldn't even beat GWB in 2004.

[sp00ln]

Originally Posted by nKoan

He probably did botch it. Kerry isn't that bright. I mean, he couldn't even beat GWB in 2004.

Ding Ding.

[sp00ln]

^weird. As soon as I posted that, a bell rung... weird..... it was a ding ding bell too.

[Kevin M]

I am amused that he flubbed the delivery of a joke aimed at a guy who can't speak English either.

[sperry]

What's killing me is that this story is all over the place, and not *one* of them bothers to provide the complete transcript. I'd be really interested to read the supposed list of jokes leading up to the botched one.

The most ironic thing of course is that the Republicans are make a *huge* deal over what's being called a "misspoken" joke by Kerry. Meanwhile our president can't get a single sentence out of his mouth w/o misspeaking at least one word.

Frankly, Kerry's a douche for making bad jokes (botched or not), but the Republicans are worse for making a big deal out of it. Christ, even if Kerry *wasn't* joking, even if Kerry did hate our troops, or think they're all morons... I'm a little more interested in seeing our leaders discuss their own *actions* far more than listening to them whine about comments from a Democratic senator. This whole situation is counterproductive to making our country a better place, and is entirely a result of the career politician partisan bullshit that's ruined America.

[JonnydaJibba]

Are we the retards for letting two monkies run for office? I mean is it our fault that we had no competant cantidates? Or is it our fault that we let these two represent our country? Were there really no other cantidates that could have better represented this country that we had to pick a coupla fuckin primates?!

I know it's not related but everytime these guys speak these questions come to mind.

[cody]