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| Home Front: Politix |
| Kerry apologizes to troops after ‘botched joke’ |
| 2006-11-01 |
| MSNBC News Services Updated: 2 minutes ago WASHINGTON - Bowing to pressure from both political parties, Sen. John Kerry issued an apology to U.S. troops on Wednesday after “a botched joke” about President Bush’s Iraq policies that led Bush and fellow Republicans to accuse him of insulting the GIs. “I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended,” Kerry said in a statement. Kerry said he mangled the delivery of a line aimed at Bush that he delivered on Monday. According to aides, the language was originally written to say that “if you’re intellectually lazy, you end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq — just ask President Bush.” In his apology on Wednesday, Kerry said, “As a combat veteran, I want to make it clear to anyone in uniform and to their loved ones: my poorly stated joke at a rally was not about, and never intended to refer to any troop.” “It is clear the Republican Party would rather talk about anything but their failed security policy. I don't want my verbal slip to be a diversion from the real issues. I will continue to fight for a change of course to provide real security for our country, and a winning strategy for our troops.” |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #28 Is Kerry in hiding, or just nursing the bruises from Teresa's ass kicking? |
| Posted by: Hyper 2006-11-01 23:53 |
| #27 I am not a veteran, let alone on who has seen combat. Kerry's apology is about 3 days late. It's was not just an insult against those who choose to serve in our nations military, it was an insult against the whole nation. Apology not accepted. As one who was also not in uniform, but did see combat (and has the throat and calf scars and the screwed up knees & ankles to prove it), and as one who's life was saved by a coupla' Marines who dragged my ass through the bush for a klick or two with one of 'em holding a pressure bandage to my throat the whole way (needed 14 stitches, missed the jugular by less than an inch), I can honestly say that J F'n Kerry is a prick, and someone whom I would never want at my back any day of the friggin' week let alone as my commander in chief. I'll take any one of the guys who dragged my sorry bleeding butt out of the bush that day over this idiot anytime - and they were under fire most of the way and never once even thought about leaving the civilian "liason" behind. Kerry would leave everyone behind if he were ever (shudder) elected POTUS. He's a pos of the first order. I have zero respect for him or his supporters. |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2006-11-01 22:54 |
| #26 Jawn Kerry is a botched joke. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2006-11-01 21:28 |
| #25 Those of us who were around in the 60's understand that there was no "botched joke", only a natural expression of beliefs held for over 40 years. People like Kerry thought it then, they think it now. They cannot conceive that anything might have greater value than their own precious hides and the fufillment of their instant desire. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-11-01 21:09 |
| #24 Wow, TW. Well said! Kerry's a dildo. Not even a real dick. A fake, imitation, battery-powered dick. Apologies to the ladies; it's the gin. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2006-11-01 21:01 |
| #23 So it is the contention of the gentleman from Massachussetts that he lacks situational awareness, is incompetent both at reading a prepared speech and at ad-libbing from the text, and he has a tin ear? Some people are best suited to quietly clipping coupons in the upstairs back room. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-11-01 20:50 |
| #22 I disagree DoDo. This is what he meant to say: 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, uh, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq. Nyuck!Nyuck!Nyuck!Nyuck!Nyuck! |
| Posted by: Thoth 2006-11-01 19:02 |
| #21 Also note that this is perhaps the first time he's failed to get in front of a camera to speak on something. That says a lot in my book (and it's not good). |
| Posted by: Raj 2006-11-01 18:56 |
| #20 What a pathetic piece of dogsh!t; I can only imagine that since 'the apology,' the phone lines are being worked overtime to try to get back on the cancelled campaign appearances. One can only hope that the candidates roll over and have Senator Stupid back on.....good news for all the pubbies out there. |
| Posted by: USN, ret. 2006-11-01 17:57 |
| #19 "Kerry, who graduated two years before Bush, got a cumulative 76 for his four years, according to a transcript that Kerry sent to the Navy when he was applying for officer training school. He received four D's in his freshman year out of 10 courses, but improved his average in later years. The grade transcript, which Kerry has always declined to release, was included in his Navy record." |
| Posted by: Darrell 2006-11-01 17:54 |
| #18 "During last year's presidential campaign, John F. Kerry was the candidate often portrayed as intellectual and complex, while George W. Bush was the populist who mangled his sentences. But newly released records show that Bush and Kerry had a virtually identical grade average at Yale University four decades ago." LINK |
| Posted by: Darrell 2006-11-01 17:51 |
| #17 This is what Mr. Kerry 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, uh, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq. This is what he says he meant to say: I can't overstress the importance of a great education. 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." Judge for yourself. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2006-11-01 17:44 |
| #16 This is what Mr. Kerry 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, uh, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq. This is what he says he meant to say: I can't overstress the importance of a great education. 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." Judge for yourself. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2006-11-01 17:44 |
| #15 I apologise to no one... except for those who didn't get the joke |
| Posted by: J Fn Kerry 2006-11-01 17:33 |
| #14 And several of those people will be talking about how lame or non-existant an apology this is. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2006-11-01 17:30 |
| #13 Make it 4 news cycles. Everybody will spend tomorrow talking about why it took him so long to apolopgize. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-11-01 17:26 |
| #12 OK, 40+ hours to own up to his gaffe. How about some damage estimates; Million$ in Dem sponsored TV advertising undercut Loss of 3 news cycles His need to be relevent has just contaminated and invalidated most of the poll work completed to this point, as the great unknown will now be how much did reminding everyone what a swack the dems nominated in 2004 reenergize the republican base. Both parties will be in the fog of war from now until Tuesday without relevent polling data. Both sides will spend additional million$ trying to figure out the damage done from "inside the submarine". All in all, nice work Lurch. Karl knew he could count on you! |
| Posted by: Capsu 78 2006-11-01 17:23 |
| #11 Such an insincere weasel. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-11-01 17:20 |
| #10 Horse hockey. This effete, ineffectual snob manages to dodge responsibility yet again while appearing to those who don't pay much attention to have apologized. He doesn't say he's sorry he said what he said. He says he regrets that he was misinterpreted. It's the fault of those damned listeners and that lying video tape! Not only was he misinterpreted, but misinterpreted to "wrongly imply" something negative about the military. He didn't imply anything- he straight out said it. Sorry if you were offended, he says, but it wuzn't me you should be mad at, it's those misinterpreters who are to blame. Spineless, opportunistic and obtuse. Utterly lacking leadership qualities or strength of character. Some things never change. He's willing to "personally apologize" to those who were offended, in the same way |
| Posted by: Baba Tutu 2006-11-01 17:19 |
| #9 Bottom line, these Republicans want to debate straw men because theyÂ’re afraid to debate real men ... Kerry's attempt to be 'manly' is so transparent, so awkward and so ineffective I'm *almost* sorry for him. I wonder if he'll buy these in the dozens. Ought to. But they won't help ..... |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-11-01 17:07 |
| #8 I am not a veteran, let alone on who has seen combat. Kerry's apology is about 3 days late. It's was not just an insult against those who choose to serve in our nations military, it was an insult against the whole nation. Apology not accepted. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2006-11-01 17:05 |
| #7 Now we can put this behind us and get on with the important issues like Congressman Foley and raising taxes. |
| Posted by: Phineter Thraviger1073 2006-11-01 17:05 |
| #6 Make that Ain't buying it or maybe I meant, Can't buy it.... anyway.... not enough, too late. |
| Posted by: Sherry 2006-11-01 17:04 |
| #5 my words were misinterpreted should never, ever be part of a apology. That is not an apology -- that is deflecting the blame elsewhere, rather than on self. Ain't buy it. |
| Posted by: Sherry 2006-11-01 17:02 |
| #4 I was for the joke before I was against it. Thank you, thank you. I will be performing all week! Take my wife....Please!!! |
| Posted by: John F Kerry 2006-11-01 17:01 |
| #3 Two thoughts: 1. "I voted against apologizing before I voted for it." 2. Wonder how the moonbats are taking all this? |
| Posted by: Mike 2006-11-01 16:58 |
| #2 Does McCain--or any other combat veteran for that matter--feel compelled to remind everyone at EVERY FREAKIN' OPPORTUNITY that he is a combat veteran? Kerry should just put his medals back on so we don't have to hear about it again and again and again! Oh, wait--I forgot he threw them away. Never mind... |
| Posted by: Dar 2006-11-01 16:50 |
| #1 Took him long enough. I wonder if he's actually learned anything from this lesson? Here's a few: 1) Jokes aren't to be undertaken lightly. 2) John Kerry isn't very good at jokes. 3) The American people don't dig even a hint of demeaning our fighting men and women. Unfortunately, I suspect John Kerry will take away the following: 1) People are too stupid to get my lofty humor. 2) I mean people are REALLY stupid not to have gotten this one. 3) Really, really stupid. Unlike me, who had the sense to marry not one but TWO really wealthy women. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2006-11-01 16:42 |