Wednesday, November 2: Howard Kurtz has a Kerry reaction round-up. Thanks for the shout out!
———————————————————————-
Update: From the horse’s mouth.
Commenter Larry says:
“I very seldom agree with you but I come back to your blog because I think essentially you’re an honest person. Your response to the Kerry situation is the same as most Republicans would respond to the latest gaffe from Dennis Hastert or John Boehner. The fact that you would give the benefit of the doubt to a man you dislike is a testament to you as a person and a thinker.”
Later…OK, so Instapundit linked to this post, which guarantees that many eyes will see it. It’s sad that I have to direct new conservative readers to the comment policy, but there you go. Politics makes some people irrational.
I’m also a conservative defending, if you will, John Kerry, who is unpopular with conservatives and Republicans. Some folks are offended because I said the conservative response was “fanatical.” You really shouldn’t get your knickers all twisted up because of something I wrote, but if you must…
No matter who are, how long you’ve been reading this blog, or how much you “love” me, I stand by this post and everything in it. If John Kerry’s aide made up the story about the prepared remarks, then he/she is a liar and Kerry really intended to insult the troops. If the aide’s story is true, then what I said is true: Kerry botched a joke. Until I see evidence to the contrary, I’ll err on the side of believing that in this instance, Kerry intended to insult Bush, not the troops.
One risk of running a public blog with open commenting is that people tend to dump all their frustrations on a blog just because there is a comment section. If you have issues with liberal bloggers and media defending Kerry, Kerry’s previous remarks about the troops, his military record, etc., I suggest you take it up with them, not me. This post is about Kerry’s mangled remarks from two days ago, and no other statement. If you’ve actually taken the time to follow the links in this post, you know exactly what I think of John Kerry and why.
Misread the post, read only half of it, don’t follow links, twist my words — liberals do it and conservatives do it. I’m used to it. But read and comprehend the post before you comment.
Even later (12:00 p.m.)…And commenters are still doing what I asked them not to do: posting links and ranting about Kerry’s previous statements about the troops. Some people just have a hard time focusing. All that MTV-style TV. Then again, who said conservatives were careful readers?
12:24 p.m.: Kerry apologized today for the botched joke. Satisfied? All is well with the world now… 
————————————————————————————————————————
I don’t like John Kerry.
During the last presidential election season, I mocked him for his condescending attitude toward “the poor” while living it up on his second wife’s first husband’s money. I excoriated him for misquoting and misapplying Scripture to criticize George Bush’s policies (and here).
I made fun of him for hanging out at black churches at election time and preaching diversity while his own campaign staff lacked diversity. I laughed at his so-called education policy, criticized him for being “pro-choice” even though he acknowledged that life begins at conception, and realized how utterly daft he was when he tried to ban the Swift Boat Veterans book that exposed his war stories as lies. (John, banning or even trying to ban a book guarantees readership.)
I called Kerry a racist for trying to appeal to blacks with talk of government programs and said that if he ever talked that way to me, “but for the daily struggle of living a Christian life, I’d curse him to his face.” And meant it. I was walking on clouds for months after he lost the election.
I’ve said much more about Kerry. Just check the Liberals-Kerry category if you really want to know. The point is, I don’t like him. I think he’s an arrogant, dishonest, unprincipled, pandering, condescending expensive suit. He’s a liar, and he annulled his 18-year marriage to the mother of his children. I think that stinks.
And, perhaps worst of all, he won’t apologize to the troops for giving the impression that he thinks they’re stupid, and he won’t humble himself and tell critics exactly what he was supposed to say! It’s not enough to go on the defensive and call Republicans “hacks…willing to lie.” Correct the record! According to a “Kerry aide,” he was supposed to say this:
“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.”
That’s a clear reference to Bush, who Kerry implies is dumb. But it came out like this:
“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.”
I’m trying to figure out why Kerry has not released his prepared speech to the press. It would clear up this whole mess (I contacted his office yesterday and requested a copy - still waiting). Instead, Republicans and conservatives have jumped all over this. As a conservative, I’m embarrassed that my “brethren” are willing to use our troops to score points for the mid-term elections. It was a botched joke, for crying out loud. Let it go!
Military men and women and their families are up in arms. Democratic candidates are canceling Kerry’s appearances. The White House is playing hard-ball instigator. The conservative blogosphere has lost its collective mind.
Think about it, people. Do you really believe that John Kerry, a war veteran, thinks American troops are dumb or would say so publicly during a war in the midst of an election cycle? When I first heard about his remarks, I knew instinctively that he couldn’t have meant that. And I can’t stand the man!
Calm down. Get a grip. Take a pill. Blog about something that makes sense. Kerry’s mangled remarks aren’t worth it, in my view. So you rally your readers against him and enjoy the thrill of yet another blog swarm. But it’s based on nothing.
Are there any voices of reason on the Right???
(Photo source: Ann Johansson/Associated Press)
LaShawn - There are, indeed, voices of reason on the Right; unfortunately, reason is no longer very welcome there. See here: http://www.civilcommotion.com/index.php?p=2240.
“John Kerry is guilty here of no more than Jerry Falwell is routinely guilty of: a clumsy locution. I don’t think he’s saying that people who volunteer to serve in the military are idiots so much as acknowledging the reality that the uneducated often find themselves with no route toward self-sufficiency but military service and training followed by the G.I. Bill. Indeed, as everybody with two eyeballs and a television set well knows, that’s one of the Army’s chief sales pitches to youngsters at loose ends.
[ … ]
“Really, much too much is being made of Kerry’s (yes, clumsy) remark. It would be better to discuss what overwrought, self-aggrandizing hysterics in search of broadcast time and Web-site hits have done to the so-called “national conversation.â€
Regards,
Bob Felton
Comment by Bob Felton — 11.01.06 @ 6:30 am
Ms. Barber,
Yes, I do believe that John Kerry, a war veteran, thinks American troops are dumb, and would say so publicly during a war, in the midst of an election cycle. Mainly because he acted similarly during the Vietnam era and because the idea of the volunteer military, as “dumb, deluded, fools” is a strongly held belief out on the left wing of the Democratic party to which he belongs. If that’s not what he “meant” to say, I’d call it a Freudian slip, because it’s what he truly believes.
Comment by Michael D Giles — 11.01.06 @ 6:42 am
Sorry LaShawn, although anyone else would get a pass on this Kerry doesn’t. It’s because of his track record including testimony at the Winter Soldier hearings and recent remarks about US troops kicking in doors and terrorizing Iraqi civilians. For reasons such as those he’ll get no slack from anyone even remotely affiliated with the military.
Comment by Subvet — 11.01.06 @ 6:44 am
Live by the word (small “w”)…die by the word.
Comment by Ed Morrow — 11.01.06 @ 6:55 am
I have to disagree LaShawn. As Subvet pointed out, I think that Kerry has a history of displaying complete disdain and contempt for our troops.
Weather it be he Senate testimony in 1971, his lies about Christmas in Cambodia, his accusations about our troops war crimes in Iraq, Kerry has a history of out right lies and troop bashing for political gain. Even the circumstances of his purple hearts have been brought into question.
The only difference between then and now, is the rotten traitorous man is being called on.
I spent a year in Afghanistan as an unarmed contractor for the Army. That means I spent 3 times as long in Afghanistan as Kerry spent in Vietnam.
Comment by E L Frederick — 11.01.06 @ 7:00 am
For 35 years John Kerry has been slandering the military. As recently as a year ago, he accused our troops in Iraq of terrorism. So no, I’m not willing to accept Kerry’s lame explanation, nor the word of one of his own aides that there was a different text. It’s too easy to see how that explanation could have been cooked up after the fact as damage control.
Secondly, if any real man with the slightest respect for our military had inadvertently mis-stated something, resulting in a terrible insult to everyone serving in Iraq, he would have apologized immediately and profusely. Kerry is not that man, as demonstrated by his complete lack of remorse.
John Kerry is a disgrace to the uniform he once wore, to the United States Senate, and to his country.
Comment by RedBeard — 11.01.06 @ 7:11 am
As commenters above have said La Shawn, if Kerry did not have a record of trashing our troops, then you would be right. And I believe you are right about his likely original intent to make a joke at the President’s expense.
But in classic Kerry style, he has refused too clarify and appolize to our servicemen about a joke gone wrong. This is the real story, and will continue to be one until he does….but he won’t, is good for Republican candidates in tight races.
Kerry….the gift that keeps on giving. Thank you so much John. Would you consider bringing along you wife with you next time for a possible double hitter?
Comment by Jim R — 11.01.06 @ 7:12 am
LaShawn, I’ve been playfully arguing with my husband about this all morning because he takes the literal read on this Kerry comment, and I tend to think there is more to the story, for the same reasons you do. Like you, I think that he’s a loser and I can’t stand him either, and yet I agree that this was just a badly botched joke (tee hee, I’m so glad he mispoke — talk about the hand of G-d, twisting Kerry’s tongue!) I do not think that he INTENDED to slam the troops and call them stupid losers in this speech. I cannot believe he could be that clueless, to make such a blatently insulting comment during wartime. But I also agree with Michael Giles, that this is what he secretly believes and it was a Freudian slip. I know that he served in the military during Vietnam, but he preferred to be back home marching with the hippie protesters. Remember that he was drafted; he couldn’t help being in the military. But the troops of today volunteered, presumably because they are too stupid to do anything better with their lives.
Comment by batyah — 11.01.06 @ 7:17 am
Based on comments, I’m in the minority. Such is life!
Regardless of who he is or what he’s done, I stand by “defense” of Kerry. The man messed up the quote. The fanatical reaction to it is maddening.
Comment by La Shawn — 11.01.06 @ 7:19 am
Kerry: It’s The Republicans Fault!
It’s always amusing to watch a politician step on his dick and then blame the other party for it. Does this look like a “botched joke” to you?
“You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homewor…
Trackback by "7.62mm Justice" — 11.01.06 @ 7:20 am
Sorry LaShawn, I feel the reaction is justified and not “fanatical”.
If it has been any Dem other than Kerry we more than likely could of given him a pass.
If it really was just a botched joke, then why not apologize?
“I misspoke, I never intended to insult our men and women in uniform. I regret that I tripped over my words in such a fashion that our troops were accidentally maligned.â€
I don’t understand his hang up, unless he is going to stand by his statement, as quoted.
Comment by E L Frederick — 11.01.06 @ 7:25 am
I find it interesting that you are surprised at the conservative reaction - it’s business as usual for the Republican party. How else would we all expect them to react except to seize on this political opportunity to divert attention from their many impeachable failures?
Comment by Richard White — 11.01.06 @ 7:36 am
“Based on comments, I’m in the minority. Such is life!”
Hey, whadya mean? I agree with you on Kerry’s conscious intention; we just disagree on his subconscious.
Comment by batyah — 11.01.06 @ 7:40 am
LaShawn:
Strangely, you seem to be isolating Kerry’s words from his character. As others have noted, he has demonstrated what fills his heart by his words over the past 35 years. Had he spoken accurately on this occasion, it would have been a poor joke but also a partial lie, i.e., intimating that he believes stupidity resides solely in the White House and that the soldiers but dupes and victims.
I’m sure you believe that “the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” Is that not what happened? Perhaps God’s dry and ironic sense of humor caused Kerry to actually speak the truth, to Kerry’s own chagrin and dismay.
Comment by Dr Mike — 11.01.06 @ 7:52 am
LaShawn,
John Heinz Kerry is a doctrinaire liberal..
James 3:8 “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”
His tongue reveals his mind… unruly, evil and full of deadly poison.
I don’t feel sorry for him at all.. but would like the opportunity to sit down and talk to him about trusting Christ as his Savior.
ExP (Jack)
Comment by ExPreacherMan — 11.01.06 @ 8:05 am
Kerry has long had a propensity to trip over his tongue. A classic example was the interview with Bob Schiffer when Kerry alleged that US troops were terrorizing Iraqi women and children in the dead of the night and then went on to say; “The Iraqis should be doing that.” …………LOL
For someone so gaffe prone who says so little that is creative or interesting, how did this man get so many accolades for his intelligence or articulate presentation? He just uses lots of words to say little of value and quite often, iterates idiocy.
Lastly, his reaction to his “joke gone wrong” demonstrates a great deal about his personality.
Comment by jan — 11.01.06 @ 8:05 am
Just heard Kerry trying to dig his way out, and he stated that anyone who thought that he, a decorated vet, would actually insult 140,000 soldiers is CRAZY.
So, while the original statement may have been unintentional (albeit, more of a freudian slip) he has now officially insulted the troops and their families who are upset by his original comment. Why, they must be “crazy” doncha know?
Comment by jan — 11.01.06 @ 8:23 am
La Shawn, you make a good point: who would seriously think Kerry thinks our troops are stupid or who would think he would say it publicly? But that is the point. He did say it. Just like he said he, if elected President, would use a “global test” for our foreign policy. Just like he said our troops were “terrorizing” Iraqi women and children. Just like he through his military medals over the white house fence. I think the comments he made represents his true feelings and those of many liberals. I think it might be called a “Freudian Slip” and it speaks volumes about his character, feelings and intelligence.
Comment by Belle — 11.01.06 @ 8:29 am
Think about it, people. Do you really believe that John Kerry, a war veteran, thinks American troops are dumb or would say so publicly during a war in the midst of an election cycle?
Yes I do. This is the same man that voted for the $87 billion before he voted against it. He is the same man that refuses to fully release his own military records, has a shady discharge, trashed other US troops during the Vietnam war and previously called our troops in Iraq terrorists. So for him to call troops stupid is as natural for him as waking up in the morning.
La Shawn, the man meant every word that came out of his mouth. The talk of it being a botched joke is a lame cover story.
You know these politicians say AND MEAN plenty of politically incorrect stuff that they say while out on the trail. There’s plenty that does not even get recorded or make news headlines.
If it were Bush, we all know that he can’t speak well. So we might fall for the “botched joke” excuse. But Kerry, considering himself to be smart and highly educated has no excuse.
Both Senators from MA are terrible and deserve all the bashing they get.
Comment by Independent Conservative — 11.01.06 @ 8:30 am
Eeeks! That should be “threw”, not “through”. Darn spellcheck!
Comment by Belle — 11.01.06 @ 8:31 am
He should of corrected himself.
Comment by tawanabrawley — 11.01.06 @ 8:32 am
La Shawn, I’m disappointed that you have this point of view, yet I won’t call you “fanatical” or claim you don’t have a “voice of reason”.
The arguments presented here on the side that he meant what he said are convincing. But one more thing should be given consideration: The audience.
In front of a group of liberal college students, he made statements that won’t fly in public.
Now I ask you; When you are with a group of people who hold your own beliefs, don’t you feel empowered to speak what is truly in your heart?
Comment by Chris in Pearland — 11.01.06 @ 8:44 am
I don’t believe that he specifically believes that the people in the military are stupid. I think what he really believes is that everyone who isn’t John Kerry is stupid.
That’s one of my basic disagreements with him. I believe the opposite.
Comment by John Davies — 11.01.06 @ 8:47 am
I very seldom agree with you but I come back to your blog because I think essentially you’re an honest person. Your response to the Kerry situation is the same as most Republicans would respond to the latest gaffe from Dennis Hastert or John Boehner. The fact that you would give the benefit of the doubt to a man you dislike is a testament to you as a person and a thinker.
Comment by Larry — 11.01.06 @ 8:49 am
La Shawn, I would tend to agree if Kerry did not have a career based on lying to Americans about our troops and setting out to put our troops in the worst light possible.
His staff is not releasing his prepared text because he was speaking extemperoraneously. There are none. I see his speech as condescending advice to students and gratuitous slams of the President posing as a statesman. He slammed the President, since he has nothing to offer of his own accomplishments, and then he condescended to giving advice to the students: stay in school work hard, be smart, or end up in Iraq. It makes perfect sense if interpretted that way, and fits easily in the context of the other slimes has done to American troops as recently as a year ago. In the name of fairness, you are being had. You are being manipulated by the Kerry people on this, I am afraid.
Comment by hunter — 11.01.06 @ 8:58 am
The video shows that Kerry looks down at his notes and reads just before he is to deliver the supposed punch line.
I just can’t imagine him still blowing it. You mean to tell me he does not even laugh at his own joke!
Have you received his transcript yet?
Comment by Keith — 11.01.06 @ 8:59 am
If I’m being “had,” it certainly isn’t the first time and definitely won’t be the last. But I’ll err on the side that Kerry mispoke. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong.
While I don’t like the implication that I can’t make up my own mind or that I’m being manipulated just because you don’t agree with my opinion, having to read such comments is one of the consequences of running a public blog with open commenting. And unlike too many people, I don’t pretend consequences don’t exist.
Post away!
Comment by La Shawn — 11.01.06 @ 9:02 am
Of course his aide would say that he meant to say something else. If there really was something prepared, they would have released it by now. People are all over this because it’s consistent with his view of Americans outside his social circle. He is against war and the military, even though he served in it. It’s not like this is an aberration.
Comment by mj — 11.01.06 @ 9:14 am
Do you really believe that John Kerry, a war veteran, thinks American troops are dumb or would say so publicly during a war in the midst of an election cycle?
Perhaps he is so dumb that he just assumes that his fellow veterans are as dumb as he is.
Comment by Mark — 11.01.06 @ 9:15 am
What Halloween Taught Me
UPDATE, November 1st, 2006: La Shawn has a comprehensive post about Kerry’s remarks and what was written for him to say in his speech and what was actually said. In spite of her own personal dislike for Kerry, La Shawn believes people on the “right…
Trackback by Wisedove - by Randy Thomas — 11.01.06 @ 9:24 am
Despite being a card-carrying member of the vast rightwing conspiracy and as rabid a wingnut as you’ll find anywhere, I agree with you, La Shawn: Kerry botched a joke about the President and I don’t believe was mean to be condescending toward the troops. But several things come into play:
1) Kerry’s response to criticism was way over the top and made him look foolish. I think the word “meltdown” has been correctly used. Kerry’s crazy statement in his own defense may be taking on a life of its own. He should have just said “I was joking about the President. I’m sorry if it was misunderstand — I was not referring to the troops” then shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Say nothing more.
2) Calling the president of the United States stupid in a time of war — no matter who that president is — is, in my judgment, as bad as any perceived insult of the military.
3) Kerry had this coming because of allegations about troops in Vietnam.
4) Conservatives and Republicans are jumping on this because we all know that Kerry’s misstatement reflects a real attitude held by many on the left.
5) What make me think Kerry was not taking aim at the military is the selective editing there seems to be of the video of his infamous statement that is circulating on the internet. Notice the video is chopped right after he makes the statement, so we don’t get a context of what happened afterward or even before, for that matter. Is this the kind of trickery we see on CBS or is it similar to what we read in the New York Times? If my assessment is correct, I’d like to think those of us on the right are above that.
Comment by Mike — 11.01.06 @ 9:27 am
I have to admit that I was reluctant to jump on this myself since I figured that he wasn’t so stupid as to basically say, “if you fail college, the only job that will take you is the military.” Placing the military at or below the same level as McDonalds is not even in the extreme left wing of the Democrats’ playbook yet, and there are people worse than Kerry who wouldn’t say stuff like that.
Comment by MikeT — 11.01.06 @ 9:32 am
Medved has a good commentary about this–including the context in which Kerry said it. It was just one of many one-liners used to connect with his audience.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MichaelMedved/2006/11/01/why_kerrys_crack_matters
Comment by mj — 11.01.06 @ 9:48 am
La Shawn,
I really admire your sense of fair play. If it had been anyone other than Kerry, I might agree with you. He has done this before and I am sure he will again. If the man had just said, “I am sorry,I blew the joke”, I would still have some respect for him. His blaming the right sealed the deal for me. He has no accountability or morality. This leaves me with no choice except to condemn the man in the most strongest terms. He is stupid, ignorant and I am oh so grateful this piece of fluff did not become President of the United States.
Comment by geo — 11.01.06 @ 9:49 am
La Shawn Barber’s take is different. She says it is clear Kerry’s remarks were a botched joke. SHe may be right of course, but we aren’t so sure. Mr Kerry, in his zeal to be the ‘right candidate’ the hard left will adopt, only reiterated what many leftists believe and say, everyday. Their disdain for the military is no secret. Even if Mr Kerry apologizes, he has ‘proved himself’ to a large and important group of people who’s votes he needs.
Pingback by Sigmund, Carl and Alfred — 11.01.06 @ 10:03 am
I think you are right on the track with this Kerry business. The whole political business has gotten so out of hand, away from any real issues. I hate to see the conservatives falling into this. Let KOS do their thing and stay above it.
Comment by Charles — 11.01.06 @ 10:04 am
What about all the other comments that Kerry has made? He has clearly come out with contempt for the people who serve as if they are dolts or marionets and he is the one who should be holding the strings for everybodies safety. Sorry but I cannot agree with you here. Kerry is who he is.
Comment by Nick — 11.01.06 @ 10:11 am
La Shawn, you are a bigger person than I.
If indeed, he truly misspoke, he still owes military personnel an apology for misspeaking, and let our brave men and women know unequivocally that he does not think that about our Soldiers/Sailors/Marines/Airman as well as our veterans of all services. As a vet myself, that sticks in my craw.
Comment by DragonLady — 11.01.06 @ 10:11 am
How is this “joke”, if delivered as you say Kerry intended to, funny? Inasmuch as Kerry voted FOR the war, it seems unlikely that he would have meant to go down that road.
Comment by Michael — 11.01.06 @ 10:13 am
La Shawn,
Here’s another misquote from Kerry:
“They told stories that at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Ghengis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war and the normal and very particular ravaging which is done by the applied bombing power of this country.”
An aide to Senator Kerry said that what Kerry really meant to say was:
“George W Bush is a weenie.”
Comment by Alan — 11.01.06 @ 10:15 am
Kerry hasn’t appoligized. If I do something that offends someone, I appoligize, so does any decent man, but not the Great Senator Kerry.
Its Bush’s fault, how idiotic an excuse that has become.
Comment by Tauzer — 11.01.06 @ 10:15 am
Why should Kerry (all of people) be given the benefit of the doubt or a free pass? Too bad Kerry is’nt up for re-election, excuse’s and fake apologies don’t wash during election season.
Everybody plays hardball when it comes to getting elected and re-elected. Every rival party should jump on this and ride it for what it’s worth. The GOP [especially] should make this their primary issue in order to keep control of congress and the senate. Any Democrat running for office or a seat that refuse’s to sharply criticize Kerry’s remarks should have their political campaign’s publically scrutinized.
Comment by NeoLibertarian — 11.01.06 @ 10:15 am
Love ya to death, LaShawn, but as a veteran and a guy who has studied John Kerry I know he has a track record of dissing the troops. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, well, it’s a duck.
Aside from that fact, I kinda resent your telling me and other vets - many who blog - to calm down, take a pill, and get a grip. I don’t tell you to do that when you get upset, so what makes you think you should be telling me that?
My outrage is geniune and justified.
All due respect . . .
Well, a lesser woman would resent your coming onto her blog and telling her how much you resent what she has to say! It’s all a vicious, politically motivated circle anyway, so who cares? - Admin
Comment by NSC — 11.01.06 @ 10:16 am
UPDATE#3: LaShawn Barber (who does not like or supports Senator Kerry) writes: Think about it, people. Do you really believe that John Kerry, a war veteran, thinks American troops are dumb or would say so publicly during a war in the midst of an election cycle? When I first heard about his remarks, I knew instinctively that he couldn’t have meant that. And I can’t stand the man!
Pingback by chez Diva — 11.01.06 @ 10:16 am
Could you please just take a moment and do a search/history on what Kerry has been guilty of saying in the past about those who serve in our military? Please.
That, and a small dose of “the L-rd moves in mysterious ways” should be enough to convince yourself that your “forgiveness” is misplaced.
Yes, I want the forces of Light (Republicans for the most part) to win, and yes I want to win fighting the good fight, but look at it this way … I’m not going to the communion altar with one hand tied behind my back.
Comment by Paul A'Barge — 11.01.06 @ 10:17 am
I have to disagree with LaShawn. Kerry is a war veteran, yes. But he’s a war veteran who wrongly accused his fellow vets of all sorts of war atrocities. I don’t think it’s a big leap to then accuse them of being less than intelligent.
Additionally, a recent study showed that our current military comes from wealthier families than civilians, so the old “only poor folk sign up for the military” canard is no longer true. Our military men and women are at least as educated as the rest of us.
Comment by PoliSci — 11.01.06 @ 10:17 am
Wait a minute now. To say that the conservative blogosphere has lost it’s collective mind is out of line.
I mean, Kerry said what he said. No one is making that up or attaching some grand conspiracy to Kerry’s remarks. To say that the right has lost it’s collective mind is to lump him with the DU and the nuts at Kos who think this is some rovian plot to win the election.
Kerry misspoke and if he would have said so (”I’m sorry…I apologize for mangling that joke”) instead of trying to blame others for what he said then this would have died almost immediately. His arrogance won’t let him say that and that’s what is on display.
And yes, after Kerry came home from Vietnam and said what he said before congress I do believe this is exactly what he feels in his heart. Do you remember what he said?
Call it a Freudian slip or a Vietnam flashback, but in his heart, from his own testimony before a congressional committee, it’s clear this is exactly how Kerry feels about soldiers.
Comment by Sean — 11.01.06 @ 10:17 am
LaShawn,
If you are right (and I believe you may well be) then why is he not correcting his statement instead of attacking those calling him on the actual statement. No one is making anything up, they are quoting his actual statement. So how is it he blames those who heard or read the actual words for misunderstanding him? He should clarify his intended remarks, apologize to those offended by the actual remark, and take responsibility for his own gaffe, rather than try to blame it on some vast right-wing conspiracy.
It may also have been a Freudian slip based on his past statements concerning our military.
Comment by Tim — 11.01.06 @ 10:18 am
If it was a botched joke:
1) Why will he not release his speechwriter’s notes? (Is he mistaking them for his service records, which he was also reluctant to release?)
2) Why did he not instinctively try to correct himself when he heard the dead silence reaction from the audience?
3) Why was his first instinct to attack his attackers instead of saying “This is what I meant to say…” ?
#3 suggests that the speechwriter who penned the phrase actually penned it as Kerry delivered it, and then after Kerry’s counterattacks failed was tasked with penning an alternate version for Kerry to defend himself with.
Kerry should at least be content that his mocking sneer during the line’s delivery was toned down significantly by the botox.
Comment by Laurence Simon — 11.01.06 @ 10:20 am
Kerry has called troops worse things than dumb.
I thought it was a botched joke too until he issued a rambling response about “right wing nut-jobs” instead of apologizing and clarifying. His first statement was not to say he made a botched joke; that came a while later.
Comment by Frank J. — 11.01.06 @ 10:20 am
#40 - Alan, lol! The sad thing is it’s true. Kerry has a long history of meaning what he says and then saying that wasn’t what he meant.
Comment by Belle — 11.01.06 @ 10:21 am
Interesting take, La Shawn. It may be that he was referring to President Bush and misread his script.
In that case why didn’t he just read it correctly the next day and say: “I’m sorry … (etc.) I misread my speech, and here is what I was supposed (meant to — whatever)to say….”
End of story, and not so much air time.
His response seems to indicate something other than a mis-read. Of course, he is a pathological convoluted footinmouther, so we will never know.
His record seems to indicate he does not think much of the military, though.
Comment by JA Lyons — 11.01.06 @ 10:23 am
La Shawn is right on what Kerry was intending to say. But methinks the phrase that got Kerry into trouble is not an innocuous misphrasing. I think it’s an insight into what he really thinks. This is a case of not saying what you mean, but saying what you think. Kerry thinks the troops are still drafted uneducated misfortunates who got caught up in a war he voted to authorize (convenient everyone forgets their initial appetite for war, even when they lose the stomach for it).
Comment by MEC2 — 11.01.06 @ 10:24 am
Assuming it was a “botched joke” (like most of your regular commenters, I don’t believe it was, based on all the other anti-military comments he’s made in the past)–well, the “joke” was just a sleazy ad hominem attack, the usual moonbat “Bush is teh stupid” line that gets trotted out to get applause they can’t get by talking about their real position on the issue. It wouldn’t have gotten the kerfuffle Kerry’s actual comments did, but it wouldn’t have been good, right, or honorable, either.
Comment by Radish — 11.01.06 @ 10:24 am
LaShawn - I don’t think that you are being manipulated or anything, but I do think that your position is in error. While you may be correct that this was really just a botched joke about the president, combined with Kerry’s history and personality, even a botched joke has some relevance. Also, if the Dems can hound Rep candiadates with accusations of being Jewish (Allen), rascist for implying that an opponent has a procilvity for bimbos (Corker) and implying that a candidate favors institutionalized rape (Lieberman), and get tons of media play on these points, why can’t we get a few licks in when this self-described mental giant and statesman can’t even get off a one line zinger without insulting the entire US military?
Comment by holdfast — 11.01.06 @ 10:24 am
LSB has the ability to set aside her obvious disdain for Kerry, and not let it cloud her judgment about this particular incident. I wish the same could be said for some of her commenters here.
Objectivity is a rare thing in the political blogosphere — both on the left and the right. Major kudos to LSB for bucking that.
Comment by Kman — 11.01.06 @ 10:25 am
Even if this were a “botched joke” as claimed, why would that let him off the hook?
First, I don’t believe him, I think he’s lying again.
Second, if it was supposed to have been said the way his staffer claims, the way he said it would be a classic freudian slip, betraying his real feelings.
Comment by Mike Rentner — 11.01.06 @ 10:28 am
Dear La Shawn,
Do I think Mr. Kerry meant to hint that the troops were stupid? Yes. I was around and aware, with 2 uncles in Viet Nam, when he made his great Senate debut. I think he wanted to hint that the draft was returning and be afraid, be very afraid, or you will end up cannon fodder. And finally, I suppose the argument could be made that if you fail to study hard and do your homework, you could end up being President of the United States, although Mr. Kerry and all his studying didn’t seem to be able to do what Mr. stupid no study Bush was able to achieve.
Please, save your sympathy for the deserving.
Comment by gail — 11.01.06 @ 10:31 am
I do believe that Sen. Kerry misspoke. Really, slate should revive the Kerry-isms column, and rather than focus on the overly worded/nuanced statement, just concentrate on the badly delivered prepared lines. They are legion (though, perhaps still not quite Bushian).
One reason the right is jumping on this, though, is that it really is in line with his precious views/statements about the military. It so matches the impression he has repeatedly presented that it almost reaches the ‘It should be true’.
Had he never had a bad thing to say about the military, never called them war criminals, never had questions regarding HIS service that he refuses to clear up by publishing he record, had he handled the SBVFT differently (or, even better, never been in the position where he HAD a SBVFT to deal with), then this wouldn’t be a big deal.
On the one hand, if he were more humble, and just admitted he was wrong, it would have been over quickly. On the other hand, if he were that kind of person, he would be President right now.
Comment by Kristian — 11.01.06 @ 10:31 am
How many times do we hear stories about wounded soldiers in Walter Reed saying they want to get back to their comrades on the battlefront?
Kerry, served only three months in the Delta during Vietnam. After suffering three wounds, two of which are still being debated, he opted out for early discharge. Returning home to accuse his fellow soldiers of atrocities.
Within the past year Kerry has accused American servicemen of “terrorizing children” and women in Iraq during house to house searches, something “better left to Iraqis”.
Kerry has stated that US troops should never be deployed without approval from the United Nations.
Words do come back to haunt us.
Harold Ford, Jr., Democrat, has now called for Kerry to apologize.
A retired general has called on Kerry to resign.
Growing numbers of us believe Kerry’s past words and actions clearly reflect exactly who the Senator is and what he really believes in his heart of heart.
Comment by Maggie — 11.01.06 @ 10:32 am
UPDATE: LaShawn Barber has a qualified defense of the Senator: he misspoke and intended to insult the POTUS. But the question still remains: why all this bizarre behavior after the fact? Not that I’m complaining!
Pingback by Provoking the Muse — 11.01.06 @ 10:33 am
If LSB’s point is that no one, not even a guy who just barely did well enough to graduate college like John Kerry, could have been so stupid as to intend to say (as opposed to believe) what the words he uttered so obviously mean, then she may have a point. A debatable point, but a point nonetheless.
Comment by Jim O'Sullivan — 11.01.06 @ 10:33 am
It appears different Kerry aides are giving different stories about what Kerry was “supposed” to say. Here’s what I’ve heard, and as quoted in a Seattle paper and several times on television today.
“According to aides, the passage in Kerry’s remarks read, “Do you know wehre 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.” (capitalized words are my emphasis and are the words that weren’t used in his comments). Here is the whole article:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003334182_kerry01.html
That’s a far cry from the statement that LaShawn referred to. Which aide is telling the truth??
In my opinion, neither aide is telling the truth. What he said is what he meant. Period. Apologize Senator Kerry !
Comment by dianne — 11.01.06 @ 10:35 am
I can believe it was a botched joke. Sadly, it’s the mindset of “insult the other guy” politics that led to the attempted joke in the first place.
My kingdom for a political race done with pride in accomplishment and record rather than venom and disparagement.
Comment by Mark La Roi — 11.01.06 @ 10:35 am
I have to agree with LSB that Kerry probably intended his clumsy joke to insult the president rather than our troops. However, I can’t help feeling that he inadvertently revealed his true feelings toward military personnel. After all, when all is said and done, calling them stupid is at least a step up from calling them war criminals.
Comment by Rebecca H. — 11.01.06 @ 10:36 am
La Shawn - I’m with you, and with batyah (#8). I think it was a Freudian slip - he does believe what he said, but I have a hard time believing he intended to say it that way. I can’t say I feel sorry for him, though. My immediate reaction when I heard the quote was “I’ll bet he meant Bush and screwed up.” I posted on this here, and I appreciate your backbone on this. And if we’re wrong, so be it!
Comment by FzxGkJssFrk — 11.01.06 @ 10:46 am
Kerry is busy spinning what he said, now that he has seen his comments backfire. No matter- his message at its core is : “Bush stupid, Iraq stupid, anyone who doesn’t get that- stupid.”
In politics, as in war, you exploit any opening the enemy gives you. That’s why conservatives will pile on Kerry. If you disagree, then say your piece, then get out of the way to watch the trainwreck.
Comment by Barry — 11.01.06 @ 10:49 am
“Do you really believe that John Kerry, a war veteran, thinks American troops are dumb or would say so publicly during a war in the midst of an election cycle?”
Well he’s stated for the record that he believes they’re all war criminals and terrorists. He said so in 1971, he said it again in 2005, and their’s no reason to believe he’s changed his mind since.
So the idea of him publically calling them dumb too is not out of character.
Comment by Ralph Phelan — 11.01.06 @ 10:50 am
I agree with you, BUT I’m not in the mood to cut the man any slack. Conservatives/Republicans will never get slack cut to them. Our leaders always end up resigning over stupid comments (Trent Lott comes to mind).
Taking the high road doesn’t get you anywhere in todays politics.
Comment by Kelly — 11.01.06 @ 10:51 am
As someone who went to college AFTER four years in the Marine Corps, I most certainly do recognize the puffed up, self-aggrandizing point of view that the military is full of idiots. It’s a pervasive notion on our campuses. I’ve been personally exposed to it numerous times.
That coupled with the fact that Kerry was speaking to a group who would likely share that view, and one I most definitely believe Kerry has, I have no doubt that he meant what he spoke and is now in the process of trying to formulate a cover story.
Comment by claunchs — 11.01.06 @ 10:52 am
La Shawn:
Some of your readers are clueless:
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=5456
Military people score above average on every index of success.
Kerry may have made an honest mistade in his delivery - but if it was an honest mistake, an apology to the Military is in order.
Because he has not apologized, his remarks are unforgiveable.
Comment by Frank Zavisca — 11.01.06 @ 10:52 am
With all due respect, I take Kerry at his words, not his revisions. Keep in mind the location and context of his remarks. He was talking to a group of students when 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.â€
The “you” he was referring to is clearly the audience, a group of students, not George Bush (who incidently got better grades at Yale than Kerry). He then is so politically tone-deaf as to not realize how his words would be taken and starts blaming everybody but himself.
Psychology has the term “Freudian Slip” to refer to an inadvertant statement that reveals what someone is really thinking. Even if Kerry meant to make a joke about Bush, I honestly believe he revealed what he thinks about the men and women serving in the military.
As someone who spent 13 years in the military (BS in math and 2 master’s degrees), I find it laughable that Kerry thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. Other than his ability to marry rich women, Kerry hasn’t done a thing to demonstrate his alleged intelligence to me.
Comment by Larry J — 11.01.06 @ 10:56 am
I don’t buy it. There were published stories about Kerry’s grades being worse than Bush’s, so how can he use education to suggest Bush is dumber than he?
Comment by Brad — 11.01.06 @ 10:58 am
I, too, really thought Kerry was talking about the troops.
I know, Lashawn, that you think that this isn’t possible, but I only saw the clip, and didn’t read any commentary about it, and I thought he meant the troops. The Bush explanation didn’t even occur to me, and I read blogs way too much than is healthy for me. I’m pretty well informed.
About 24 hours later, when I played the clip for my husband and then read some blogs about it, my husband said, “he obviously meant Bush”. Then it clicked for me. But until that moment, it had never even occurred to me.
I wonder how many other people, after just hearing the clip, thought the same way I did?
Comment by SheilaG — 11.01.06 @ 10:59 am
Personally I think Kerry is a GOP mole, it’s all a clever a put up job by Carl Rove, brilliantly played too.
Comment by Nick (South Africa) — 11.01.06 @ 11:03 am
La Shawn, you may well be right, but I think you’re wrong on where the “benefit of the doubt” lies.
Obviously, Kerry has shown a willingness to insult troops during wartime. That much is undeniable. Further, what he said about the troops being stupid is exactly what a great many liberals think.
I’m not at all surprised that he said it, I’m only surprised that he said it into a microphone (but given that it’s John Kerry, I’m not even all that surprised he did that).
It may be a mangled joke on GWB, but it’s up to Kerry to prove it. Not conservatives to disprove it. The fact that he has not yet done so (to my knowledge) is VERY suggestive.
Comment by tim maguire — 11.01.06 @ 11:09 am
What DEElicious irony that Mr. Suave and DEEboner can be as bumblemouthed as the bemusedly befuddled dolt he was disparaging. (As brother Bingley noted in his post this morning “Seriously, if “lazy” Bush’s Yale average of 77 gets us ’stuck in Iraq’, Kerry’s 76 would have left us…where, exactly?” I would offer “up a Cambodian River with a magic hat…” in answer)
I’m in the Freudian slip camp, by the way. He really, REALLY feels the lack o’ love in his heart but would normally attempt to keep it under wraps. Only…he’s HIM!
Comment by tree hugging sister — 11.01.06 @ 11:09 am
You are right LaShawn. When I heard what Kerry had said, it sounded bad, but when I heard the context, I realized he had simply misspoken. Is it unfair that he is being grilled for this, no. He is a politician, and he has every public word he utters spread worldwide in seconds. He makes his living speaking. He is supposed to do it right. All he had to do was come back and say”Hey, I misspoke, my mistake, I’m sorry, of course I didn’t mean to suggest that the fine people in our military are not the best and the brightest that this great country can produce and blah blah blah….” “Now let me tell you how the joke is supposed to go..” He could have turned a minor slip up into a plus, made the republicans look petty for pursuing the issue, and helped his party. But he didn’t. All he needed was a small amount of humility (” Darn, I made a mistake”),and some smarts (” How can I recover and turn this to my advantage”). He has neither. When Trent Lott misspoke at Strom Thumonds 248th birthday party, the Dems excoriated him. Was it fair? No. They are politicians and they are expected to be carefull with the words they use and how they use them. Both Kerry and Lott’s sin is not the error they made, but that neither thought the subsequent attacks by the other side were fair. Politics is mean and nasty and if they don’t know that, I have no sympathy for them. Republicans were looking for a reason to throw Lott over the side and he gave them one. Kerry is going over the cliff because he can’t be humble enough to admit he made a simple mistake.
Comment by Thurman — 11.01.06 @ 11:13 am
See a tongue-in-cheek posting that employs the same GOP tactic used in relation to Senator Kerry to creatively interpret remarks made by the President in the most unfavorable manner…here:
http://www.thoughttheater.com
Comment by Daniel DiRito — 11.01.06 @ 11:15 am
I admit to not having read all the comments, so I may be repeating a thought someone else has posted.
To me, Kerry’s sin is not so much making a stupid statement/botching a joke. Rather, when given the opportunity on more than one occasion to apologize to those whom he (intentionally or not) insulted, his response was not to admit his mistake but instead lash out at everyone he could possibly think of who had ever done him political harm. Unfortunately, this is a pattern for him. His ego gets in the way of his ability to think things through and assess the political effects of what he says and does.
I’m glad that he wasn’t elected President because the bad guys, recognizing this flaw, would have played him like a Stradivarius.
Comment by ExRat — 11.01.06 @ 11:16 am
If he would quit spending all his time trying to slam Bush, this stupid statement would have never happened. Politicians need to spend more time telling us what they can do and less time slamming their opponent. Kerry deserves all he gets for this blunder.
Comment by TonyB — 11.01.06 @ 11:16 am
Manly Men in Magic Hats
The Left has consistently pushed the meme, untrue during the Vietnam war, and untrue now, that our troops are poor-dumb-minorities.
Trackback by DANEgerus weblog — 11.01.06 @ 11:16 am
Hi LaShawn,
I have to agree with comment No. 69. I believe that as conservatives, most of us would love to be forgiving about these sorts of missteps. It’s in my nature, personally, as someone who hates the politically correct shackles that we have restricting our dialogue these days.
Unfortunately, the mainstream media and the Democrats are notorious for taking quotes out of context and misrepresenting what Republicans and conservatives say — all in an effort to brand them as racists or sexists or homophobes, you name it! It never ceases to amaze me how quickly every member of the media will pounce on something (even a misrepresented quote) that Rush Limbaugh or Pat Robertson says. At the same time, they will willfully ignore idiotic statements made by Democrats and liberals.
Frankly, this has gone too far. The media has been trying for a week now to swing votes based on Michael J. Fox and Rush Limbaugh. My feeling is that, unfortunately, we can’t take the supposed high road until the media stops playing cheerleader for the Democrats. If that makes me immature on this one, then so be it — but I’m not willing to lose everything we’ve worked hard to gain in this country simply because the media has decided that it will MAKE US vote Democrat if it’s the last thing they do.
Beth
Comment by Beth — 11.01.06 @ 11:28 am
I have really gained a new found respect for your honesty and integrity after reading this post. What makes me angry is that Conservatives should be up in ARMS about Kerry’s criticism of George W. Bush’s Philosophy in fighting the war on terror, rather than focusing on a mangled joke. THe transcript of the prepared text clearly shows Kerry botched the joke, and instead of the president defending his policy and conservatives who support his policy running to his defense, they are seizing on a botched joke. It only adds to Kerry’s rebuttal point that Republicans are debating strawmen rather than discussing their philosophy.
I remember when Dick Cheney was asked why military recruitment was lagging behind expected results, he said it was because the ECONOMY was DOING SO GOOD, and there were more opportunities in the market. Sadly, someone could be twist that around to suggest that the only people left for recruitment were people who couldn’t get jobs in a booming economy.
I think after the Foley scandal, a lot of Conservatives in the blogosphere feel they were outdone by the KOS and liberals in pushing that so called scandal (even though it was more of a issue of personal accountability), so the first drop of blood from the other side stoked a fire that had been burning in many minds. Sadly, we look at each other as the enemy, while the enemy plots to destroy us indiscriminately.
Comment by dabasement — 11.01.06 @ 11:29 am
So give him the benefit of the doubt.
Pingback by The Everlasting Phelps — 11.01.06 @ 11:30 am
Do you really believe that John Kerry, a war veteran, thinks American troops are dumb or would say so publicly during a war in the midst of an election cycle?
Well, he has accused them of worse things than that, so it’s isn’t a huge stretch. And I would agree with you that he did botch his joke, and shove his foot down his throat. But I needed to listen to his remarks carefully and three times to arrive at that position.
But his steadfast refusal to apologize in the face of outraged military members and their families speaks to his character. If he really wanted this issue to disappear, all he needed to say was I’m a lousy joke teller and I fouled that joke up, and made it sound like an attack. For that, I’m deeply sorry.
I’ve likened the episode to Br’er Rabbit and the Briar Patch. I don’t think JFK is smart enough to ask to be thrown into the briar patch…
Comment by I R A Darth Aggie — 11.01.06 @ 11:38 am
I can believe he meant it as the joke you say, mainly because I’ve heard that exact joke before.
But as far as your comment “Think about it, people. Do you really believe that John Kerry, a war veteran, thinks American troops are dumb or would say so publicly during a war in the midst of an election cycle?”
Yes I think he does think that and he would say it. He made his early career out of lying about things he’s seen, treating all servicemen like psychopaths. I always thought he suffered from PTSD; and, like a few (e.g. Massey, Oliver Stone, etc.), projected his guilty feelings onto all troops, believing them all to be the monsters that he thought he was. Of course that is no excuse for lying about them, but according to some men who were at Winter Soldier he lied and allowed others to testify knowing they were pressured into lying.
Comment by Pluto's Dad — 11.01.06 @ 11:38 am
The problem as I see it, LaShawn, is Kerry’s past comments about soldiers. If he had always supported military men it would be different. But he has a history of insulting the troops, and in a very very offensive manner.
Hey what’s good for the goose. They claim George Allen has a history of racism, so the “macaca” moment had resonance, while in itself it was not much. Same here.
Comment by darcy_lane — 11.01.06 @ 11:39 am
Dear Lashawn,
I can believe that Kerry’s writers/handlers gave him a harmless Bush quip as part of his briefing before he made his speech. When one speaks extemporaneously, one necessarily paraphrases the background text. Few have perfect recall. So what happened was that the quip filtered through his mind, and what came out was his true feeling. The innocuous quote was what his handlers intended him to say; what we heard was what he believes and meant to say.
Comment by Ernie G — 11.01.06 @ 11:43 am
La Shawn: I MIGHT agree with you, except for the fact that insulting the U.S. military has been a John Kerry pattern since 1971 when he defamed our Vietnam troops in front of the U.S. Congress and then, while still a member of the U.S. military, took himself off to Paris to confer with the North Vietnamese - an unauthorized act that SHOULD HAVE led to arrest, trial and prison time. Because I lost someone I deeply loved in Vietnam, Mr. Kerry’s testimony outraged me beyond anything you can imagine. I detested and distrusted him then and NOTHING he has done has ever changed my mind about him. So I DO believe he intended to insult our military once again.
And how is intending to insult the President of the United States during wartime any less offensive?
John F. Kerry is both Unfit for Command and Unfit for Public Office. And I am not saying that out of right-wing hysteria but on the basis of many, many years of observation.
Comment by Gayle Miller — 11.01.06 @ 11:43 am
And speaking of fanaticism: “How else would we all expect them to react except to seize on this political opportunity to divert attention from their many impeachable failures?”
I’d like a list of the so-called impeachable failures. In point of fact, “failures” are not impeachable. High crimes and misdemeanors ARE impeachable - you know, like lying to a grand jury?
Comment by Gayle Miller — 11.01.06 @ 11:46 am
During the Vietnam conflict, I was a liberal Democrat and antiwar. My one qualm was the fate of the South Vietnamese should we pull out and the North take over. John Kerry was then the head of Vietnam Veterans Against the War and a credible, indeed respected, figure for me. He flatly assured there would be no harsh repercussions if the North took over.
The North invaded and our newly Democratic congress voted to withhold funds and supplies to the South. A bloodbath ensued as hundreds of thousands of South Vietnamese were summarily executed, more than a million imprisoned and well more than a million displaced to squalid refugee camps. Through the Carter presidency, the bloodbath spread to Laos and Cambodia, and not one leading Dem, least of all John Kerry, batted an eye.
You are right, LaShawn. This latest Kerry escapade ain’t no big whoop, just pieces falling off a man who has been a moral leper for more than 30 years.
Comment by Charlie — 11.01.06 @ 11:47 am
Even if you believe (as LaShawn Barber does) that Kerry’s comments were a slam of President Bush, not the troops… what do you make of his statement refusing to apologize?
Pingback by Cam Edwards — 11.01.06 @ 11:47 am
The joke, even in the “unboched” form, simply doesn’t make sense.
Speaking to young college students he sets up; “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?”
This, as a reference to Bush, who happens to hold the highest office in the land, winning two terms, defeating the joke-teller himself by 3 million votes, does not compute. Since Bush had the approval of Congress including Kerry (at one point anyway), how can he justifyably accuse Bush of not doing his homework, being intellectually lazy, and not smart, since this applies equally to himself?
Bush also is often accused of getting us into Iraq to help enrich his friends (and ostensibly himself). If that was his goal, he must have been very clever to fool Kerry and all the others. So the joke doesn’t work on any level because of a grossly formed premise, and because of the status of the teller himself.
It is well known that many liberals often claim that our military men and women are uneducated and have no other options but to join.
Kerry has no standing in terms of expecting to get the benefit of the doubt, given his previous utterances regarding US troops, going back as far as 34 years and as recent as 2004. His indignation is telling.
Comment by franco — 11.01.06 @ 11:48 am
LaShawn, I think your “update” line is an insult to horses!
Regards
Buck
Comment by Bucktowndusty — 11.01.06 @ 11:50 am
I loathe/detest Kerry.
However, it is clear to me that this was yet one more idiotic, immature “Bush is dumb” joke.
Is it so much better if Kerry was indeed referring to Bush (the POTUS and CIC) rather than the troops?
And most revealing is this despicable vain spoiled empty suit’s inability to APOLOGIZE or CLARIFY his remarks.
No matter what Kerry intended, he should be ashamed of himself.
I do agree with you LaShawn, and commend you on speaking your mind. I think it’s obvious that Kerry meant Bush (not the troops). And it IS disturbing to see the right-wing lynch mob taking full advantage of this for political reasons. Not exactly classy either. As usual - bad behavior on all sides of the issue.
Comment by slick — 11.01.06 @ 11:52 am
This is part of a long history of hateful anti-military remarks by Kerry. Take a look at his
evil cover for THE NEW SOLDIER…
http://freekerrybook.org/documents/THENEWSOLDIERPHOTOS_000.PDF
…that mocks and vomits upon the graves of the men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima. That had nothing to do with Vietnam and everything to do with anti-military and anti-American hatred. He coldly, soberly and intentionally libelled and slandered American troops then, and still does it today.
Comment by Ernest Brown — 11.01.06 @ 11:54 am
#85 It would be easy to give him the benefit of the doubt if this was an atypical comment from Mr. Kerry.
I think that while what he *meant* is important, how it came out, and how it was subsequently dealt with is equally important. I think it’s hard to accept his PAC’s protestation that he mangled his speech when Kerry’s reaction in his subsequent press briefing was so at odds with it.
Imagine the scenario:
“Mr Kerry, sir, that comment will be seen as highly inflammatory … it could easily be misinterpreted and misunderstood.”
“YEAH, WELL, IT’S THAT B*STARD KARL ROVE AGAIN! ORGANIZE A PRESS CONFERENCE AND WE’LL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS!”
Maybe it’s a character flaw, but the man is incapable of reacting to a crisis in a measured way. Either he was truly outraged at the misunderstanding, in which case you’d expect any rational person to be contrite, or it was faux-outrage, in which case I’d expect *exactly* the kind of response I saw - not just in someone like Mr. Kerry, but in anyone with a comparable level of self-regard.
LaShawn. I’m only an irregular reader (and I confess that I haven’t read the posts in the #40-80 range), but I think you’d have to concede that you can’t take the comment completely out of context. On behavioral track-record, ‘reasonable’ people could easily interpret what he said as a slur. And I’d argue that a politician who can’t convey his message in an unambiguous manner isn’t worthy of the job.
The other Dem politicians are right to shun the man. The fact that they have not done so before this reflects very poorly on them too.
Comment by Mark Willis — 11.01.06 @ 11:56 am
Perhaps La Shawn is correct.
But his arrogance in not apologizing is stunning.
I believe that activism can be intoxicating, and overcome reason and common sense. This is apparent in Kerry’s demeanor - instead of coming into the 21st century, he is still maintaining the demeanor of the highlight of his career - the Winter Soldier investigation. There was a level of attention unequaled before or since. Even the Presidential election can’t equal the level of excitement of a young veteran investigating “atrocities”.
This is obvious when I see the Civil Rights activists - like Rep John Lewis of GA reminicing - repeatedly - of the “dogs and fire hoses” when discussing renewal of certain provisions of the Voting Rights Act - provisions that have NO RELEVANCE this year (like bilingual ballots in the South). Yet lewis is still intoxicated from the “Glory Days”.
There are many others - some in Congress - the “old guys” who marched in the SDS etc..
Comment by Frank Zavisca — 11.01.06 @ 11:56 am
Lets give Kerry the benefit of the doubt and say yes he did mean it as a joke, now think of the thought process that and attitude that would be required to make a joke like that to a bunch of college kids. In my opinion it shows an underlying disdain for the military.
Comment by Joe Brasser — 11.01.06 @ 11:56 am
I tend to agree with your initial assessment of Kerry’s performance. I think his remarks were clumsily worded but not sure if it was his delivery or he just has a horrific staff who clearly don’t know how to write jokes(probably both). Either way, he meant to attack Bush.
Honestly, where I think this helps Republicans has been his initial response to the outrage. That press conference yesterday was the real gift to Republicans, not the initial remarks. It reminds people why they vote for Republicans — they really don’t can’t bring themselves to vote for Democrats.
Comment by NCgal — 11.01.06 @ 11:58 am
LaShawn:
You ask: “Do you really believe that John Kerry, a war veteran, thinks American troops are dumb or would say so publicly during a war in the midst of an election cycle?”
I do. I remember John Kerry in 1971, accusing his “band of brothers” of war crimes before Congress. He slandered the troops once before during a war, and he’s never apologized for that; I’ve no doubt he’d do it again.
That said, your take on this affair, which I do not share, is not unreasonable, and I do respect you for saying it and sticking by it.
Comment by Mike — 11.01.06 @ 12:00 pm
“Well, a lesser woman would resent your coming onto her blog and telling her how much you resent what she has to say! It’s all a vicious, politically motivated circle anyway, so who cares? - Admin”
LaShawn,
Feel free to resent my telling you that I resent your telling me to chill out about Kerry’s remarks (that is a circle,isn’t it?). It may have been pushy for me to tell you that on your blog, but how else was I supposed to tell you? That’s what comments are for, right?
If you read The Corner today, you will notice a couple of folks there telling people who believe Kerry meant to disrespect the troops that their outrage is manufactured and they are being dishonest.
I am not saying you believe that or you meant that in your post, but your comment felt in that same vein - that we should just ignore him because it was a bad joke. Well, bad joke or not, the guy has a long history of disrespecting the troops and this is just par for the course.
He may not have meant this for the troops, but I would be a month’s salary - not an insubstantive amount either - that he believes just that.
Anyway, just so you know, I respect you very much and I apologize if I offended you.
Comment by NSC — 11.01.06 @ 12:03 pm
I heard and read the joke. I agree with Lashawn and I would like to add that not all of the military are stuck in Iraq, so…..Why would we assume that he meant the entire military and not just Bush? You have so many military men and women that have never been to Iraq, never will go and will forever be stationed in other locations around the world. I think the “other” side wanted Kerry to mean the entire military so that they can find some fuel to attack him and try to deflect people from focusing on the real issues at hand.
Comment by Roye Barber — 11.01.06 @ 12:04 pm
In defense of John Kerry, I must point out that he marries well.
It is the tragedy of his life that he was not adopted by the Kennedys. That loss has driven him since to try to live up to the standards set long ago by his idol and mentor, Tedward.
Who knows, perhaps he (Kerry) too will enter into secret and traitorous negotiations with an enemy of the United States (Al Queda or Kim Il Jong are possible candidates) in a further demonstration of his Kennedy family values.
I wonder of Bill Gates would have the grace to die soon; John probably needs to move up and the Widow Gates would be another perfect match.
Next time, let’s talk about Jane Fonda and her patriotism, as it was demonstrated when she ratted out the POWs in Hanoi….
Comment by B Dubya — 11.01.06 @ 12:09 pm
What goes around…
George Allen was the first politician and potential ‘08 Presidential contender to make a gaffe this year on the campaign trail which was captured on YouTube, but he wasn’t the last. The blogosphere has been in an uproar this week…
Trackback by In the Agora — 11.01.06 @ 12:09 pm
La Shawn,
If I may clarify my less-than-clear statment about manipulation. What I was trying to say is that his people are playing on the good will of people to give him the benefit of the doubt. Unlike Kerry, if I am less than clear, I will own the mistake and seek to politely clarify. You are blessed with good will and charitable instincts. I think the Kerryites are hoping to take advantage of that good will to help Kerry once again get away with smearing people, as he ahs done for over 30 years.
I think this is as good of a time as any to stop it.
Comment by hunter — 11.01.06 @ 12:11 pm
Kerry Meant What He Said
I was going to do a post about how the record shows that Kerry meant what he said yesterday. I was going to post quote after quote after quote (all linked, of course) showing how the left has stated, for the record, how they really feel about the militar
Trackback by Iowa Voice — 11.01.06 @ 12:12 pm
I agree that some of the criticism of Kerry has been overblown. However, I do think it is fair to criticize Kerry for not apologizing. Even if what he said was not what he intended to say, what he did say was offensive and he should own up to that fact.
As for why he has not released a copy of his prepared remarks, I suspect the reason is that the remark in question was off the cuff. His introduction to his spiel on education seemed to indicate that his following remarks were unplanned. If that were the case, I don’t know how Kerry’s aide could honestly say Kerry didn’t read his prepared remarks properly.
Comment by David Walser — 11.01.06 @ 12:12 pm
Ok, Kerry botched a joke. I am not sure what that joke would be as George W had a better academic record than Kerry and an MBA. SO he got the education Kerry is urging the kids to get. Is he joking about Arnold? Well what does Arnold have to do with Iraq.
If you are right, and you should be, Kerry screwed up a bad joke. Why can’t he come out and admit he blew a bad joke, oh and give us the joke.
Comment by David — 11.01.06 @ 12:14 pm
Well Roye, can we parse what Kerry said?
I’m not convinced that ‘just because’ some of the military will never be stationed in Iraq, that he didn’t mean them. Being literal gets us nowhere, because if you apply that logic, Bush isn’t ‘trapped in Iraq’. The man isn’t there physically, and he has more latitude in what he could do ‘in Iraq’ than any of the military personnel.
I think that it’s wise and just to accept that Kerry might have meant Bush. I don’t think it’s wise and just to believe Kerry’s statement that he did.
Comment by Mark Willis — 11.01.06 @ 12:15 pm
Was there a slam at Bush somewhere in what he was saying that got lost? Possibly.
Has Kerry over the last thirty-five years repeatedly slammed the military? Certainly.
He may have mis-spoke, and what he’s repeatedly sent around has come around.
“I meant to make a slam at President Bush, and mangled it. I am sorry that what I said slammed the troops, and I apologize.” would have put an end to it.
He didn’t, and reaps the consequence.
Comment by htom — 11.01.06 @ 12:16 pm
The problem with the joke theory is twofold:
1) It’s a long way from the joke he claimed he was making to what he actually said. Would someone as practiced in speaking as Kerry really flub a joke that badly through so many omitted and misplaced words?
2) Even if the intent was a joke, what we got strongly appears to be a “freudian slip”. That is to say instead of saying what he meant to he was saying what he really thought, which would explain how a practiced speaker could trip himself up. That is not so impossible to believe based on his remarks after Vietnam.
Comment by Kendall — 11.01.06 @ 12:17 pm
I don’t know about anyone else, but when I have botched a joke or unintentionally offended someone, I have immediately apologized. When I make a joke that doesn’t seem funny to anyone else, I explain it. Not fun, but I do it.
Why should I expect less of an elected representative?
Comment by Tish — 11.01.06 @ 12:18 pm
I’m not a conservative (I’m not insane about Kerry either, though) but I agree with you on this. Although we might come to different conclusions, you seem to be a very reasoned thinker. I just found your site and now look forward to reading it more in the future.
Comment by Squeaks — 11.01.06 @ 12:24 pm
#114
But Tish … YOU are not John Kerry.
Comment by Mark Willis — 11.01.06 @ 12:25 pm
right-wing nut jobs reduce everything to politics!
As anyone who’s been to law school knows, one of the things that lawyers are trained to do is argue inconsistent theories in the alternative. Not that this makes much sense in real life, but in a legal setting it…
Trackback by Classical Values — 11.01.06 @ 12:35 pm
Gail #58 said; “I think he wanted to hint that the draft was returning and be afraid, be very afraid, or you will end up cannon fodder.”
That is EXACTLY what he meant!
Kerry is of the Vietnam war era. He’s well aware of how our spirit to win was broken by fool-hearted college demonstrations. His statement was a lame attempt to cloud the college students minds about our fight against terrorism and war in general.
You must take into account that Kerry was an “officer” in the service. He knows we can’t continue to fight this war with the current level of troops. Eventually the draft will be necessary (and from his recent comments I think he knows something).
Frankly, I believe the draft should have been reinstated the day we were attacked. The president has said time and time again this will be a long battle. We all need to make sure the outcome of this war does’nt turn out like Vietnam, or worse!
Comment by NeoLibertarian — 11.01.06 @ 12:36 pm
LaShawn-
I can’t speculate to Kerry’s opinion of the troops. He IS a complete moron, however. Kerry provided some good fodder in the last 72 hours to prove all of the things that you stated- “I think he’s an arrogant, dishonest, unprincipled, pandering, condescending expensive suit. He’s a liar, and he annulled his 18-year marriage to the mother of his children. I think that stinks.
He isn’t funny, and he hasn’t ever been funny. Why do his staffers let him try to tell jokes? I have seen the tape setting up the botched joke, and the state of denial joke is bad as well. He was only barely in the ballpark of what he was scripted to say.
Well written as always LaShawn, keep up the great blog, and thanks!
Comment by Tucker — 11.01.06 @ 12:38 pm
Lashawn,
As far as I’m concerned, it’s just as bad for a sitting U.S. senator to call the president stupid as it is for a senator to call the troops stupid.
And reading between the lines of the Kerry camp’s responses, I’d say Senator Kerry might very well agree with me too.
Why? Because he decided to respond by attacking the “Republican hate machine”.
But what did the fanatical Republican hate machine actually do — Tony Snow, for one, just spent less than a minute putting Senator Kerry’s remarks in context and asking for an apology (and asking for Democratic candidates to disavow Kerry’s remarks).
If this is “hateful”, it is far less “hateful” than the Bush joke that was allegedly meant to be delivered.
And that is probably why Kerry responded by going on the offense. He is an intelligent, sensitive man, and he knows that it is not right to call President Bush stupid (especially when W’s grade point average at Yale was higher than Kerry’s!). He knows that morally and politically, his remarks are not really defensible, even in the revised version that he is trying to put forward. His only defense is that the other guys, the Repub’s, are worse.
The truth is, we may never know what Kerry actually meant to say in his joke. My best guess, for the moment, is that an early draft, or perhaps another version at a different event, may have had the Bush joke, but that Kerry thought it wasn’t punchy enough and decided to improve it by redirecting it at the troops.
But when push comes to shove, it’s irrelevant what Kerry meant to say, for three reasons:
1) The President Bush version was just as bad.
2) His response should have been an apology, and not an attack on the Republicans.
3) If he had actually, honestly mangled the joke, he should have interrupted himself at the time he said it and corrected himself then. But he didn’t, he let it ride, he wasn’t even the least bit self-conscious about it as far as I can tell. He really didn’t care if the allegedly wrong version hung out for all those young college folks until he got called on it later.
I am glad, however, that you have taken a contrarian view. It is possible, after all, that you are correct and I am wrong, and your post has led to an interesting conversation. Thank you!
Comment by Matthew Goggins — 11.01.06 @ 12:38 pm
“The media has been trying for a week now to swing votes based on Michael J. Fox and Rush Limbaugh. My feeling is that, unfortunately, we can’t take the supposed high road until the media stops playing cheerleader for the Democrats.”
HEY!! You forgot the “Republicans (FOLEY) protect (FOLEY) gay (FOLEY) child (FOLEY) molestors (FOLEY)!! They’re the Grand Old Perverts! (Did I mention FOLEY?)”
Comment by tree hugging sister — 11.01.06 @ 12:41 pm
We only have John Kerry’s word that he misquoted or misspoke a joke. Unfortunately, John’s record with the truth isn’t that good. I find it entirely plausible that the man who lied repeatedly about being in Vietnam would later go back and try and cover his butt after being criticized for the comments that he made.
And I really don’t have any doubt that this is what he really thinks about our troops. You can say “stick to the subject” all you like, but the subject is John Kerry, his attitude towards our troop, and whether this comment is indicative of his (and other ultraliberals) attitude.
I suggest that it probably is, and that his prior remarks are probative of that fact. His initial defensiveness of his remarks are consistent with that picture as well. MHO.
Comment by Krusty Krab — 11.01.06 @ 12:42 pm
Now it’s my turn to misspeak. :->
I meant “…lied repeatedly about being in Cambodia“
Comment by Krusty Krab — 11.01.06 @ 12:43 pm
In the end, the fact that he refuses to apologize, is far more telling of his stance toward military personnel, than the original statement, botched joke or not. Had he simply apologized, to those in the military, for any offense his comment/bad joke might “accidentally” have caused, this would be a very different story, yet his plain refusal to do so, really makes him look like he doesn’t care for the military. He could have taken the high road, and totally defanged this issue, yet his clear hate for Bush clouded what should have been his better judgment. A real shame really, but sadly, not a real surprise.
Comment by DCRocks — 11.01.06 @ 12:49 pm
La Shawn,
First, great job on the blog. Long time reader/first time poster.
I don’t consider myself a democrat or republication. Just an independant trying to get by.
I agree you could take what Kerry said as a blotched joked (And it may be) I do think it lets us view Kerry’s real view. My problems -
1) If it was a blotched joke, why didn’t he say taht right away. I know when I’ve spoken in public that if I read a joke wrong, I would know it that minute or say “Hey that didn’t sound right”. While it may have been a joke, as you can tell he seem to see nothing wrong with the reading.
2) As people have pointed out he has bashed the troops before.
3) Social Elitest (Which are some democrats not all) view the miltary as something to be tolerated but despised. I would classify Kerry as an Elitest. Do what I say not what I do.
(Also if you look at some Democrat hard left blogs - they have the same view and defend what he said)
4) His inital response was that it was all the repubs fault instead of taking blame for it. It took a day for him to claim it was a joke. And like you said still never release the transcript.
So I think, like you, it was initally a joke but the problem is that it lets you see behind the mask some. That this is one of his core beliefs the same as “Bush lied” or “Bush stole the election” or “All democrats are athesists and want abortions”. It just slipped out of him.
Thanks for the great blog.
Nicholas O’Dosey
Comment by Nicholas O — 11.01.06 @ 12:54 pm
You know what they say: It’s not the crime, it’s the cover-up.
The man lacks the character to say, I messed up - I intended to make a tasteless joke about our commander in chief, not a tasteless swipe at those who serve under him.
Comment by ronbo — 11.01.06 @ 12:55 pm
Wow, stirring up that hornets’ nest. Way to go La Shawn!!!
Well, you can imagine where my position is, judging a tree by its fruit and all. Not to mention having spent a year in Iraq myself. No matter how ol’ Herky-Jerky slices and dices it, it comes out bad.
Consider the setting, left-wing campus crowd supporting Angelides against Arnold. Kerry felt at home and was ‘warming’ up the crowd with favorite moonbat memes, i.e. BushHitler, Chimpy, ‘Bush lied, people died’ etc.
I think it was a Freudian slip against the troops whom he had never respected. No need to restate the examples provided by others above. Needless to say, had it be a GOP’er, that dude’s toast.
While it may have been true in days of old that HS dropouts and petty criminals found refuge in the military, t