When I first read of John Kerry’s remarks holding our troops in Iraq up as an example of what happens if you fail in school, my contempt for the man – already high – passed over into the realm of having the mere mention of his name trigger my gagging reflex. How in the name of all that is good and holy did this man come so close to commanding these very same troops that he has so cavalierly disparaged? And an even more basic question this election season is can’t the Democrats see that Kerry, as their nominee for the highest office in the land in 2004, speaks for them when is quoted thusly?
The contemptuousness that Kerry showed by making those remarks was exceeded by his statement today that, rather than clarifying his remarks or apologizing for them, he hurls the rawest and most shocking invective at Republicans only seen perhaps on the far left websites that the Senator from Massachusetts has been writing for recently:
“If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize the more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they’re crazy. This is the classic G.O.P. playbook. I’m sick and tired of these despicable Republican attacks that always seem to come from those who never can be found to serve in war, but love to attack those who did.I’m not going to be lectured by a stuffed suit White House mouthpiece standing behind a podium, or doughy Rush Limbaugh, who no doubt today will take a break from belittling Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s disease to start lying about me just as they have lied about Iraq. It disgusts me that these Republican hacks, who have never worn the uniform of our country lie and distort so blatantly and carelessly about those who have.”
Note for the record that Kerry does not even address the subject of his insulting remarks. Rather, he slimes his critics – a classic defense strategy for murderers and rapists but not, one assumes, a United States Senator who ran for President two short years ago.
Those are extremely personal attacks. Rarely does a politician immerse himself so thoroughly in excremental politics by debasing the motives, the honesty, and the honor of his opponents as Kerry did in that short statement. No doubt, the ignoramuses on the left are cheering Kerry on. This, the man who consorted with the enemy during the Viet Nam War, who met with representatives of the Viet Cong and agreed to carry their propaganda water for them here in the United States while that very same enemy was shooting and killing men in uniform that Kerry now pretends to respect.
Kerry is as cold and calculating a politician as there has been on the American scene since Nixon. Whether he knew his remarks would generate the firestorm of controversy that they have is beside the point. Given the opportunity to give the finger to his opponents while catering to the powerful netnuts and their ability to mobilize money, resources, and political support, the Senator designed his response to appeal to the far left as a way to separate himself from other potential Democratic presidential hopefuls. He has become angry and spiteful – just like them. In this, the Kos Kids and others on the far left see Kerry as a kindred spirit, someone who “speaks their language.” How well this personae will play in 2008 remains to be seen. For the moment, it allows him to bask in the glow of their admiration and affection.
Michelle Malkin points out that coverage of Kerry’s remarks by the MSM is sorely lacking. One week before the election, this shouldn’t be surprising; not the way that most news organs have cheered the Democrats on in shockingly shameless fashion. What little attention that has been paid to the Senator’s remarks have come as a result of reaction to them by the White House and other conservatives.
Lost in all of this was what Kerry actually said – that if you didn’t study hard, do your homework, and make an effort to be smart, a student would get “stuck” in Iraq – and what was implied. The obvious implication that Kerry did not address in his statement today was that our soldiers in Iraq are the dregs of society, that they are failures in school and should not be emulated.
Sickening. And the fact that the Senator doesn’t deny either what he said or what he implied in his statement today shows that the remarks were exactly as he meant them, that there was no misunderstanding.
So far, no major Democratic figure has come out and chastised Kerry for his remarks. We may be in for a long wait if we are expecting such condemnation any time soon. At bottom, it really doesn’t matter in a political sense. Kerry could be discovered naked in Osama’s bed and it wouldn’t help the Republicans that much. And in this respect, it gets me madder at Republicans than I was yesterday. How conservatives so thoroughly bollixed things up in Washington and allowed people like Kerry to perhaps sit in the majority by their arrogance and malfeasance should make all of us mad.
UPDATE
Kerry now says he was trying to make a joke about President Bush and that the last line of the joke was “...You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq.” Predictably, the netnuts have rushed to Kerry’s defense.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind – nor should there be in any rational observers’ – that after watching the video of those remarks by Kerry he meant exactly what he said and that he said what he meant to say.
There was no fumbling for words. There was no stumbling over a sentence – two clues that would lead one to give the Senator at least the benefit of the doubt. And the emphasis he placed on “stuck in Iraq” as well as with the tone of voice that bespoke such utter and complete contempt for the military leads one to the inescapable conclusion that Kerry is a liar of monstrous proportions when he says that he left a couple of words out of a joke on Bush.
Why does this surprise us? He has consistently disparaged the military during his entire public life. He has demonstrated utter contempt for ordinary Americans on numerous occassions.
Those of you who believe this mountebank should go and watch the video. Then you come back here and tell me that he was joking.
4:16 pm
Education or Iraq? Senator Kerry Tells Us What He Thinks Of The Troops!
You can’t run from those words. You can’t hide. You can’t give an alternate interpretation.
...
4:28 pm
It’s amazing how far the English language can be stretched. Webster’s dictionary defines a patriot as a “person who loves his country, and zealously supports and defends it and its interests.” John Kerry has reduced this definition down to mean a “person who has worn his country’s uniform regardless of how shamefully and how often he has zealously supported and defended the interest of his country’s enemies.” There have been three major enemies of our country in John Kerry’s adult life. In the Viet Nam War he defended the VC; in the cold war, he supported the USSR; and now in the war against jihad, he is giving aid and comfort to the Muslims. I cannot imagine the kind of arrogance it takes for a man with that record to call our troops stupid and trapped and to deny Rush Limbaugh and others the right to speak about issues of national defense. Oh sure, Senator, they didn’t wear the uniform, but they also haven’t supported our enemies, either.
4:46 pm
OK, I’ll give Kerry the benefit of the doubt. He referred to Bush. Since Bush was accepted to Harvard and Kerry had even lower grades wasn’t, then Kerry voted to get us stuck in Iraq too.
4:48 pm
senator flika face has really stepped in deep doo-doo here with this assinine comment. How dare that lying weasel about what on in VN say this about our troops. I’m sure this made em feel good flick, you were in the military, were you a failure … well you sure as hell are now, you have failed the entire military and this country is sick of you and the moonbats who follow your lead.
4:53 pm
[...] And Rick Moran points out that Kerry’s response to all this, his “indignation” and bolivating, was designed to impress the dummies at DummiesU and KOSland: Those are extremely personal attacks. Rarely does a politician immerse himself so thoroughly in excremental politics by debasing the motives, the honesty, and the honor of his opponents as Kerry did in that short statement. No doubt, the ignoramuses on the left are cheering Kerry on. This, the man who consorted with the enemy during the Viet Nam War, who met with representatives of the Viet Cong and agreed to carry their propaganda water for them here in the United States while that very same enemy was shooting and killing men in uniform that Kerry now pretends to respect. [...]
5:29 pm
Let’s get real. Kerry’s comments and tactics, right or wrong, are no different than those hurled at him in 2002. It’s this kind of nauseating, disgusting accusation coming from both parties that convince me that the 2 party system is irreparably broken. There’s not a politician I can honestly vote for as a presidential candidate out there right now, save maybe one.
And by the way, I don’t think this President Bush was ever accepted at Harvard. It was Yale.
6:04 pm
Any 18 year old PFC or Airmen straight out of high school who volunteers for military service in a time of war commands far more respect than the Democratic party’s favorite oxygen thief.
I guess this is how Democrats are going to be “smarterer” and “tougherer” on terrorism – by publicly insulting American soldiers, sailors and airmen.
If anyone ever needed an ass-kicking, it was this POS.
6:19 pm
What a crock…!
Kerry was talking about Bush, you nimrods! Stop with all the faux outrage and/or real stupidity.
6:28 pm
Someone who isn’t a good student and doesn’t go to college has a much greater chance of choosing military service over other options than a good student. Are you all denying that?
“When I finish reading a book, I put it on the shelf” does not tell you anything about what else is on my shelf.
6:58 pm
Riddle me this, Will, provided you’re one of these “I support the troops but oppose the war” types. How do you suppose Democrats and their MSM propagandists would have reacted if a Republican had said this?
Rick’s assessment of Senator Lurch’s cynicism is about as accurate as any you’re likely to come across. You’re fooling yourself if you actually believe Lurch was referring to Bush, and this was nothing more than a poorly delivered joke.
Some joke. I’m sure all of the veterans who have served their country at the price of an arm, a leg, an eye or a life would be howling with laughter at Lurch’s irreverant wit.
8:19 pm
>>And by the way, I don’t think this President Bush was ever accepted at Harvard. It was Yale.
8:21 pm
>>And by the way, I don’t think this President
Bush was ever accepted at Harvard. It was Yale.
8:24 pm
I give up! He has a Harvard MBA. Andover, Yale, Harvard, Jet pilot, two term governor of one of the most populous states in the union AND two term President of the United States. He may not have the verbal dexterity of Senator Kerry and other political luminaries, but is resume is not too shabby.
8:29 pm
I’m sure the Heritage Foundation’s study will come to mind (except to those minds that have skipped right past the logic of the original statement and gone directly to excited outrage). So here’s what seems to me to be a reasonable analysis of the Heritage vs. NPP:
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/03/15/171542.php
Yes, it’s lame that Kerry invented the “joke” story—I’m not sure how he got as far as he did in politics being so poor at this game—but the remarks that caused so much election-season glee are defensible by a thoughtful person. See the link above (which requires you to assume that education and income level are linked).
8:42 pm
Until recently, I was unaware that Sen. Gigolo’s speech before Congress in ‘71, was just a prepared statement, and he wasn’t under oath. However, soon Sen. Gigolo may have to actually take an oath and testify about the truthfulness of his previous statements, concerning the conduct of the U.S. military in VietNam. Oh…and he supports the troops today, just as he did then…with total disdain.
http://www.vvlf.org/default.php?page_id=77
8:47 pm
Bush and American Legion Demand Apology From Kerry For Insluting Military
It looks like he has outraged more than just the President. The American Legion is demanding an apology as well.
The National Commander of The American Legion called on Sen. John Kerry to apologize for suggesting that American troops in Iraq ar…
9:54 pm
Kerry’s Cowardly Contempt for our Troops
Very much the same nonsense he spouted after returning from Vietnam when he became spokesperson for Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Stabbing his own fellow soldiers in the back. Our military should be used to this from john Kerry by now. He votes a…
10:09 pm
Really, There Was No Need for Them to Get Abusive About This
I have had the idea for this ad campaign ever since the Dixie Chicks Controversy, and when John Kerry made his statement on education and the military, I thought it meant the Democrats were ready for my idea. I guess…
10:24 pm
I’m no Kerry fan, but I buy the joke explanation. The run-up to the comment was about Bush- not the military. He tried in vain to insult the President. But with his political tin ear, he managed to insult everyone in the military. The guy’s a transparent grandstander. But he didn’t intentionally troop-bash.
10:30 pm
kreiz,
If was simply a joke gone bad do the simple non-apology apology where you say you are sorry that people misunderstood. He went beyond that by attacking Bush, Snow, Rove and Rush. Usually when poeple make such a fuss over something it’s because they know they are wrong.
10:35 pm
You can tell how damaging Kerry’s “joke” was to the Libs election hopes by seeing how upset & defensive they reflexively became. They’re spinning like an out of control top.
11:03 pm
“Someone who isn’t a good student and doesn’t go to college has a much greater chance of choosing military service over other options than a good student. Are you all denying that?”
Maybe true, maybe not. What facts did you use to come to your conclusion? The kids around your neighborhood? If so, you may have a future in political polling.
But if folks in the military are so dumb what does that say about the civilian population: 94% of the military has at least a high school diploma vs 89% of the general population. And that understates it because the 6% without diplomas have to make some sort of case to have the requirement waived. This isn’t typical I’m sure but in my Navy days I knew an operations guy without a diploma that aced the ASVABs – he was a genius that flunked out of high school, why I don’t know.
11:35 pm
Kerry’s Meltdown(s) (Updated)
[...]
I don’t think there is any question: Kerry got caught with his guard down and is now spinning an outright lie to try and cover his tracks. Personally I think this kills any hope of Kerry ever getting near another Presidential nomination (if it…
12:02 am
John (scarry) Kerry got caught red-handed. He assummed that talking to a bunch of college kids, his anti-military comments would be a hit with them. His desire to pander to them, clouded his (already damaged) brain, and he forgot that he was being watched by the bloggers. The world got to see the real scarry, Kerry.
1:15 am
Can anyone say, “Tipping Point”?
Now the REAL election campaign begins.
Anyone out there still seriously thinking about sitting this one out and sending a message to the Republicans?
1:39 am
It looks like Senator Gigolo will have plenty of time on his hands to craft a good kinard, now. He canceled all appearances, after being disinvited to speak at a campaign rally in Iowa, on wednesday.
Maybe he should go to an open mic night, at a local comedy shop, to brush up on his act.
6:09 am
How electronic voting works (an Illustrated Guide)
For those readers not familiar with the details, I thought I would describe how electronic voting works, why it’s secure, and therefore why Democrats—I mean we—can trust it implicitly.
7:29 am
[...] PUNDIT VINCE AUT MORIRE VODKAPUNDIT WALLO WORLD WIDE AWAKES WIZBANG WUZZADEM ZERO POINT BLOG IS KERRY MELTDOWN A BLIP? OR A TURNING POINT? KERRY: AS COLD AS THEY COME WHILE IRAQ BLEEDS, PAKISTAN SEETHES MY BELOVEDS WILL RIP THE HEART OUT Admin Login Register Valid XHTML XFN Design by: Hosted by: Powered by: 11/1/2006 IS KERRY MELTDOWN A BLIP? OR A TURNING POINT? CATEGORY:Politics [...]
7:50 am
LARRY IN LA:
Your most recent comment was deleted for being non germane to the post.
8:23 am
Sorry about those typos above. I guess I put too many exclamation marks in my text due to my being so shocked. The fifth sentence of that first paragraph should have read-
Absolutely totally hysterically shocking! I thought that I was shocked when it was revealed that Ted Kennedy tried to defeat a sitting Republican President a week ago but this has shocked me wholly out of my skull!
The last of the last paragraph should read-
We will all die horrible deaths if the Democrats win! Go Bush! Bush! Bush! Bush! Bush! Bush! Bush! Bush! Bush!
Banned but not out
8:26 am
What’s the matter Rick?
You can’t handle a little reasoned thought?
Banned but not out
8:35 am
Sorry folks, you really missed a good one.
Banned but not out
9:57 am
No Apology Yet
Kerry’s defense seems to be that we should all know better, the problem for him is that we do. It’s his problem to fix and he’s not interested in doing it – that’s what you get for being an arrogant S.O.B., who thinks he can say whatever he wants …
10:17 am
Chris at #20- your argument makes sense except it doesn’t put Kerry into context. For the past two years, Dems have been telling him that he should’ve stood up to the Swift Boaters. So here, rather than taking a common sense approach and admitting the mistake and apologizing, he thinks “I’ll stand up to the GOP attack machine”. As I said at #19, he’s got a political tin ear, so this isn’t surprising- there’s a twisted logic to it.
10:52 am
[...] Rightwing Nuthouse [...]
12:54 pm
Kerry is a shameful traitor, he is an ass. Thank God this man did not get into the White House. He does not deserve his seat in the Senate either.
1:20 pm
The botched joke was Kerry’s emergance in Americam politics.
BTW - Malkin’s complaint about MSM coverage was a bit premature. Virtually every radio and TV station I tune to are reporting the story and re-playing the money quote. Good! Nobody is more deserving of the Media’s negative attention.
2:42 pm
Let’s take a look at the facts ..
“it turns out that their grades while undergraduate students at Yale were remarkably similar. In fact, Bush’s were a tad higher. His four-year average was 77; Kerry’s 76. Both were C students.”
John Kerry, C student @76, goes to Vietnam. George Bush, C student @77, flies planes in TX.
There it is for all to see. You get 77 or above, you can be President; 76 or less, even you billionaire wife can’t buy you the Presidency. You need at least a 77 point average or you’re crap.
4:13 pm
To: Neo and The Regulator
It’s a good thing that we dodged that bullet otherwise two thousand Americans might have died in Iraq since 2004,five million illegal immigrants might have invaded our land and North Korea might have exploded a nuke. Our deficit and the cost of the Iraq War in might have increased by four hundred billion dollars and gas prices might have increased. Oh wait all of that did happen! Well at least Bush prays a lot. Boys, I think it is time for you to start sucking your thumbs.
Banned but not out.