Kerry Was Not Talking About The Troops

kenny olav

A lot of you know I'm not a fan of Senator Kerry. I have never voted for him, though I had the opportunity to do so three times: twice for Senator and once for President.

But despite what you may have heard, he DID NOT say the troops were uneducated and dumb, although that's what it may seem like from watching this short clip.

The truth is, Kerry did not in any way say the troops had stupidly gotten themselves stuck in Iraq. What he meant was that the BUSH ADMINISTRATION had not educated themselves on the situation in the Middle East, which is how they got stuck in Iraq, as he puts it. Of course, they are not in Iraq - if they ever set foot in Iraq, they never travel beyond the safety of the Green Zone. Kerry says the troops are stuck in Iraq because of Bush's stupidity, not theirs. I think it goes beyond stupidity, but this is not about my opinion, it's about clarifying John Kerry's.

Here is the video of John Kerry defending himself at a press conference:

http://video.johnkerry.com/video/flash/103106_pressc_2.html

I'd hate to think that Bush might continue to distort what Kerry said and possibly swing the pendulum away from the Democrats this election, however marginal the change the Dems might bring.

Purple Hawk

you seem to have a lot more enthusiasm about putting kerry's comments into context compared to rush limbaugh's comments.

gimmesometruth27

where was this kerry in 2004?

it will be interesting to see what happens with this in the next few days.

kenny olav

Purple Hawk wrote:

you seem to have a lot more enthusiasm about putting kerry's comments into context compared to rush limbaugh's comments.

are you fucking kidding me? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!!?!?!?

Purple Hawk

Kenny Olav wrote:

are you fucking kidding me? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!!?!?!?

nope b/c if you'd have listened to rush's show that day, you'd understand.

Will1659

Purple Hawk wrote:

you seem to have a lot more enthusiasm about putting kerry's comments into context compared to rush limbaugh's comments.

As I said on the other thread, explain how what anyone is doing qualifies as "putting his comments into context." They don't need context and they don't need justification. He mis-delivered his joke, ok, Bush sucks at public speaking too, let's move on. Rush Limbaugh's comments, on the other hand, context or no context, were just based on bad information or idiocy. In the ad to which Rush was referring, anyone who knows anything at all about Parkinson's could tell you that MJF was exhibiting the symptoms of over-medication rather than under. This is sometimes inevitable, this lack of control over exactly when and to what degree your drugs take effect. And anyone who doesn't know enough about Parkinson's to know that (i.e. Rush evidently) just shouldn't be commenting on it. Anyway, back to the point, Kerry's and Limbaugh's comments aren't even in the same ballpark. I think Limbaugh said exactly what he meant to say. Kerry, on the other hand, had a brief slip of the tongue and the right is jumping onto that cause they've got nothing else right now.

sponger

If Kerry was really commenting about Bush's lack of education, then that doesn't even make sense. Bush holds an advanced degree from an Ivy League University. That doesn't make the guy ultra-smart, but it doesn't make him uneducated either.

gimmesometruth27

sponger wrote:

If Kerry was really commenting about Bush's lack of education, then that doesn't even make sense. Bush holds an advanced degree from an Ivy League University. That doesn't make the guy ultra-smart, but it doesn't make him uneducated either.

if you watch the video he was saying that bush surrounded himself with people who failed to listen to the advisors and experts that told him this situation in iraq was a likelihood. instead he went along with guys like cheney and rummy who have never served and thought it would be easier than it has been, and that makes for uneducated decision making.

chopitdown

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

if you watch the video he was saying that bush surrounded himself with people who failed to listen to the advisors and experts that told him this situation in iraq was a likelihood. instead he went along with guys like cheney and rummy who have never served and thought it would be easier than it has been, and that makes for uneducated decision making.

cheney didn't serve, rummy did...continue.

soulsinging

Will1659 wrote:

As I said on the other thread, explain how what anyone is doing qualifies as "putting his comments into context." They don't need context and they don't need justification. He mis-delivered his joke, ok, Bush sucks at public speaking too, let's move on. Rush Limbaugh's comments, on the other hand, context or no context, were just based on bad information or idiocy. In the ad to which Rush was referring, anyone who knows anything at all about Parkinson's could tell you that MJF was exhibiting the symptoms of over-medication rather than under. This is sometimes inevitable, this lack of control over exactly when and to what degree your drugs take effect. And anyone who doesn't know enough about Parkinson's to know that (i.e. Rush evidently) just shouldn't be commenting on it. Anyway, back to the point, Kerry's and Limbaugh's comments aren't even in the same ballpark. I think Limbaugh said exactly what he meant to say. Kerry, on the other hand, had a brief slip of the tongue and the right is jumping onto that cause they've got nothing else right now.

this comment is so bogus i cant even believe it... nobody knows their prescription drug effects like rush!

kenny olav

sponger wrote:

If Kerry was really commenting about Bush's lack of education, then that doesn't even make sense. Bush holds an advanced degree from an Ivy League University. That doesn't make the guy ultra-smart, but it doesn't make him uneducated either.

he was saying he "didn't do his homework" on Iraq.

sponger

Kenny Olav wrote:

he was saying he "didn't do his homework" on Iraq.

Actually, here's what 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.

kenny olav

sponger wrote:

Actually, here's what he said:

According to Kerry spokeswoman Amy Brundage, his 'prepared text' was: "Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush."

sponger

Kenny Olav wrote:

According to Kerry spokeswoman Amy Brundage, his 'prepared text' was: "Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush."

pffft. I'll believe it when I see it. We need to get the original copy of the 'prepared' text and carbon date the ink to before the time of the speech.

kenny olav

sponger wrote:

pffft. I'll believe it when I see it. We need to get the original copy of the 'prepared' text and carbon date the ink to before the time of the speech.

It's certainly possible that Kerry meant what people thought he meant and then invented this new explanation to cover it up. However, Kerry does have a history of lame attempts to make jokes. We'll never know. We should give him the benefit of the doubt. I think its a reasonable explanation.

sponger

Kenny Olav wrote:

Kerry does have a history of lame attempts to make jokes.

But, does he have a history of fumbling the wording of his jokes? Lame jokes are one thing, but making a good joke into a lame one by re-wording the punchline is another.

69charger

Kenny Olav wrote:

However, Kerry does have a history of lame attempts to make jokes. We'll never know. We should give him the benefit of the doubt. I think its a reasonable explanation.

He also has a well documented history of demeaning members of the United States Military, so maybe we should just follow established Kerry precedent and believe him when he called our troops stupid.

He's already called our troops terrorists, rapists, murderers, and baby killers.

sponger

I would've voted for McCain if he had made it to nominations. There is no question about that guy's service in 'Nam.

Pearl Jam and toast

Purple Hawk wrote:

you seem to have a lot more enthusiasm about putting kerry's comments into context compared to rush limbaugh's comments.

Rush Limbaugh is a stupid ass who says extremely rude and ignorant things on a daily basis. There's no context there, he's just an ass.

Byrnzie

sponger wrote:

Bush holds an advanced degree from an Ivy League University.

The things that money can buy! :rolleyes:

Byrnzie

69charger wrote:

He also has a well documented history of demeaning members of the United States Military, so maybe we should just follow established Kerry precedent and believe him when he called our troops stupid.

He's already called our troops terrorists, rapists, murderers, and baby killers.

Please provide examples.

PaperPlates

I do not believe John Kerry is fit to be Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States. This is not a political issue. It is a matter of his judgment, truthfulness, reliability, loyalty and trust -- all absolute tenets of command. His biography, "Tour of Duty," by Douglas Brinkley, is replete with gross exaggerations, distortions of fact, contradictions and slanderous lies. His contempt for the military and authority is evident by even a most casual review of this biography. He arrived in-country with a strong anti-Vietnam War bias and a self-serving determination to build a foundation for his political future. He was aggressive, but vain and prone to impulsive judgment, often with disregard for specific tactical assignments. He was a "loose cannon." In an abbreviated tour of four months and 12 days, and with his specious medals secure, Lt.(jg) Kerry bugged out and began his infamous betrayal of all United States forces in the Vietnam War. That included our soldiers, our marines, our sailors, our coast guardsmen, our airmen, and our POWs. His leadership within the so-called Vietnam Veterans Against the War and testimony before Congress in 1971 charging us with unspeakable atrocities remain an undocumented but nevertheless meticulous stain on the men and women who honorably stayed the course. Senator Kerry is not fit for command.

-- Rear Admiral Roy Hoffman, USN (retired)

69charger

Byrnzie wrote:

Please provide examples.

I just did. Did you only read 1/2 of my post?

chopitdown

Kenny Olav wrote:

According to Kerry spokeswoman Amy Brundage, his 'prepared text' was: "Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush."

You see though, he didnt use the prepared text message. He didn't say those words. So is Kerry off the hook b/c of what he meant to say? We hold people accountable for what they say and do, not what they meant to say or do. I like watching the dems spin this now to try and cover this blunder.

mookie blaylock 10

Kenny Olav wrote:

are you fucking kidding me? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!!?!?!?

that's what i was thinking. how can anyone in their right mind defend what limbaugh said and did?

SuzannePjam

chopitdown wrote:

You see though, he didnt use the prepared text message. He didn't say those words. So is Kerry off the hook b/c of what he meant to say? We hold people accountable for what they say and do, not what they meant to say or do. I like watching the dems spin this now to try and cover this blunder.

In the clip I watched on the news this morning, you can see Kerry stumble through the first part of his statement, look down at his notes, and then blurt out the ending. It did look like he screwed up what he was supposed to say.

But quite honestly, and as an aside from what Kerry said, you're all kidding yourselves if you don't think recruiters target the more uneducated people in our society. And I'm not saying "stupid" people either. There's not a lot of Harvard educated people who upon graduation decide to go into the military. Recruiters tend to go into the lower income areas where college, because of low grades, poor educations or no funds, is not an option.

callen

sponger wrote:

If Kerry was really commenting about Bush's lack of education, then that doesn't even make sense. Bush holds an advanced degree from an Ivy League University. That doesn't make the guy ultra-smart, but it doesn't make him uneducated either.

...and Bush compares to none of them.. Have you ever listenend to him talk...its a struggle for him to complete a sentence....and that's every sentence. Hell he has trouble speaking from a teleprompter.

callen

mookie blaylock 10 wrote:

that's what i was thinking. how can anyone in their right mind defend what limbaugh said and did?

anyone that listens ti limbaugh and actually thinks he has something important to say is lost.

callen

sponger wrote:

I would've voted for McCain if he had made it to nominations. There is no question about that guy's service in 'Nam.

and there's also no question about Bush's service in Nam either...Kerry went...he tried to do the right thing....Bush was hanging with his buddies.

jlew24asu

mookie blaylock 10 wrote:

that's what i was thinking. how can anyone in their right mind defend what limbaugh said and did?

how can anyone in their right mind defend what kerry said and did?

fun game isnt it?

jlew24asu

Kenny Olav wrote:

According to Kerry spokeswoman Amy Brundage, his 'prepared text' was: "Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush."

o well that makes it ok then. there has been only one person on this board, who is liberal, who admits what kerry said was wrong. yet people like will try to justify it.

I dont give a fuck what was in his prepared remarks. he said what he said.