Kerry Response

Assuming, for sake of argument, that he really was talking about President Bush, he did not make that very clear. If he could not see the problem with the statement before he made it then he must not be as smart as he wants us all to believe. He is either slandering the Armed Forces or, if his explanation is to believed, he is an idiot. Pick one.
As for him, as a veteran, not critizing the troops …. why not? He’s done it before, 22 April 1972.

John Kerry is an idiot. Typical bed-wetting liberal hypocrisy. Mr. Kerry, you insult the integrity of hundreds of thousands of volunteer American military personnel–a high percentage of whom aspire to enter college after their military service is done. What you said when attacking President Bush was far out of context and attacks the integrity of our entire military. Unbelievable!
—Kaua’i boy

He wanted to be President. Yet, he can’t even apologize. He needs to BE A MAN and admit he was wrong instead of namecalling. To me that is just inmature. He lost the 2004 Election more than President Bush won. All he did was criticize him instead of saying what he would do different. President Bush has admitted mistakes in Iraq and with Hurricane Katrina. Yes, I respect Kerry’s service in our Military,but I have little respect for him elsewhere. He just needs to shut up.

Well, it is about time Kerry found some backbone and his voice. Too bad he couldn’t respond with some authority a couple of years ago and instead let the Republican Party make him look like a fool.
I do agree with Kerry in that this is typical White House garbage – from a bunch of talking heads that never got near a battle field – including 6 deferment Cheney, Karl Rove, FataZZ Limbaugh, Bill Frist, Sean Hanity, and a host of other cowardly Republicans. To the best of my knowledge, Tony Snow never served a day in a uniform. And what George Bush did could barely be called serving his country, unless sitting in a bar drunk instead of showing up for reserve time counts.
Kerry should have held those Republican critics feet to the fire when he was running for President instead of letting them swift-boat him like he did. And Vern, I think Kerry was pretty clear who he was talking about. I didn’t have a problem understanding him. And he didn’t slander the Armed Forces. Do you have a problem with the English language?

This is typical Kerry ‘speak’ and ‘response’! He is not responsible for what he says, only what someone ‘hears’, and anyone who doesn’t ‘hear’ it correctly is dispicable!
Thank God he was not elected President, but I wonder how he became and remains a Senator???
From his perspective, his has the most noble veterans’ record, and he can accuse our current servicemen/women serving in Iraq of going into homes and torturing! This man is an indefensible jerk!

Does anyone actually think Kerry intended to demean the troops? I’d like someone to say “I believe Jon Kerry intended to demean the troops serving in Iraq,” before this can even be considered an issue.

Get a clue. Kerry’s irrelevant. Bush screwed up in Iraq. Get on with your day and stop trying to manufacture an issue.

we’re all morons because we didnt “get” what we really meant.
I guess, if he was indeed bashing Bush, then it was quite obvious to those in the audience, those who heard the rest of the speech. In this case blame goes to those who made this 10-sec. clip intended to make Kerry look insane.

It’s typical of Republicans to distort comments in their favor. they often try to appeal to people’s patriotism so they can forget about the current issues. That’s how they’ve been winning elections. And as usual the vast ignorant population in America fall for it, not knowing, that almost all of President Bush’s policies are against them.
John Kerry is one of the few people that have the moral authority to speak when he wants. And the fact of the matter is that the rich kids continue to go to college, while the low and middle class students have to look at the army as a way to finance their education or as a way to earn an income in a country where jobs keep disappearing thanks to our presidents incompetence.
The funny thing is that Republicans continue to campaign on “our good economy”, when in reality, our current economy is nothing compared to what it was when Bill Clinton was in office.

Iraq is a shocking disaster.
John Kerry is welcome to his opinion, and we are all welcome to our opinions of John Kerry’s opinion.
Fine.
Iraq is a shocking disaster. Fiasco. Try thinking about that.

Once again Kerry has stuck his foot in his mouth and probably sunk the democrats right before the election…way to go!

Kerry is a Moron. He needs to admit he hates the military, and apologize for his comment. It is no big secret that Kerry is anti military. He is on the record numerous times denigrating the military and the government since 1972. The scary part is, Kerry was just expressing what all the democrats in the house and senate believe, but will never say in public.

This is to Sheree Jackson and all the other liberal dolts who haven’t gotten over the 2000 or 2004 elections and whose frothing at the mouth venum for Bush is beyond pathetic.
Tell me Sheree–how long have YOU been in uniform??? I have been for 16 years and still going…no one in uniform respects anything derogatory coming from the mouth of anyone who hasn’t served–so shut your mouth and move your hysterics to the Oprah blogsite.
I don’t fully agree with every move on this war on terror but I do believe it’s a war and this constant gutter-sniping vitriol does not support the troops. We want to win–period! Bush has not conducted this war perfectly but neither did FDR, HST, LBJ, JFK or RMN during their campaigns for that matter. By the way–most of those initials were Democrats…
As for Bush’s military service, if you think flying a fighter at low-level at over 700 knots barely qualifys for service, I suggest you slap on a flight suit and put your life on the line. Everytime someone goes up in the air their life is on the line–believe me, I have personally cleaned up the remains of dead pilots who never came back from “routine” training flights. And Sheree–it happens all around you and the rest of America while you go on with your oblivious life. So keep on with your gutter-sniping–we will be out there–training and protecting even your productiveless contribution to the war effort.
Thanks for your non-support.

Yuk Yuk..everybody jokes about “Bushisms” We ought to publish a book on “Kerryisms” or “Hillaryisms” or even “Pelosi_isms”
Dems can dish it out, but can’t take it..

This comment shows his true opinion about our uniformed services. I am disgusted with Kerry and his left wing anti-American ravings. This guy is a moron and I can only say how lucky we are that he was never elected. He thinks that military service today is for poeple who don’t have an education. Well Kerry is a complete rich elitist with no sense of reality.

No worries. We all know you ‘got’ it just fine.

When Bill Clinton was first elected in 1992 and the Republicans set out to demonize him, I thought at first that Republicans were just sore losers. 14 years and countless Republican screw-ups later, I’ve come to realize, with very few exceptions, that Republicans aren’t sore losers, they’re just plain losers. If anyone owes American soldiers an apology, it’s George W. Bush. By the time he leaves office in 2009, and thank God he WILL leave office, we will have over 5000 Americans killed in Iraq, and his successor will have to figure out how to clean up his mess, if it even can be cleaned up. Seems that it takes more than blind ambition to be a good President. And so it turns out that George really is too stupid to be President, after all. May God have mercy on the United States of America.

You Kerry bashers obviously dont understand what he said and you certainly dont understand what young college people think of the Iraq war. I was in attendance for Hardball a few weeks ago at Iowa State and when Chris Matthews and John McCain asked for people to stand up to determine who would put their education at risk to go fight the war in Iraq, only 5 people stood up. What Kerry said rings true, young people dont want to go fight in Iraq. They want to get a job and make money not die in a desert. I have a huge amount of respect for the people who fight wars but you would be dumb to not understand that Iraq is a lost cause.

not one of our troops volunteered to go to iraq the president called them up to go. our trrops signed up to protect our country not nation build.

This is just crap, a classic out of the Republican Outrage Machine. On verbal misstep — you don’t think Kerry would actually insult the troops, do you? — and the broadcast machine is alive, CNN is declaring a red alert, and even a usually sensible reporter like Tapper go bananas. Kerry’s right: Bush owes an apology to us all. John McCain, who has become nothing but a member of the Borg and who has his eyes on ’08, has totally lost my respect. He should be ashamed of himself. ABC should be ashamed of itself; though, with Mark Halperin in charge, it likely won’t be.

I am tired of Kerry hiding behind his service record. The vast majority of men and women alive today have not served in the military. I did, but I never served in combat. In Kerry’s fantasy world, I am therefore not qualified to criticize him, or even have an opinion on the war in Iraq because I did not serve in combat.
Kerry tries to stifle his critics by trotting out his heroic tale about his 90 days in Vietnam and his three purple hearts for three scratches. This makes him “untouchable” on issues of war and peace in his mind and in the minds of the cool aid drinkers on the left.
He intended to the insult the men and women serving in Iraq. He actually does think they are stupid and uneducated. He is an elitist and an internationalist who would feel just as comfortable in France as in the US. His response to criticism about his comments is to name call and act insulted. Real adult behavior there big John.
He is a pompous individual who simply cannot tell the truth. At some point, even hard-core lefties and MoveOn.org types have to realize this guy is a fool and actually hurts their cause. He represents all that is wrong with the democratic leadership today.

Mr. McCain is always dragged out by the Republicans when an issue of the WAR comes up. Mr. McCain is the white mans Jesse Jackson. He will go anywhere and say anything as long as there is a TV camera available. He proved this when in 2000 he ran for president against Bush and was continuously put down and lambasted by the Bush people and now they show a great front. Mr.Kerry is a good man and I wish more Democrates would stand up to the plate and say what is on their mind. Buddy Horwich

To JT, democrats, republicans ….,
Here’s a good read that will allow everyone to understand what Americans are up against in the IRAQ:
“Holy War:The Crusades and Their Impact on Today’s World”. The book was written in 1991 by Karen Armstrong and was revised in 1998 and 2001

Charles Gibson said John Kerry made an “idle” remark. I would suggest that Mr. Gibson be more careful with his choice of words. That was not an “idle” remark. He meant what he said and no apology will be good enough for our brave men and women in the service now or in the past. He should be ashamed of himself… only he doesn’t know shame, now does he?

Kerry’s excuse does not hold water. This was not a political fundraising dinner with limousine liberals where he could have intended the comment as a Bush insult. He was talking to community college students and his message could not be more clear. If they do poorly in school (community colleges in California are the ticket into the 4-year UC system), they could wind up as a soldier fighting in Iraq. Considering the context of a speech to college students, anybody with “half of brain” can read the implication from Kerry: that the military is filled with men and women not smart enough to get through college. It is a typical elitist viewpoint, and he foolishly let his bias slip out. It was a political gaffe of epic proportions!

I think it’s a complicated statement…
The economy is tanking and the feds are running a massive deficit. The middle class is starting to melt away, much like the polar ice caps.
With over 2800 American troops dead and greater than 30,000 wounded, the smart and patriotic folks in the services are dying out in staggering numbers.
Who will be aggressively recruited to replace them? It won’t be rich people. It will be people who are struggling to get by in a lackluster economy. Laid off from the auto plant? Want to get a college degree? Join the military and get the GI bill!
He’s not belittling the troops. He’s belittling the situation that young Americans are facing today. He’s saying “Do well, or you may find your only option is to jump into Bush’s blood-blender if you ever intend to support a family.”

Hey, I am one of those conservatives who was reluctant to vote. Now, finally, I’m mad enough at the liberals to go out and vote – and convince as many as I can to go with me to the polls. Liberals who think like Kerry should not be allowed to rule this country.

As a member of the US Navy with over twenty years service as both an enlisted man and an officer, I find Senator Kerry’s comments beneath contempt. His attempt to blame his disgraceful conduct on “Republican hacks” and his efforts to exclude those who “who never can be found to serve in war” from the public exchange of ideas are equally loathsome. He touts his questionable military service for political gain and disparages the rest of us who honorably serve with his despicable aspersions. Whether through his unsubstantiated accusations of our troops being “war criminals” during Viet Nam, his false bravado about supporting our troops while voting against funding for them, or his false claims of our troops going “into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women,” Senator Kerry has consistently demonstrated his contempt for those who serve in the military. Methinks the Senator protests entirely too much about “liars.” He ought to look into the mirror first.

For all of those military people who keep bragging about their service, I for one don’t need you to fight my battles, If you want to fight a George Bush war, by all means go ahead. I would rather have you stay here in America and be with your families. I’m not affraid of terroist from overseas because terrorism can happen anywhere, like Oaklahoma. You have the best technology, the best armor, the best weapons, how much more support do you want? If name calling hurts some of you military people, then you shouldn’t be in the military. You should be on the Dr Phill show, crying about your feelings. Again, I don’t need you to fight my batles, I can fight my own!

I agree with the Democratic congressman. Kerry doesn’t feel losing 2004 was enough. He wants the Dems to lose 2006 (or at least wants to keep the spotlight on himself). I welcome it when he raves against a press secretary and calls a radio talk show host fat.

Lurch strikes again. Democrats must be furious. Next time you seen John Kerry, ask him – Why the long face?

Sen. Kerry has responded to criticism of his comments regarding the intellect of U.S. service members in which is states, ““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,” I hope I am not the only one to realize that this is the same dirt bag that went before congress and the American people claiming U.S. service members serving in Vietnam were murderers and rapists. If anyone thinks Sen. Kerry would NOT make such claims would have to be crazy to believe this pathetic self absorbed liar. As a member of the military who just served in Iraq, I saw first hand the good and the bad. It is not the President or U.S. policy that is the problem. It is subhuman men who have no regard for life or liberty who would rather kill innocent women and children in a hospital or market than allow them to live in a free Iraq. You spineless perverted lying libs go over to Iraq and look into the face of a little Iraqi girl with half of her face blown off and tell her its President Bush’s fault that this has happened to her and not some worthless piece of excrement Islamic pig. By the way, I am an enlisted college graduate (3.94 GPA) working for a major airline (not a pilot) making in excess of $100K that went back into the National Guard after 9/11 after serving 12 years on active duty because it made me mad as hell what these Islamic terrorists did and with 6 children and 5 grandchildren I have something precious to fight for and defend. Regardless of the fact that weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq (chemical weaponons and weapons materials) our reasons for being there are righteous and just. Al Qaeda is in Iraq and has been there all along. Enjoy the peace and freedom you have today only because of a soldier not because of Sen. Kerry or any other politician.

Response to Mike’s comments above. You may not need someone fight your “batles” (sic) and you may not be afraid of terrorist but Whether you want it or not there is a brave man or woman keeping you safe at night standing between you and and an Islamic terrorist . These terrorist hate you regardless of your political party or how unafraid you are and would love nothing more than to cut your head off on prime time TV. This same terrorist takes no thought in detonating a car bomb in a crowded market killing women and children, NOT U.S. soldiers. They enjoy entering a hospital full of wounded and dragging them into the street along with the doctors shooting them in the head. These things I have seen first hand, how about you Mike. Mike you run your arrogant mouth now and for good reason. You really have no need to be afraid of any of those terrorist because your right to free speech is well protected by the U.S. military, not John Kerry and certainly not defended by you. Let’s see how brave and outspoken you would be if the Taliban or Saddam was running this country. Before that would happen though, me and alot of other military men and women would give up our own lives to defend YOUR right to be unafraid and have the freedom to run your mouth allowing yourself to prove what a complete idiot you really are.

Kerry has maligned the military before. After he returned from Viet Nam, the long haired wonder called our troops in Viet Nam “baby killers” and “butchers”. So much for his statement yesterday that a military man would never say bad things about the troops. He has done it before, and in an unguarded moment, he will once again blurt out his real feelings. Thank God, and I do, that Kerry has again shown what he really believes. Wake up, Massachusetts, voters, and get rid of your unconvicted murderer and the gigolo. Replace them with qualified people who can and will do what is best for the USA.

I am an infantry combat veteran which apparently gives me the credentials to speak of war. Kerry stated on his web sight during the presidential election that looking at Vietnamese frightened him and recounted a firefight during which he cowered behind cover until the fighting was over. His accounting does not sound like war hero material to me. As for bashing troops we need to think in terms of patterns of behavior. This is a continuation of well documented disdain for the military. On the website previosly mentioned he recounted his disdain for his commanders during his time in Vietnam.
As for the recent comment, as spoken there is no way to interpret it any other way than stating that the uneducated go to war. He is again recounting the Vietnam era situation with the draft. This was a constant theme then.
If he was referring to the President it is still beyond the bounds of civility to make such a disparaging remark that he refers to as the truth. As others have noted the President holds fairly impressive academic credentials. Kerry was one of many Democrats that supported the war while it was popular but lacks the fortitude have our country stand our ground. He is again stating his disdain for military command in the person of the Commander in Chief.

I don’t care what the republicans say, think, or do at this point. I don’t trust them and it scares me that they can take a comment out of context and convince all these people that they now, after all the mistakes they have made, are the good guys. Come on how gullible do you guys think we are??? You have lied to us for the last time, I’m going democratic and I’m not alone. THE PEOPLE WILL SPEAK AND WE’LL SEE WHO IS LEFT STANDING!!!