Ohio.
That’s what it came down to in 2004. A few ten thousand voters in Ohio. If they’d have gone the other way, this guy is commander-in-chief:
“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.” — John Forbes Kerry
This from a scion of privilege who attended the world’s most elite private prep schools and turned that advantage into being a C-student with 1100 SATs, and who in turn married his way to “doing well.”
Simply breathtaking.
(H/T to Jason for the video. By the way, that “Simply” had been another word entirely until I remembered that this is a PG-13 blog.)
Update: OK, so clearly I’m not the first to this story.
But I always thought the first rule in politics was to stop digging when you find yourself in a hole – JFK must have skipped that class too:
Senator John Kerry issued the following statement in response to White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, assorted right wing nut-jobs, and right wing talk show hosts desperately distorting Kerry‚Äôs comments about President Bush to divert attention from their disastrous record…
Yeah. That’ll change the subject.
Why is it so hard for important people to say, “Wow, I really goobered that one. What I was trying to say was…” and then say anything else that doesn’t involve an attack on people who are merely replaying for others a video of what you actually said?
Because you can’t defend a statement like that – it is by its nature indefensible (as well as being patently untrue) – and you look ever more like a compounded idiot trying. You admit you made a mistake – people do mis-speak – and you try to stop the bleeding. Then, after a polite interval, you change the subject if you can.
Whatever else you might say, this is a signal demonstration of massive political ineptitude. Which maybe explains that “D” in freshman political science.
Update 2: You get the sense that John McCain is not entirely in Kerry’s court here -
Senator Kerry owes an apology to the many thousands of Americans serving in Iraq, who answered their country’s call because they are patriots and not because of any deficiencies in their education. Americans from all backgrounds, well off and less fortunate, with high school diplomas and graduate degrees, take seriously their duty to our country, and risk their lives today to defend the rest of us in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.
They all deserve our respect and deepest gratitude for their service. The suggestion that only the least educated Americans would agree to serve in the military and fight in Iraq, is an insult to every soldier serving in combat, and should deeply offend any American with an ounce of appreciation for what they suffer and risk so that the rest of us can sleep more comfortably at night. Without them, we wouldn’t live in a country where people securely possess all their God-given rights, including the right to express insensitive, ill-considered and uninformed remarks.
Or at least, I get that sense. But then again, I’m super-intuitive, that way.
Update 3: You know I can’t help thinking that a great way for you to show your outrage on this issue (and to take away some of the negative karma – Kerry was a naval officer after all) is to drop by Valour-IT and drop a fin in the jar. Five bucks to show the world you think more of our troops than at least one of their senators.
Which, how many chances like that do you get?
C’mon. What could it hurt?
Update 4: Rat? Meet terrier. Just keep scrolling.
BTW, in case you think it was inappropriate of me to shill for Valour-IT, note than Malkin has done so too – and she’s doing it for Noonan! Which sort of explains that lead that the boys in bus driver blue have over us.
Or at least it explains it up to now. Get some, Navy.
History repeats. Kerry bashing the troops yet again. Simply disgusting.
http://michellemalkin.com/ is all over this.
What an utter disgrace,Kerry needs to go to the dictionary and read the definition of patriot.
I just heard the Kerry press conference to explain his remarks. “Everyone knows I was talking about the President.!”
Well, phew!
I was worried, I mean as long as you are insulting the President. Well then that’s better. What’s everyone so pissed about?
I’m wondering what “nuance” I missed there.
I don’t think you can get into the boat school with 1100 SAT’s
Timely post- I’m watching the talking heads on AFN out here in the OPAREAS cover this subject, and Kerry’s non-apology.
I’m not surprised by Kerry’s comments. Pissed off, not surprised. This is classic New England liberal view of the military. I was exposed to it(still pains me now) in the 70s, anticipating my departure to AOCS.
Galling that he wears his FAILED tour of duty in our Navy as a badge of honor. Disappointing that the Massh*les continue to elect this dweeb.
Seems to me that Kerry just announced his candidacy for 2008. He had this to say, in part, as McCain and Snow demanded an apology:
“…This is the classic G.O.P. playbook. I?
Seems to me that Kerry just announced his candidacy for 2008. He had this to say, in part, as McCain and Snow demanded an apology:
“…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…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.”
Um, excuse me? Ridiculous troll.
I worked my rear end off in ’04 to make sure that worthless poser Jean Francois didn’t get elected. He’s a fake and a fraud who broke the faith with the rest of us back in the day and his trip to Paris to “meet with both delegations” gave aid and comfort to our enemy. The delegations he met with were the Viet Cong and the NVA governmemt representatives. There must be something wrong with the voters of Massachusetts to keep sending Kerry and Kennedy to the Senate.
What a truly execrable individual. Most certainly a disgrace to his nation and the people he represents.
capn george,
Kerry is no where near “classic” liberal. He’s “off the deep end” liberal.
It’s disappointing to some of us here who are not Massh*les that he keeps getting elected. Just not enough yet. If he keeps coming out with this kind of “supporting the troops” there may be hope that he won’t next time. But since the Republican ballot in this state is basically blank piece of paper, I’m not holding my breath.
Interesting. It seems he only opens his mouth to change feet.
…still looking for nuance…
He is not only off the deep end, he is actually completely wrong, military education-wise. The military is actually better educated than the general US population.
From the Census Bureau:
85 percent of those age 25 or older reported they had completed at least high school and 28 percent had attained at least a bachelor?
He is not only off the deep end, he is actually completely wrong, military education-wise. The military is actually better educated than the general US population.
From the Census Bureau:
85 percent of those age 25 or older reported they had completed at least high school and 28 percent had attained at least a bachelor’s degree
From the military:
99.9 percent of the enlisted force have at least a high school education; 73.3 percent have some semester hours toward a college degree; 16.2 percent have an associate’s degree or equivalent semester hours; 4.7 percent have a bachelor’s degree; 0.7 percent have a master’s degree and .01 percent have a professional or doctorate degree.
That is the enlisted side. The officer side:
49.2 percent of officers have advanced or professional degrees; 39.4 percent have master’s degrees, 8.5 percent have professional degrees and 1.3 percent have doctorate degrees.
And >90% of officers have bachelors – a requirement for most.
So yes, the military is SMARTER (educationally) than the general public. Feh, Mr. Junior Senator from Mass.
Kerry’s prevarication and self aggrandizement continue as he inaccurately boasts today that he had “an Ivy League law degree when he volunteered.” His own Senate biography lists his law degree from Boston College in 1976, but he was commissioned 16 Dec 1966 (my OCS class!) His disdain for the troops is obvious in his words and actions. Those who know how to read FITREPs can see that his superiors were generally unimpressed. I just wonder if the Senator or his affluent spouse would care to show their support for the troops with a generous donation to VALOUR-IT? Probably not?
Kerry’s prevarication and self aggrandizement continue as he inaccurately boasts today that he had “an Ivy League law degree when he volunteered.” His own Senate biography lists his law degree from Boston College in 1976, but he was commissioned 16 Dec 1966 (my OCS class!) His disdain for the troops is obvious in his words and actions. Those who know how to read FITREPs can see that his superiors were generally unimpressed. I just wonder if the Senator or his affluent spouse would care to show their support for the troops with a generous donation to VALOUR-IT? Probably not….. what an execrable human being!
I don’t think it is ever inappropriate to shill for Valor-IT. In fact several reminders between now and November 11 wouldn’t be a bad idea. Best of all would be John S’s suggestion: write to the Senator suggesting he demonstrate his support via a contribution.
Thank God for John O’Neil, The Swift Boaters, and Stolen Valor. Thank you Ohio. Thanks to all of you who voted even though the unofficial word on the street (exit polls leaked by the msm) said the election was going to be a skerry landslide. How could someone vote for Mitch Romley for Govenor of Mass and skerry, and kennedy for that matter, for Senator?!?!?
It works the same during interrogations…the liars and crooks can’t remember all the lies they have told; and they eventually show their true colors. Remember Kerry’s salute, and “..reporting for duty” remark at the Democratic Party’s Convention? A salute is a gesture of respect among men of arms; Kerry is neither fit to receive nor render one.
A strange political development for sure. We have all been expecting the “October Surprise” that would work to the benefit of the downtrodden President Bush and the Republicans. How many of us believed that Jean-Francois Kerry would have been the source of said shocker. Perhaps it was an assist to his “Skull and Bones” brother.
Kerry on the Military…
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?
Kerry on the Military…
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.
There are times, many of late, that I find it truly fitting that the mascot …
October Surprise…
Meglio di un piano diabolico architettato da Karl Rove. Meglio di un endorsement per i Democratici pronunciato da Osama bin Laden. Meglio di dieci sondaggi favorevoli in Virginia. Meglio del job-approval di Bush che schizza, senza motivo, all’80%. Le….
What is it about the lemming desire of Massachusetts political icons?
Edward Kennedy taking a midnight swim off a bridge…
Dukakis riding about in a tank with a helmet too big for his head…
Kerry opening his mouth…
Thank you Ohio.
You’re welcome. Those four hours of standing in the rain turned out to have been worth every second of it. I can’t believe this is the man that was deemed “electable.”
Holy smoly! What a A-hole! Again.
I’ve been up outta touch up in the mountains missing Umbellus and catching Salvenis Fontanalis! What I thing to hear about. Forget the silver spoon John Fn Kerry you have a silver foot in your mouth. I’d like to shove this here 11 1/2 you know where you size 15 neck and 38 chest!
Vent complete.
Do I need to freshen up the Swift Boat membership? nah I’ll take you up on the other suggestion right now.
What an embarrassment that he was Navy..once. We can’t forget he was piss-poor shoe. Nice touch on bringing up his “depth (