Kerry Apologizes for 'A Botched Joke'

[sirs]

Here is what Kerry said exactly: 

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.

It's the "you make an effort to be smart" part that implies only the dumb join the military. According to this statement, people getting "stuck in Iraq" didn't "make an effort to be smart."

That's how most rationally minded people have read it, including a whole host of Dems.  How are you missing this, Js?

[larry]

I just check the news headkines for Yahoo, MSN and My home page. The Kerry blooper is no longer a lead story. The story had legs for two days.

[Plane]

I dispute this.

The military has fewer dropouts than the general population, and they train much more constantly than the general population.

On what could you base the opinion that the military is stupid?

Case in point: As I said earlier, it seems to be the right wing that equates a lack of higher education with being "stupid."

Plane, if you look closely you'll note that I never said the military is stupid. Nor do I believe that the personnel within the military are stupid.

So you disagree with Kerry?

[Xavier_Onassis]

If the military is so exceedingly clever, how is it that after three years in Iraq, they have still not subdued the populace?
Is that they are not competent, or could it be that they are indeed competent, but are led by blundering moron civilians like Juniorbush  Cheney and Rumsfeld?

At some point, the truth manifests itself.

I don't think that any substantial number of the troops are in the military because of poor study habits in colllege.
No doubt some, but not many.

Of course, Kerry was referring to Juniorbush not studying and thus obtaining the smarts necessary for him to have seen what a ghastly morass Iraq would become.

[Amianthus]

Of course, Kerry was referring to Juniorbush not studying and thus obtaining the smarts necessary for him to have seen what a ghastly morass Iraq would become.

Pity that he couldn't say it that way, then.

[Plane]

"Yes, the apology's good enough," White House spokesman Tony Snow told FOX News' Bill O'Reilly Wednesday night.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,226820,00.html


Well , that is good enough for me , is the final word said now?



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"If the military is so exceedingly clever, how is it that after three years in Iraq, they have still not subdued the populace?"


When was it ever the point to "subdue the population"?

Iraq was plenty subdued with Saddam in charge , setting the population free was the aim.

Considering that they havent been free longer than the life of a toddler they arn't handleing it so badly.

[The_Professor]

Kerry years ago said that a volunteer army would be drawn from the uneducated underclasses. His latest remarks show little change in that thought process.

He hasn't thought this through, but Kerry does not seem to think very many things through. There are good republican objections to a large paid standing army. There are good republican reasons to wish the core of the Legionary to be citizens from all classes. Kerry does not appear to be thinking of those reasons.

A republic can be defended by a paid army with citizen officers, expanded at great need by conscription; this has been our model for a long time, and one reason for appointment to West Point and the other service academies by political rather than "merit" processes takes this very much into account; again something not much thought about in these days. Control of the army is of course the first requirement for any republic. I do not think Mr. Kerry gives this much thought.

[larry]

Kerry years ago said that a volunteer army would be drawn from the uneducated underclasses. His latest remarks show little change in that thought process.

I think Kerry was right about that. Kids of the rich folks become politicians and kids of poor folks become soldiers. Off course there are acceptions, but they are few. the greater majority of those on the battlefield are not college educated. Those who have a college education are more likely to be placed in non-combat duty.

[Plane]

I dispute this.

The military has fewer dropouts than the general population, and they train much more constantly than the general population.

On what could you base the opinion that the military is stupid?

Case in point: As I said earlier, it seems to be the right wing that equates a lack of higher education with being "stupid."

Plane, if you look closely you'll note that I never said the military is stupid. Nor do I believe that the personnel within the military are stupid.

You got me ..

You never did say that Ignorance and Stupidity were equivelent.

It is Kerry that makes this implication.

[syrmark59]

To add to Larry's observation, if there was one GOP-friendly national print news source I would think would still be spinning this, it would be USA Today.

Small column blurb which focused not on what Kerry said, but that he and Bush were sniping.

The story itself was buried on page 6.

Sorry GOPers, your mountain has returned to molehill status.

[BT]

Sorry GOPers, your mountain has returned to molehill status.

Except it is now late night fodder, at least it was on letterman last night.

[syrmark59]

"Except it is now late night fodder, at least it was on letterman last night."

Along with most other things deemed laughable. 

[BT]

Along with most other things deemed laughable. 

Laughable or not, if it hits the late night circuit it hits the watercooler the next day. And if it is at the watercooler, it is in the culture.

Doubt the dems want Kerry's attitude toward the troops discussed endlessly at Taco Bells across the land.

[_JS]

According to this statement, people getting "stuck in Iraq" didn't "make an effort to be smart."

Hm...I can see that.

How are you missing this, Js?

Gosh Sirs, I guess I'm just an ignorant prole.

Still, the poster these folks made is dumb. To prove their point they should have used subtler humor.

[Amianthus]

the greater majority of those on the battlefield are not college educated. Those who have a college education are more likely to be placed in non-combat duty.

Among combat units, just a bare majority (about 55%) have a high school diploma only. Most of the rest have some college or a college degree.