Posted on 10/31/2006 1:52:37 PM PST by Rennes Templar
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry’s “botched joke” about students needing to study hard or risk becoming “stuck in Iraq” has ignited a political firestorm over the war exactly a week from the election.
Kerry lashed out at the White House at a press conference in Seattle this afternoon for attacking him for his comments. The White House, however, called on Kerry to apologize for troop-bashing. A defiant Kerry refused.
“Let me make it crystal clear, as crystal clear as I know how,” Kerry said. “I apologize to no one for my criticism of the President and his broken policy. If anyone owes our troops in the fields an apology, it is the president and his failed team.”
Kerry then admitted “my statement yesterday, and the White House knows this full well, was a botched joke about the president and the president’s people, not about the troops.”
Yesterday, at a rally for California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides, Kerry told a cheering Pasadena City College audience: “Education, if you make the most of it, you study hard and do your homework and you make an effort to be smart you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”
Video snippets of the speech have popped up on www.youtube.com, prompting irate calls by mothers of U.S. soldiers to Boston radio talk stations.
U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) issued a statement today calling on fellow Vietnam veteran Kerry to say he’s sorry.
“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,” McCain said in a statement posted on drudgereport.com.
And the White House also called on Kerry to apologize.
“Senator Kerry not only owes an apology to those who are serving, but also to the families of those who’ve given their lives in this,” White House press secretary Tony Snow said. “This is an absolute insult.”
Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran, fired back, saying the president and his administration are the ones who owe U.S. troops an apology because they “misled America into war and have given us a Katrina foreign policy that has betrayed our ideals, killed and maimed our soldiers, and widened the terrorist threat instead of defeating it.”
“This is the classic GOP playbook,” Kerry said in the harshly worded statement. “I’m not going to be lectured by a stuffed suit White House mouthpiece standing behind a podium.”
bttt
Thanks for the ping!
...AND Bawnwy...
...AND Studds (when he was running)....
AND a host of OTHER losers, not the least of which, Dukakis.
The politics of that poor wasted state was one of the worst things about living there.
Thank you! What a hoot, dead! Nice to see you again, xzins!
NAHHH...sheehan is exactly the kind of kool aid drinker Kerry is used to. She's just an old hippie wanna-be who will NOT miss the bus to Woodstock THIS time.
I love Kerry's insinuation that he meant that BUSH was the "failed student" that ended US up in Iraq- nice fancy dancin', don'cha think? Coming from a *D*! student, that's a hoot.
Okay...I WILL credit you on this one this time!
You know, just forget I said anything. Your ongoing ability to miss a clear point demonstrates that your grasp of English is about on par with Kerry's.
Hey, I understand you completely (as I understand the Dem Party), you were very clear in your defense of Kerry.
We just disagree.
Yeah, I can see where my reference to Kerry as a sociopath and liar would be construed as defending him.
Kerry as a sociopath and liar; on that we agree!
Very good! But let's remember we do not drop him, we hoist him up, and we leave his legs untied. I want to see the SOB dance!
What the US Army recruiting poster under "President" Kerry would look like:
Our brave warriors n Irak respond to Jon Carry"
Kerry is no different re his hatred of a strong America and our warriors than 99.9% of the rats in congress. Every rat running for election should have to face a copy of this banner everytime they show their treasonous faces. Pelosi, Murtha, Clintoon, Boxer, Kennedy, Durbin, Levin, Rangle, Reid and other rats in congress hate our military and a strong America. Just look at their voting records the past two years as President Bush pointed out this week.
Kerry is shown leading his fellow hate America and our military Rats to their final destination in American Politics:
Vote against all traitors this election day. Support our troops and their CIC, President Bush.
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