Posted on 11/01/2006 8:34:35 AM PST by truthandlife
A few Democratic candidates joined Republicans Wednesday in pressing John Kerry to apologize for a comment critics said appeared disrespectful of U.S. troops as several Kerry campaign appearances were canceled.
"Whatever the intent, Senator Kerry was wrong to say what he said," said Democratic Rep. Harold Ford Jr., running for Senate in Tennessee.
"Sen. Kerry's remarks were poorly worded and just plain stupid," said Montana Senate President Jon Tester, a Democrat trying to unseat GOP Sen. Conrad Burns. "He owes our troops and their families an apology."
"I'm sorry he did what he did. But I think the issue . . . we want to make sure it doesn't confuse the subject of the war in Iraq," Democratic Rep. Ben Cardin, running for Senate in Maryland, said on CNN.
Is it too much to ask that the Democratic Party devour itself trying to rectify this self-inflicted imbroglio that one of its standard-bearers has initiated?
John Podhertz of NY Post/NRO Corner fame thinks that this might actually help democrats such as Ford, Cardin, Casey and McCaskill. He thinks it might provide them with a moment to stand up to their own party and show independence and courage - their " Sistah Souljah" moment.
If a Democrat calls for Kerry to apologize, then you can be sure that they are behind in the polls. No dem in a safe race or a liberal district is going to turn on their own base.
Kerry's comment provides the oppurtunity for any Republican politician or commentator that has access to a television camera to point out that Democratics in general have always had an anti-military bent and cannot be trusted with our national security.
Vote for Conrad Burns in Montana! Get out and vote. We have to make sure Repubs stay in power!
"Whatever the intent, Senator Kerry was wrong to say what he said," said Democratic Rep. Harold Ford Jr., running for Senate in Tennessee."
Here's a rare clear observation from a Dee Ewe poster this morning on Ford that sort of puts it in the proper perspective;)
"Ford just fired the first round in the circular firing squad. Good going, dumbass."
Only if they had done so immediately. They waited too long, and now it just looks calculated.
I think it's telling that only democrats in close races want an apology from Kerry. The others are silent because they, too, have an innate contempt for the military and don't really understand what the big fuss is about.
If I were the Republican in these close Senate races I would demand the candidate return all funds given to him by Kerry.
Ford can demand an apology all he wants but he still accepted over $300,000 from Kerry.
Casey, Cardin and Webb have also recieved +300,000.
Well we'll see if the "just plain stupid" Senator Kerry listens to these guys. I bet not.
And if not, then that makes these guys lightweights.
Dear Republican Red,
I'm not sure that Mr. Steele does well to even touch this subject.
The difficulty for Republicans running in blue states is that they're trying to poach some percentage of folks who actually voted for Mr. Kerry just two years ago. In Maryland, 56% of folks voted for Mr. Kerry in 2004.
It's quite likely that those folks still like Mr. Kerry, and agree with him more than ever about the war in Iraq. Mr. Steele does well to do little to alienate these voters.
This may be a case of letting one's enemy self-destruct without any interference on one's part.
sitetest
He didn't!
Instead, he defiantly argued that his intended target was the Commander in Chief, inferring that if these young people didn't study and achieve scholastically, then they, too, might one day become President and get America "stuck in Iraq."
How stupid is that?
Such a lame excuse reveals an even more hollow head, accompanied by extreme arrogance!
Would it be too much to ask, for Joe Lieberman to come out and ask Kerry to resign, for the good of the party.
bump
I was listening to Err AMerika to hear their take on this issue. THey had on a Dem congressman (don't remember who) but basically admitted that dems up for election are distancing themselves from Kerry because it is good politics. The dems not up for election say they agree with kerry and no apology is necessary. Behind closed doors, the dems see nothing wrong with Kerry's comments. The Err Amerika pinheads were upset that dems were actually critical of Kerry because Kerry's remarks were misspoken but justified. Don't trust any dem who is putting distance between themselves and Kerry - it's all for show.
That's a good possibility. More likely, I think it's a reflection of their internal polling and an attempt at damage control to stop the big MO going against them. One more week and we'll know for sure.
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