Posted on 11/01/2006 8:35:21 AM PST by libertarianPA
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Sen. John Kerry said on Wednesday he was sorry about a "botched joke" that drew election-year fire from President George W. Bush and other Republicans who accused him of insulting U.S. troops in Iraq.
Kerry reiterated the target of his joke was Bush, who immediately seized on the senator's remarks to rally Republican supporters ahead of Tuesday's elections, in which the party's control of Congress is at risk.
Kerry said he was returning to Washington from a trip campaigning on behalf of Democratic congressional candidates because he did not want to be "a distraction."
A day after rejecting calls to apologize for his remarks, Kerry, appearing on the "Imus in the Morning" radio show on MSNBC, declared: "I said it was a botched joke. Of course, I'm sorry about a botched joke."
While campaigning in California on Monday, Kerry told a college crowd: "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."
Kerry's office said the senator had misread his prepared remarks. They said he had intended to say, "Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush."
Exactly. I didn't see him apologize to the troops. Until he does that, its not an apology.
I watched the video of Kerry's gaffe, I watched the video of Bush's response, I watched the video of Kerry's refusal to apologize, but the best video of all yesterday was the one from ScrappleFace. It's a must-see, must-hear.
I've watched it numerous times now. It's an incredible professional job, set to music, with absolutely perfect timing. ScrappleFace is King!
http://www.scrappleface.com/?p=2377
I know I'm not the first to say it, but "He didn't apologize before he apologized."
I don't get it either. How does talking about education correlate to a joke about President Bush in Iraq? It doesn't add up.
I am losing my mind today. I keep thinking today is Thursday - LOL!
Thanks for setting me straight.
The gift that keeps on giving.
I agree, that's a totally different line and nowhere to close to what he delivered. Also, aren't hard-copies of the speeches given to reporters at this types of events so that the speech is quoted accurately?
"Kerry took the coward's way out.
He pretended to apologize on an early morning show which no one listens to."
Agree...and now the press takes the cowards way out...THEY TRY TO CONVINCE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT INDEED KERRY HAS 'APOLOGIZED' WHEN HE HAS DONE NO SUCH THING!!
He still hasn't apologized... he's just picked up his apologist's excuse that the "joke was about President Bush." That is a tangled interpretation. And wasn't he speaking off the cuff? Or can't he read? This man is just a dreadful human being.
No, Kerry is prevaricating and making it up as he goes along. There is no joke. He was with a group of people who he thoght was "like-minded" and he let it all hang out....his real feelings. This is a rare glimps into the mimd of all democrats. They hate this country, the military, God, God-fearing people, family values, and on and on. They keep prooving it. Witness the jerk Derban and his "real fealings" that our militry are nazis. Look at Kennedy and all the things he has said. These are their leaders. But more, Kerry was their chosen representative to be the President of the USA. Everyone on the left voted Kerry. This comment is Kerry, and it is the democrat..pure and simple.
Oh, yes. Didn't Kerry vote to send troops to Iraq. Now that it is tough, he wants to change history. He wants it both ways. What a collosal jerk, nit-wit.
Democrats trip themselves up, when they pretend they are smarter than Republicans.
Here's the verbatim transcript of the 2001 Press Conference where Senate Majority leader Tom Daschle tried to mock the supporters of missile defense and made himself look like a fool
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/842392/posts
Whether or not we want to violate the ABM treaty
especially with a concept [NMD program] that we may not know
...or...
that we do know now does not work
is something that also mystifies me.
I mean
Every aspect of the debate and the consideration
that is given this whole program
is... is troubling to me.
I... I mean... I...there's a disconnect there.
I mean...It just seems common sense....
I mean...there's no brain..
THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE HERE...
Yes it IS rocket science....
that's the problem..
Hadn't thought about that..
As I just think out loud ....
as I meander through here.
(laugh laugh laugh laugh laugh)
That's the problem.
And I was so looking forward to him trying to run for President again in '08! If only he could be their nominee again! This has really ruined it for us, I mean him.
I bet Terayzaaaaa boxed his ears yesterday.
Oh, and anything he says now, after his "I APOLOGIZE TO NOONE!!" yesterday is blowin' smoke.
He apologized for "a botched joke", not for the insulting sentiment directed at our troops...
A day after rejecting calls to apologize for his remarks, Kerry declared: ".... Of course, I'm sorry about a botched joke."
NOW who's the stupid one? Can't read his own remarks? What a load of horsesh*t!
LOLOLOLOL!!! NOW he " misread" the joke!!!!
confused. Fox just said he kind of said Im sorry on Imus this morning. Is Reuters and Yahoo running with the so called sorry on Imus or did he release a statement?
Once again, Kerry shows his true colors - pure arrogance and disdain for the military.
The timing couldn't have been better because it should anger Republicans to show up at the polls and vote on 11/7.
If anything, Kerry's comments will energize the conservative base far more than the Democratic base.
Meme of the day: It isn't an apology until he apologizes directly to the troops.
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