He's done. Not that She Who Must Not Be Named has any different opinions with respect to the troops, but at least she knows (now) what an incredible clunker it is to utter those sentiments publicly. Much as I despise him I don't see BJ Billy making that sort of a catastrophic mistake.
The tape speaks for itself. There isn't any real doubt in my mind at least that Kerry was merely repeating a new version of the old "stay in school and stay out of the rice paddies" canard to what he felt was a sympathetic audience. The number of his acolytes who are now bleating "but it's the truth" indicates to me that it's what he really had intended to say or at least something that they would say themselves.
I am especially enjoying the obvious discomfiture of the many Kerry media shills who are earnestly pretending that that turd floating in the punchbowl was somebody else's mistake. "If it weren't for Bush's failed policies that little nugget wouldn't be bobbing up and down between the lemon slices." You betcha.