[Wild Irish Rogue]

" The "Private Ryan" reference is weird though. I doubt he or his speechwriter ever saw the movie; if they did I'd think the mistake would be obvious - The movie *starts* with the Normandy invasion. It doesn't make sense for the movie to *end* with it."

The last 15 minutes of Private Ryan are in present time, with an old vet, who took part in the invasion,returning to the cemetery at Normandy . He and his family walk among the crosses and Stars of David. It's a very peaceful and sad moment- did Kennedy actually say the last 15 minutes??? What a blunder!!! Private Ryan and HBO's Band of Brothers ( my personal favorite) are terrific war movies.

[Flashlight]

...It's a very peaceful and sad moment- did Kennedy actually say the last 15 minutes???...

I just heard it again (CSPAN replay) and Kennedy, I think, is quoting somebody else who says that "urban" warfare (or something) will be brutal like the last 15 minutes of "Ryan".

So my guess is that he really *meant* the "last" 15 minutes (not including the "present-time" part, apparently) where (I've been told) there is a battle in a city setting (as opposed to the beach invasion that starts the movie).