Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Kerry's November Gift to Republicans? (Dem Congressman Says Kerry Is Blowing 2006 for Dems.)
ABC News ^ | 10/31/06 | JAKE TAPPER, MIKE CALLAHAN and AVERY MILLER

Posted on 10/31/2006 3:54:12 PM PST by MikeA

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 31, 2006 — For weeks, Republicans on the campaign trail have been looking for something — anything — to talk about other than the record of the Republican Congress and the way the Bush administration has conducted the war in Iraq.

Monday, they got their wish. While stumping for local Democrats in California, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., addressed students at Pasadena City College and made a comment about education and the war in Iraq that lent itself to much controversy.

"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. And if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq," he said.

It was a rhetorical gift for the embattled Republican Party which is eager to run against Kerry again. The White House unusually notified the media ahead of time that the president would address the issue in remarks at today's campaign rally in Georgia.

Election Fodder

The Kerry kerfuffle is a prototype of controversies of the new media age. "Thanks to the Internet, all life is on the record now," observed journalism professor Jeff Jarvis of CUNY. "Everything a politician says and does is public and the world can see in a second … that's life now."

After Kerry's remarks were mentioned on the Web sites of local newspapers, including the Whittier Daily News, the video popped up on YouTube and conservative blogs like Newsbusters.org, and then talk radio seized on them.

Though, as opposed to 2004, it didn't take Kerry weeks to respond to attacks against him. Shortly before noon, Tuesday, Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, responded, insisting in a statement that he had not belittled the intelligence of soldiers serving in Iraq, but rather, that of "the president who got us stuck there."

But it may have been too late, the train had left the station.

"I believe Sen. Kerry owes an apology to many thousands of Americans serving in Iraq, who answered their country's call," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., campaigning in Indiana.

Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said, "It tells us what John Kerry himself and the Democratic Party think about the troops and the U.S. military."

By the time Kerry got to a microphone in Seattle this afternoon to explain what he called a botched joke about the president, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Americans, had already heard about this new issue and Republican candidates were talking about it.

"It disgusts me that a bunch of these Republican hacks who have never worn the uniform of our country are willing to lie about those who did," Kerry added.

What's unclear is if Kerry's comments will help rally Republican voters or help their party portray Democrats as against the troops to score victories next Tuesday. A Democratic congressman told ABC News, Tuesday, "I guess Kerry wasn't content blowing 2004, now he wants to blow 2006, too."


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2006elections; asinine90; bestrepublicanfriend; democrats; drivebymedia; frenchpoodle; gruntgate; hanoikerry; jeanfrancoischeri; kerry; kerrydumbiraqgaffe; msm; unfit
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 161-174 next last
To: Jeff Chandler
Quite an October Surprise!

I'll be truthful, I was planning on sitting out the election. But now that Kerry has reminded me of what a bunch of shitheads the leftists in the country really are, I'm going to go out and vote for every Republican there on the ballot; even the ones I've never heard of before.

61 posted on 10/31/2006 4:26:47 PM PST by jpl (Victorious warriors win first, then go to war; defeated warriors go to war first, then seek to win.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MikeA

Only question: How did ROVE get him to say that??????


62 posted on 10/31/2006 4:27:35 PM PST by BobL (http://www.brusselsjournal.com/blog/4556 (here is where the real Europe is going))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chaos_5
I'll be looking for this type of story on Kerry in the next few days._ tom

NY Times | Bob Herbert | Posted February 16, 2006

It's time for Dick Cheney to step down -- for the sake of the country and for the sake of the Bush administration.

Mr. Cheney's bumbling conduct at the upscale Armstrong Ranch in South Texas seemed hilarious at first. But when we learned that Harry Whittington had suffered a mild heart attack after being shot by the vice president in a hunting accident, it became clear that a more sober assessment of the fiasco at the ranch and, inevitably, Mr. Cheney's controversial and even bizarre behavior as vice president was in order.

63 posted on 10/31/2006 4:28:43 PM PST by Capt. Tom (Don't confuse the Bushies with the dumb Republicans - Capt. Tom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: psjones

Yes, and has since reiterated that he would do it again.
Kerry tries to have it both ways.


64 posted on 10/31/2006 4:29:01 PM PST by BunnySlippers (Never Forget)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: MikeA
"Everything a politician says and does is public and the world can see in a second … that's life now."

Especially when a public servant gives a public speech in a public building.

-PJ

65 posted on 10/31/2006 4:31:11 PM PST by Political Junkie Too (It's still not safe to vote Democrat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: El Gato

Considering the recent revelations of Ted Kennedy's attempt to aid Yuri Andropov back during the Reagan administration and J F'n Kerry's actions while a serving reserve officer, I'd say he nailed it.
-----
Exactly. The Andropov issue nailed Kennedy, that putrid drunken traitor. And yes, your CO did nail it. They are our enemy above all other -- America's enemy within. They are communists and will do anything to anyone to gain power over the people and wealth of this country.

That is their agenda, their only agenda.


66 posted on 10/31/2006 4:33:23 PM PST by EagleUSA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: RoseofTexas
bet a million bucks, if I had it, that the RATS are crying in their RATHOLES wishing this moron would have kept his trap shut! I can just hear the gnashing of teeth on the RATS phones and cells

Nancy Pelosi may have blown out her overly streched facial skin, just yelling "Noooooo!". :) Has anyone seen a photo or video of her shot since JFK inserted his feet into his mouth?

67 posted on 10/31/2006 4:33:24 PM PST by El Gato
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: MikeA
It was no joke. Watch the video. He said it in a condescending way. He was not laughing or smiling. What a piece of sh#t.
68 posted on 10/31/2006 4:37:14 PM PST by kempo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Chandler
"Quite an October surprise". Great comment. I bet that Gary Sick is puking in his lush office somewhere in DC.
The Democratic Party National Committee's office looks and smells like a vomitorium.
Nancy Pelosi probably had to go back into hiding in her cosmetician's closet rather than be asked about Monsieur Kerry.
Dentists are bidding to work on getting Kerry's foot out of his mouth, while Proctologists are also bidding for the job of getting his foot out of his ass.
Harry Reid is asking "Who is this John Kerry"?
Kerry is asking "Where is Cambodia"? (Hey jerk, go to Tan Son Hut Airport, board a plane, and ask the pilot for Cambodia. 30 minutes later, you'll land at Ponchengtom Airport, aka, Cambodia. OR GET A MAP, DUMBO.

This is the second time that Kerry has insulted my combat veteran of Iraq son, Josh, and his unit and all the other brave and intelligent men and women who serve there and in Afghanistan.

My former neighbor's son Dean Mathis graduated from West Point, volunteered for Iraq and is there now. His brother, Chris, is in ROTC and wants to join his brother in Iraq.

Kerry tried to avoid the draft by volunteering for a safe Navy position (surprise, dumbo, the Swift Boats got assigned to interior waters patrols). He fought bravely but, like Benedict Arnold, he turned his back on his country and his fellow soldiers.
How do you spell "Traitor"? KERRY!

Madmax, Vietnam journalist, son of a WW2 veteran and son-in-law of an Iwo Jima soldier (yes, there was one Army unit that landed with the Marines, the 75th JASCO, Joint Assault Signal Company), and father of an OIF veteran (his unit's call, "First Forward" and he was, the first in his unit to cross the Iraqi border. HOORAH!

Support our troops. Don't vote for any Democrat.
69 posted on 10/31/2006 4:40:24 PM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper (Madmax, the Grinning Reaper)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: shrinkermd
never have I witnessed this kind of egocentric, irresponsible, self-centered

That's JF'nK alright. Plus stupid incompetent boob.

But then again, he represents his party well.

70 posted on 10/31/2006 4:43:14 PM PST by El Gato
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: HoosierHawk

Republicans should be out there loudly demanding Kerry's resignation. If for no other reason but to keep this going to election day. I love it when a plan comes together :<)


71 posted on 10/31/2006 4:45:20 PM PST by SMM48
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Chandler

Someone really should get a collection together. We need to send him one really big fruit basket for his efforts.


72 posted on 10/31/2006 4:47:46 PM PST by SaveTheChief (This is my "+3 tagline of smiting")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Max Friedman
The Democratic Party National Committee's office looks and smells like a vomitorium.

What do you mean? I expect since yesterday, it *is* a vomitorium.

73 posted on 10/31/2006 4:49:47 PM PST by El Gato
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: governsleastgovernsbest

FYI...another credit to Newsbusters for moving the story..


74 posted on 10/31/2006 4:52:26 PM PST by ken5050
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jpl

Good job! Vote for Allen for Senate if you'd be so kind! And thank you for coming to your senses. Get others you know out to vote GOP too!


75 posted on 10/31/2006 4:52:29 PM PST by MikeA (Not voting Nov. 7 because you're pouting is PRECISELY what Speaker Wannabe Pelosi wants you to do!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: MikeA

One more reason every Democrat should be forced to take a position on Kerry's statement.

Call the closest one to you and ask.


76 posted on 10/31/2006 4:54:39 PM PST by DoSomethingAboutIt (Fix the Media - Fix the Country)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Retain Mike

Thanks for your service, and God Bless your son.


77 posted on 10/31/2006 4:57:55 PM PST by regularperson (St. Louis Cardinals.....World Champions)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: MikeA

ABC to Kerry: Shut up!


78 posted on 10/31/2006 4:58:46 PM PST by dr_who_2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MikeA

Elect GOP. It'll drive the MSM nuts. They're going broke as it is.


79 posted on 10/31/2006 5:02:21 PM PST by Waco
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dr_who_2
I guarantee you that at this very moment Casey and his advisers are shaking in their boots and shaking their heads on what to do tomorrow! I say they give sKerry the boot!
80 posted on 10/31/2006 5:02:27 PM PST by RoseofTexas
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 161-174 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson