Posted on 10/31/2006 10:29:20 PM PST by sizzlemeister
Perhaps this has been stated elsewhere, and if so I apologize for rehashing it here, but I thought this questioned deserved a separate discussion.
Did John F. Kerry, Vietnam veteran, actually slip up today? Obviously this is the excuse being sold by the Kerry people, the DNC, and the MSM. And I see some FReepers are buying into it, and a lot of the Conservative media, blogs, etc. are going along with it.
I do not buy it. If Kerry and his crew slipped, it was in believing the dubiously French-looking one could get away with saying something like this. I think he underestimated the efficiency and scope of the "new media". It's a perfectly rational statement for a liberal when viewed in its context: he's speaking to college kids at a California Democrat's rally. Back in the day politicians were protected inside such a bubble; especially in California, especially on a college campus, and especially at a Democrat rally.
"Evidence" of the "slip" could easily have been whipped up in a few minutes - just skip to the page in the "Angelides rally speech" file (assuming this "speech" were truly prepared ahead of time), adjust the copy, hit save, and print it out. Who would know? I would imagine even the FBI would have a difficult time proving the speech copy were altered since:
1. The speech, if it preexisted, and if it were printed out ahead of time, was most likely printed from a portable printer connected to a Kerry aide's laptop.
2. There are some very easy tricks to remove traces of a file being modified, at least in Windows.
Like network news, like MSM daily newspapers, like MSM magazines, they have all underestimated the "new media" again. I think this may be the last time anyone underestimates the "new media" and its power - for better or worse. And this raises another issue: eventually when the Democrats seize power again in Washington they will put their foot down on this terribly pesky "new media" just like they're trying to put their foot down on talk-radio.
I do not think it's wise to give Kerry the benefit of the doubt here. In fact, given the possibilities, I think it's dangerous. This was no slip, but an awfully painful wake-up call for liberal Democrats.
He said similar things during the 2004 campaign; that young men and women had to enlist in the military because there were no opportunities for them.
This was NOT a slip. It is the true expression of his beliefs. His response confirms it:
1. State he meant to insult Bush;
2. Refuse to apologize;
3. Remind us that he was in Vietnaaaaaaam;
4. Make an adhominem attack on Limbaugh;
5. Attack Republicans for dirty tricks.
Nothing was an expression of regret for what he actually said. If he was a Republican the MSM and Democrats would be demanding his resignation. We should do the same.
I've tried the sledgehammer, but O'Reillty doesn;t use it. (TO pithy for him, I guess.) So a gentler approach might work. To qutoe the late Jack Webb, "Just the facts."
He meant the troops, he couldn't have meant Bush because Bush got an education, period. I think it is really stupid that he even tried to say that it was a bad joke on Bush.
So, if one ended up in Vietnam they were 'stupid'.
He's absolute living proof that all that money doesn't buy class...or brains for that matter.
The man is far more masterful at media manipulation than the libs give him credit for. He is just rubbing his hands in glee. Fox's ratings will go up, up, up into Election Day while CNN's go into the toilet.
O'Reilly knows what he's doing.
Hillary loves it...I'm sure. Kerry has now done the Marcy Park Walk. Wonder if HER speechwriters were involved at all?
What state were some of the Terrorists in when they boarded on 9-11?? Boston, Mass??
What was it that Richard Clarke said about Usama "boogying up to Iraq" if we hit Afghanistan?
Tiki, you are exactly right. kerry needs to resign....he's a huge liability to the dimwit party.
kerry dissed some 20 million active/retired/other vets across America. I guess the rats are ok with losing this large voting block.
LOL.
I see little discussion (although ABC did indeed do a story on NewsBusters when the story broke) still of how this story grew many legs very quickly, which is completely due to the "new media" and, most importantly, the ramifications of the new media's involvement.
The ABC story on Newsbusters exposes this. They knew right away that how this story got out. Perhaps they were trying to snuff the story by suggesting "illegitmate" sources are reporting it? In any event the story is out there now, and we will keep it running. I think we also need to look forward now and keep in mind that this screw up by Kerry will put the new media (or should it be typed as New Media?) in the cross-hairs of the liberals and others who fall prey to it.
And this raises another issue: eventually when the Democrats seize power again in Washington they will put their foot down on this terribly pesky "new media" just like they're trying to put their foot down on talk-radio.Well put.
:') I lean all the way also. ;') It wasn't the new media who kept Howard Dean's "eeeyah" moment on the front page etc, it was the tired old partisan media shills who wanted Kerry as the nominee. That clip ran over and over, and was referenced in print over and over (even by those who framed it as a media invention, which it wasn't, any more than Kerry's 10-30 gaffe was), and Dean was done.
However, this is going to finish Kerry politically, except in Massachusetts; in the words of the comedian Drew Carey, what can you say about a state that has never failed to elect a Kennedy, no matter how many women they kill or rape? Kerry will eventually leave the Senate behind (after his presidential aspirations dry up before his eyes, in case they haven't already) and run for governor of MA.
Too bad about his presidential aspirations, I was really looking forward to his dragging the Dhimmicrats down to disaster in 2008.
He didnt slip...he has had two days to correct what he said, and he hasnt.
Only Chrissy Matthews spent 4 hours trying to parse Kerry's words yesterday. It is pretty simple, watch the video.
He's saying that lurch meant every word he spoke... only the backlash caused him to make up the lame excuse that he gaffed a joke.
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