Did any one hear the comment John Kerry made about the kids who didn't learn ending up in Iraq?
I have to say both parties are our addressing this situation poorly. John Kerry's comment was definately stupid and there are so many other ways to insult the president without insulting our soliders who are risking their lives in Iraq. But the Republican party is definately taking using this to there advantage and pointing the finger at demorcrates.
So what do you think?

My mother has a "countdown until Bush is gone" calendar. It'a decorated with quotes of George saying things wrong, things he didn't mean to say. It bothers me. A lot.

Aaaand.

I'm pretty sure he was telling kids to go to college, which is good, and especially so because college students are excluded from the draft. He wasn't saying anytjing about the intelligence of our soldiers.


I hate it when people are mean about saying things wrong. It's just not fair.

Haven't we all said offending things? The guy was just trying to make a joke and it came out wrong. Give him a break.

quote:

Yes, not everyone who goes in the military is an idiot drop-out. But if you are an idiot drop-out, that narrows your choices quite a bit and you just may end up in the military! Sorry, but that's the reality.

actually the Military will not accept applicants who do not have at least a GED. The only way a dropout without a GED can enlist is to actively pursue the GED course and complete it.

It's true, though. A friend of mine who recently came back from Iraq said that a lot of the soldiers don't even believe in what they're fighting for. They did at first, but now they're sick of Bush and his war. And these are people who've actually been to Iraq. They know what they're talking about.

quote:

Originally posted by dmj48066:

That's just it. The ones in Iraq are NOT risking their lives for us. They are risking their lives for a Jesus-crazed alcoholic hillbilly. Why should I respect that?

please move to Canada, NOW...

It was a very poor choice of words, but I do not think Kerry meant it in such a way. It was blown out of proportion by the Republicans. However, if something to that effect had been said by a Repulblican, the Dems (or at least the politicians) would have reacted similarly. *shrug* I don't think it will affect the elections substancially, but, like Blue said, Kerry said a very stupid thing.

quote:

Originally posted by jfksouthpaw51:
1. fuschiagirl, theres a difference between poor and dumb, and even if they are dumb, theyre risking their lives for us, they deserve a little more respect than to be insulted by a government official.

That's just it. The ones in Iraq are NOT risking their lives for us. They are risking their lives for a Jesus-crazed alcoholic hillbilly. Why should I respect that?

What people are missing or deliberately in denial about is that what Kerry said--even its original, mistaken version--is TRUE.

Yes, not everyone who goes in the military is an idiot drop-out. But if you are an idiot drop-out, that narrows your choices quite a bit and you just may end up in the military! Sorry, but that's the reality.

Politicians taking potshots at other politicians is getting old. Bush could have gotten a lot more out of Kerry's comment if he hadn't called Kerry "anti-troops." Returning an insult with an insult gets you nowhere...

1. fuschiagirl, theres a difference between poor and dumb, and even if they are dumb, theyre risking their lives for us, they deserve a little more respect than to be insulted by a government official..

2. Everyone taking shots at Bush is getting old, we all know he's stupid, democrats are starting to look like asses...

3. I would just love it if Kerry came out and talked like a redneck and said he had a brainfart or something... I think hes still bitter that he lost to a little smirking dummy and his pride is getting in the way...

quote:

maybe it was very "political",

oops, i meant to say "wasn't", there, but i cant edit it anymore...

When do politicians ever say anything smart?

Politically, Kerry said a very stupid thing. I'll leave it at that.

Maybe this will brand me as anti-troops, but honestly i saw nothing wrong with what kerry said. maybe it was very "political", but seriously, isnt it already a well-known fact that recruiters focus heavily on on poor kids cause they can convince them that they don't have any other good options? I've heard lots of stories abotu recruiters lying to kids to get them to enlist, so it's not the soldiers' fault that theyre stuck in Iraq, it's the recruiter for selling them a shitty product.

I thought it was more about education: a message for kids to stay in school and do well. There are limited options once someone decides to dropout, not go to college or stop their education short in our society. One of those limited options, that seems likes a good idea, is to enlist. However, we're at war, which means there's a chance these soldiers will die. I believe what Kerry MEANT by what he SAID was that you're theoretically stuck in Iraq if you decide to not go to college because there are so few jobs other than asking people if they'd like fries with their order or asking what size shoe people wear.

I hope you're wrong and this doesn't end up affecting the results but I'm not counting on it.

Regardless of the consequences, there's nothing to be done about it now, so we can only hope the damage isn't to great. That said, Kerry's ties to the Democrtaic party as a whole are questionable, so maybe this won't cause that big of an effect.

(Aguagon your avatar owns )

I'm with clpo...the GOP's seizing on the soundbyte is a last, panicky, desperate attempt to do damage to the Dems. And it won't work that well. Worst October surprise ever.

The whole thing is absurd. Kerry took a poorly worded pot-shot at Bush (who, as we all know, has never mangled a sentence in his life) and now it's a federal case. Bush knows exactly what Kerry meant, and he's playing stupid.

The shame is, I do predict this will have a slight impact on the midterms...dumb stuff like this has been way too effective in the past (remember when Al Gore invented the Internet?). All I can say is, thank God Kerry isn't in the place of McCaskill or Webb or someone who actually matters in 2006.

Even his original comment wasn't the best thing, but his slip of the tongue is getting too much attention, which is par for this election...

I don't even know why Bush and company are taking this so far. The only people they'll convince are fellow Republicans (who don't need convincing) and soldiers who get biased info (who can't vote now anyways). It's just absurd.

I understand what Kerry was trying to say. He wanted to make President Bush like an idiot...which is fine, nothing wrong with that.
The bad thing is that he said it in a way that sounded wrong. The Republicans are making this too big of an idea and the media is doing so too.

Lets get back on track with the main issues at hand in this election.