John Kerry's comments

[space4dtime]

I think he should apologize, if only just to cement the idea that he didn't intend to insult the troops. Of course, if he did apologize, the next election he's up in, we'll hear ads such as "John Kerry even had to apologize for saying that our troops in Iraq are stupid." Which is probably why he hasn't apologized.

The Republicans did a really good job of painting John Kerry has a liberal elitist in 2004, and I'm not convinced that he has any appeal for moderate voters anymore.

[senorina]

Originally posted by space4dtime:
I think he should apologize, if only just to cement the idea that he didn't intend to insult the troops. Of course, if he did apologize, the next election he's up in, we'll hear ads such as "John Kerry even had to apologize for saying that our troops in Iraq are stupid." Which is probably why he hasn't apologized.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">it is annoying that nobody apologizes much any more, due to the way it will be spun, or a lawsuit...sigh.

I do think saying sorry that didn't come out the way I wanted, I WANTED it to come out like....

would be the best way to go.

[feelinggreat]

Sigh. Apologize for something he didn't do? Why don't his critics all apologize for accusing the man of something he did not do?

Let me reiterate his response, perhaps reading it again will help people understand:

SENATOR KERRY: Let me make it crystal clear, as crystal clear as I know how: I apologize to no one for my criticism of the president and of his broken policy.

If anyone owes our troops in the fields an apology, it is the President and his failed team and a Republican majority in the Congress that has been willing to stamp -- rubber-stamp policies that have done injury to our troops and to their families.

My statement yesterday -- and the White House knows this full well -- was a botched joke about the president and the president's people, not about the troops.

The White House's attempt to distort my true statement is a remarkable testament to their abject failure in making America safe. It's a stunning statement about their willingness to reduce anything in America to raw politics. It's their willingness to distort, their willingness to mislead Americans, their willingness to exploit the troops, as they have so many times at backdrops, at so many speeches at which they have not told the American people the truth.

I'm not going to stand for it.

What our troops deserve is a winning strategy. And what they deserve is leadership that is up to the sacrifice that they're making.
...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">How loud was the call for Bush to apologize to the soldiers who died, and are still dying, for big, scary WMDs that his administration knew they probably would not find? The WMDs their experts told them were not there and that they called off the search for ... where is that apology?

Yeah, I thought so.

I'm off to a Halloween party - hope you all have fun tonight, too. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[onelove]

I agree about the lack of apoligizing in today's society. I think it goes hand in hand with unwillingness to accept responsibility. All sides are bad about this.

It sends a bad message I think. It says that no one is allowed to learn from a mistake. No one is allowed to reconsider a desicion.

That lack of apology also makes it impossible to reconciele and forgive. It makes retreating from bad ideas almost impossible.

The gracious apology and the acceptance of said apology are a lost art.

And I agree we should allow others to clairify their remarks.

Of course this comes from a woman who finds it only to easy to insert my size 10 foot into my rather active mouth.

I still don't find it an offensive remark. But I do think it would be classy for him to clarify his respect for the people who do choose to serve.

[senorina]

Originally posted by onelove:
I agree about the lack of apoligizing in today's society. I think it goes hand in hand with unwillingness to accept responsibility. All sides are bad about this.

It sends a bad message I think. It says that no one is allowed to learn from a mistake. No one is allowed to reconsider a desicion.

That lack of apology also makes it impossible to reconciele and forgive. It makes retreating from bad ideas almost impossible.

The gracious apology and the acceptance of said apology are a lost art.

And I agree we should allow others to clairify their remarks.

Of course this comes from a woman who finds it only to easy to insert my size 10 foot into my rather active mouth.

I still don't find it an offensive remark. But I do think it would be classy for him to clarify his respect for the people who do choose to serve.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well onelove, I think you understand this issue dead on. Kerry was attempting to make a comment about the social inequity of the military. And If something came out differently than you wanted it to - which he admits by saying it was botched - there is nothing wrong with saying I'm sorry that didn't come out the way I wanted.

Hey - no comment on the "doughy" Rush?

[space4dtime]

Originally posted by senorina:


Hey - no comment on the "doughy" Rush?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I saw the clip where Rush was weaving around in his MJF impersonation, and the thing that struck me about him wasn't his size, but how pale his skin was. When Kerry mentioned doughy Rush, it recalled the pasty, pale, unhealthy look to his skin, and not his size.

[senorina]

Originally posted by space4dtime:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by senorina:


Hey - no comment on the "doughy" Rush?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I saw the clip where Rush was weaving around in his MJF impersonation, and the thing that struck me about him wasn't his size, but how pale his skin was. When Kerry mentioned doughy Rush, it recalled the pasty, pale, unhealthy look to his skin, and not his size.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">maybe so.

OK - I have a question - I think its pretty clear to most people that Kerry was making a commentary on the education or societal inequity of the troops. Some people are believing his soin that he was talking about the president and his people.

To the people who believe that:

was he saying that the president and his people didn't get a college education? this is where his expalnation is failing me.

[Stormyskies]

Kerry stepped into a big mess. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard what he said. My friend's son died in Iraq and Adam was a smart young man. Kerry is trying to side-step his mistake by saying he meant Bush, but that's BULL! Kerry needs to humble himself and apologize, but I don't see this pompous man ever apologizing for any of the things he says.

[hidanielle]

I saw what he said on TV but I also read what he ment to say. I think he made a mistake, they happen. I think it is crazy that people are blowing it up trying to make it more then what it is.

[senorina]

Originally posted by hidanielle:
I saw what he said on TV but I also read what he ment to say. I think he made a mistake, they happen. I think it is crazy that people are blowing it up trying to make it more then what it is.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">do you think he should apologize for the mistake?

I don't know why, but when I first heard the line, my jaw dropped to the floor. I felt very insulted for the people in the military. I just couldn't believe he said it.

Also - do you believe what he's saying that he was talking about the president and not the military?