Kerry slip-up not seen hurting Democrats at polls

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N02400192.htm

Kerry slip-up not seen hurting Democrats at polls

WASHINGTON, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Sen. John Kerry's "botched joke" about the Iraq war riled fellow Democrats and temporarily energized Republicans, but it is unlikely to have much, if any, impact in Tuesday's congressional elections.

That was the view of political analysts on Thursday as polls continued to show Democrats headed toward winning control of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate from President George W. Bush's Republicans.

The biggest casualty of Kerry's remarks may the Massachusetts Democrat's own chances of making a second run for the White House in 2008, the analysts said.

"It will remind us of why he's not president and why he's never going to be," said Stephen Hess, a congressional scholar at the Brookings Institution.

[WildEyedLiberal]

1. Fuck Stephen Hess

All this incident "reminds us of" is the absolute shameful depths to which the GOP will sink. Anyone trying to spin this against Kerry is helping the GOP - fuck you, Stephen Hess.

[Kikosexy2]

2. Kerry news is soooooo...

yesterday...ignore and point out Chimpie's insults to our troops instead and keep pounding them with it and don't relent...also pound them with the quagmire that is Iraq...don't give up...kick their big Elephant asses!!...

[wisteria]

46. Yeah, that too.n/t

[funkzilla]

3. maybe that's not such a bad thing

Let's face it, Kerry isn't particularly inspiring so maybe it would be better for someone else to run. What about Hilary Clinton to be the first female president? Or someone else entirely?

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. Let's face it.....you don't speak for me....n/t

[Jo March]

27. the poster doesn't speak for me either, lol

:crazy:

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Exiled in America]

22. Calling it "incorrect info" is dishonest.

Whether Kerry is inspiring or not is a matter of opinion, Period. And that poster is entitled to have an opinion.

[fedupinBushcountry]

14. You don't speak for me

N/T

[BeyondGeography]

15. You speak for me

Welcome to DU.

[geek tragedy]

18. He wasn't going to be much of a factor to begin with.

This does end his hopes in 2008. He better enjoy those $$'s he has now, because they're going to dry up.

[GOPBasher]

20. I don't want him either.

I like Kerry, but I don't think he's the most electable candidate. I think we have so many very electable candidates. Right now, I'd love to see Richardson from NM run.

[SquireJons]

24. Next!

We need some new blood. Preferably someone who didn't vote in congress for us to go to war in Iraq.

[w4rma]

29. Like hell if I'm going to support Hilary. She seems to only be good at self-promotion. (nt)

[JudyM]

35. She lost my support when she called out Kerry for being "inappropriate."

Whatever she thought about it, publicly chastizing him was in her own best interest, NOT the party's. Everyone's under great pressure now (which is probably a big part of why Kerry bungled his line) but that is not an excuse to throw a fellow Dem under the bus for what was obviously not intended in the way the WH spun it. She in effect validated the WH's interpretation. I no longer trust her.

[Raine]

37. I don't care that much for Kerry but

Hillary is a sure loser that's why the repukes keep promoting her and hoping the Democrats are stupid enough to give her the nomination...we aren't.

I hoping Gore will run, since he really won the first time.

[noahmijo]

38. Hillary and Holy Joe both penned "The Media Marketing Accountability Act"

Something I will never forgive her for. Anyone who spends time trying to punish companies because parents won't partake in the actual task of parenting has NO place being at the highest echelon of power in this country. Period.

[karynnj]

42. Hillary is absolutely not inspiring

I am inspired by people with principles that they hold to, even when doing so will hurt them. I'm inspired by people who can project a vision of the US that is true to the best of our values, not the worst. I'm inspired by people who are honest, trust worthy and moral. I'm inspired by people who have over long periods of time lived these types of values. That type of person would have the depth and character to be a great statesman.

I don't see Hillary in this description. Gore since he came back in 2002, could be this. John Kerry has been a person who fits this since the 1970s - if not earlier.

This was a trumpted up fake outrage ploy to demonize Democrats - had Kerry not made this joke, they would have found some sentence that they could use - here they picked a charge that is 180 degrees off. They put it in their echo chamber and the good news is that it seems to have failed to hurt the party. This is NOT something that would make Kerry a poor President - at worst he can promise to cut the jokes - telling jokes is not his strength - speeches resulting in goosebumps because they are.

[Xipe Totec]

4. Well, I won't be voting for Kerry in 2006

other than that, no impact.

:dem:

[Ignacio Upton]

8. LMAO! Me neither

I know I sure won't be voting for Kerry on Tuesday.!

[wisteria]

12. LOL! I love how he was attacked and he wasn't even running.

Makes you think that maybe the Republicans don't like it because he has their number and isn't afraid of them.

[cascadiance]

25. I'm still more in Feingold's camp anyway!

[blm]

6. If you were an HONEST scholar, Mr. Hess you'd tell the TRUTH about

the DC powerstructure working AGAINST Kerry to keep him out of the WH - TOO MANY of them need the books on BCCI to remain closed.

DC powerstructure will work to take down ANY anti-corruption, open government Democrat.

Kerry just happened to be the first one who made it to nominee status.

[Beetwasher]

16. Yup

The miserable son of a bitches are absolutely terrified of someone like Kerry becoming President. And they should be.

[joefree1]

7. Hey, if that was their best shot

... then no problem. Now republicans stand tall and be ready to recieve the holy hoof to thy head.

[wisteria]

9. I see this as gaining him support. Most reasonable people realize the mistake.

and the way he was swift boated. Besides, maybe I am missing something, but I really don't see why this hurts his chances. It will all be forgotten by the election. Plus, these were lies used against him. So Republican lies hurt his chances. Along with not being able to tell a good joke. Yeah right.

[Jo March]

28. I agree. Yes, most reasonable people do realize the truth

Kerry has done more to help the troops than the entire repub count in both houses combined.

But, by all means, let's bash Kerry, right? :eyes:

[MODemocrat]

34. Can't understand the Kerry bashing on DU

That should be left up to the republicans; it shows that they are devoid of any scruples and they have mush for a brain. Democrats and independents are better than that. Those right-wingers are just plain
immature and stupid. :silly: :silly: :silly: :silly: :silly:

[Jo March]

41. Yep. I hear what you're saying

It's crazy. :crazy:

[politicasista]

44. Yes, let's bash him and promote others at the same time

That will help our cause. :eyes:

[Jo March]

47. It does boggle the mind, doesn't it?

Eating our own only benefits the pubs.

[wundermaus]

10. Complete Speech MIA?

Does anyone know why the complete speech (which exonerates Kerry) appears to be scrubbed from the Internet?

Why are only the "out of context" damned snippets peppering the Internet and spreading like wildfire?

Why is the complete speech not even available on Kerry's Website?

Wouldn't Kerry want the complete speech posted on his website to help exonerate himself?

Why are the lies propagating and the truth vanishing?

Where is the sound of silence coming from on the Internet (censorship) and why is this sound of silence in stereo (from both the Republicans and Democrats)?

Does ANYONE know where the complete transcript or video of the complete speech is located?

[wisteria]

13. Check out the Democratic Daily.

Someone there attended the rally and heard all the speech.

[mittenlandgirl]

19. video

A video of the complete speech in Pasadena is available at JohnKerry.com
with alot of other videos. Just go to his main page and where any of the recent videos are you'll see a link to "more videos" It's about 15 minutes long.

Enjoy :)

[wundermaus]

21. Thank You!

Amazing... it was right there, in front of my face... But it is very perplexing that John Kerry's site is the "ONLY" place it can be found on the Internet... I've spent hours looking for it everywhere else or even a link to this location at kerry.com. Nothing, Nada, Zip.

http://video.johnkerry.com/video/flash/103006_ca.html

[MH1]

32. self-delete

for some reason I didn't see the previous responses that already pointed to it. :shrug:

[karynnj]

43. The video of the entire speech and a written transcript are on Johnerry.com

The actual links are in this post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2924658

[Beetwasher]

17. Not A Surprise, And Let Me Be The First To Say This To All The "Concerned" Folk Here At DU:

HA HA!

[Exiled in America]

23. I'm only disappointed that it wasn't effectively used to democrats advantage.

The first day out Kerry came out guns blazing. Had every democrat done what the republicans do so well, and line up beside him in strong support, and reinforcing Kerry eviscerating attack on this admin. and the GOP, you could have tacked 5% points onto every democratic race and turned a republican attempt to smear Kerry into a huge issue and message win for us.

But no, under pressure, Kerry had to compromise - the best and nearly only thing national democratic politicians seem to know how to do - and thus leave voters with the feeling that he made some "admission" of wrong doing. That justifies the right in saying what they did. It says, "ok you were right - I was wrong." It's ridiculous. And its why we have such a hard time getting a majority.

Did it hurt us? Probably not. Was it yet another huge missed opportunity to help us? Yes it was.

There's a reason why Keith Olberman's popularity has soared. Americans like bold, gutsy candor. And they by an overwhelming majority are fed up with Bush. We need KO stategy, not Joe Lieberman stategy, and that's what we got in large part thanks to democrats who wouldn't back kerry up in the last two days.

[savemefromdumbya]

26. yes

[geniph]

30. I figure anybody who doesn't like the remark

will just not vote for Kerry this year. Since Kerry isn't running for anything this year, I don't see that having a particularly profound effect on anything.

[YvonneCa]

31. I was at the rally in Pasadena...

...and heard Kerry's remarks. He didn't disrespect the troops...and more importantly, would never do so. This is Rove spin... take an opponent's strength (military service, and pro-military Senate record) and use it against them. Trying to re-ignite 1971. It's 'Swiftboat II. Don't fall for it.

I hope you're right and the gaffe doesn't hurt Democrats. That would just be cruel, after the Senator's work to support so many Democratic Party candidates. But I'm hoping to vote for President Kerry in 2008...and I'm not giving up yet. :patriot:

[truthisfreedom]

33. i believe that bush should be the last skull and bones president.

period.

[buddysmellgood]

36. Fool me once...shame on, on, on...

[cobalt1999]

39. I agree with the article.

I never thought it would have any impact on 11/7. It was all about Kerry not the Democrats, even though some in the GOP unsuccessfully tried to spin it that way.

Kerry is dead in 2008 for more than just this though. This just showed again how he comes across to the public and it's not good. He may be smart and a good man, but he'll never be president.

[BlueIris]

40. Sigh. Could the Kerry-hating right be more DESPERATE?

I can't believe someone even bothered to try to make more "news" out of this non-story. Egh. Reminds me of Whitewater, the "scandal" about nothing.

[wisteria]

45. Kerry will be President.

It is ridiculous to equate a flubbed joke as the end of an ambition. What happened to Kerry could of happened to any Democrat. No one is safe when a desperate party will take a line and twist its original meaning then have the media carry that lie further. Kerry did nothing wrong and to suggest that he can run for president now is just stupid.