Even some Republicans defend Kerry

[beachmom]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2919433

Matt Dowd, Dick Armey Defend Kerry

Matt Dowd, the president's '04 pollster, told MSNBC's Chris Matthews that Kerry "just misspoke" and "in no way" did he think Kerry intended to insult U.S. troops.

And here's ex-Maj. Leader Dick Armey, also on Hardball:

“Well, of course, this is a perfect example of politics in America … The President wants the people to perceive of having maligned our troops… I think John Kerry’s right. He’s making a defense of himself. He’s saying, ‘Look, I was not maligning the troops, I was maligning the President of the United States.'”

Posted at 07:55 PM

[Mass]

1. Even Tom Delay said he knew what Kerry meant. Then of course,

he asked for an apology for misspeaking.

[wisteria]

2. Beachmom, have a little talk to Sullivan. He was not nice to Kerry

at all yesterday on CNN. He kept on claiming Kerry's ego got in the way of an apology. Honestly, this was a political attack and the Repubs don't really care about the apology. They were desperate for something to rally their base with and raise money.

[beachmom]

3. I've written to him twice already. He did print a dissent letter

on his blog, but it wasn't a good dissent, because the guy was talking about how if you don't have money or good education, you have to join the military. Since Kerry was talking about Bush, not the troops, I think it only fed into the lie.

Andrew Sullivan is a puzzling creature; does he not get that his speaking out on this trivial matter is undermining his stated goal of getting a Democratic Congress? What about the Iraq War? What about the torture? Oh, no, it's more important to stick it to Kerry one more time. It just makes me sad. Very sad.

[whometense]

13. Did you see this post?

http://time.blogs.com/daily_dish/2006/11/abandoning_an_a.html

Abandoning An American Soldier

...The U.S. military does not have a tradition of abandoning its own soldiers to foreign militias, or of taking orders from foreign governments. No commander-in-chief who actually walks the walk, rather than swaggering the swagger, would acquiesce to such a thing. The soldier appears to be of Iraqi descent who is married to an Iraqi woman. Who authorized abandoning him to the enemy? Who is really giving the orders to the U.S. military in Iraq? These are real questions about honor and sacrifice and a war that is now careening out of any control. They are not phony questions drummed up by a partisan media machine to appeal to emotions to maintain power.

And where, by the way, is McCain on this? Silent on Cheney's "no-brainer" on waterboarding. Silent recently on Iraq. But vocal - oh, how vocal - on Kerry. It tells you something about what has happened to him. And to America.

[beachmom]

16. But, why was Andrew on cable yesterday condemning Kerry,

when he could have said, it was a stupid gaffe, but fuck that silly shit -- let's talk issues. But from what you guys all said, he didn't do that. He took the opportunity to indulge his Kerry hatred, and I resent that and think that it reflects badly on his character and so-called quest for the truth.

[Inuca]

4. But where are the defending DEMS?!?!?!

:grr:

[MBS]

5. I'm infuriated, too

Only Carville has said anything. What IS the deal with my lily-livered party? <:thumbsdown: >

[ginnyinWI]

14. Max Cleland, too.

He came out with a wonderful statement yesterday. I believe it's on the JK blog. There's one loyal winter soldier if there ever was one.

[_dynamicdems]

8. My question too. But I just heard on CNN that Chuck Schumer made

a statement attacking Bush for attacking Kerry.

Okay, where ARE the rest of them?

[whometense]

9. I'd like to know where

Ms. Supercaution-don't-make-waves-but-wannabe-president is?

[Inuca]

10. Damn' good question

Isn't she married, by the way?

[whometense]

11. You know,

I do believe she is - to - ummmmmm, whatshisname...

[WildEyedLiberal]

15. Oh, she doesn't disappoint.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2540702

[Firespirit]

17. Hillary just lost the nomination.

The narrative on this will be VERY different before long. It's already changing, and the media spin is "will the *gaffe* help Republicans?", not "OMG traitor dissing the troops." After it is shown that the gaffe does NOT help Republicans, these duck-for-cover "Democrats" will look like fools. Nobody wants a person who moves with whatever way the wind is blowing, which is precisely what Hillary is, and precisely what this makes her look like.

[beachmom]

18. I hope you're right, Firespirit

Plus, everybody hates her anyway (on the Right), so she may as well have defended him (she could have done it tepidly). But it's obvious she wants to use this in an attack ad. I think it'll have worn thin by then.

[Inuca]

12. That's good

since he is the head of the DSCC and among the cautious and very maneuvering ones.

[Mass]

6. The GOP knows they started a losing issue

Tony Snowe said this morning that Kerry should apologize and move on. According to the NYTimes, candidates are unhappy Bush talked on the issue again.

[whometense]

7. I saw Matthew Dowd on Hardball

yesterday, and it totally confused me for a minute, he made so much sense. And was so completely reality based. It looked like the same Bushie, but he sure didn't sound like the same koolaid drinker.