What Kerry was SUPPOSED to say:

[Coexist]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/kerrys-mangled-statement_b_32911.html

Below is what Kerry actually meant to say, which I got straight from the Kerry team, which Kerry uses all the time.

"I can't overstress the importance of a great education. Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy?You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq." - Senator John Kerry

[jillan]

1. that doesn't sound much better

ouch!

Kerry needs to nip this in the bud, this is getting way out of hand.

[Coexist]

2. What do you mean? That line is great

if you are George W. Bush, you get US stuck in a war in Iraq.

[jillan]

8. I just see how the desperate rw can read into this

afterall, they are the one's that are intellectually lazy.

[sandnsea]

40. You know better

This is what they do. If Dems lined up behind Kerry the way Kerry lines up behind them - they could rip Bush apart on him not caring until he was losing in the polls while our kids were losing their lives.

[Lex]

3. Why? That's a criticism of Bush.

How is that bad?

[tridim]

9. Context.. He's talking about idiotboy, not the troops.

[truebrit71]

25. Um, excuse me? That's perfect, he's saying if you're stupid (like bush)

...you do stupid shit (like the Iraq war)....

[SammyWinstonJack]

48. Sounds like he was describing Pinhead** too me. I got it. So did the

repukes and they didn't like him insulting their idiot president, so they pretend that Kerry was troop bashing. And btw, there wouldn't be any troop bashing :eyes:, if bu$hco hadn't lied about WMD and put them in harm's way. Why doesn't the corporate owned media push that? Why won't they tell the GD truth!

[DaveinMD]

4. there is no excuse for what Kerry said

and he may have snatched momentum from us. He needs to go away.

[Coexist]

6. did you READ the OP??

please.

[DaveinMD]

15. I read it

I'm just venting at Kerry's stupidity. He just may have changed the subject of this election.

[Lex]

19. No. He was simply criticizing BUSH

and the Republicans lied and spun it into something else.

[DaveinMD]

23. It was a stupid thing to say

and now he has to explain what he said. If you need to explain it, you've already lost.

[Lex]

They LIED and SPUN what he said.

Please.

[Coexist]

39. don't bother. Just enjoy Kerry's comments.

They are awesome.

[stillcool]

27. who's stupidity?

what's stupid about saying that you'll end up in Iraq, if you don't have any other choices? You have a problem with the wording? You have a problem with Kerry raising money for other democrats? You have a problem with the 'media' taking a snapshot in time and blowing it up out of proportion? I really would like an explanation.

[DaveinMD]

32. it sounds like

he calls our troops stupid until he explains what he meant and it changes the subject of the election in the crucial last week. You can bury your head in the sand and rail about media conspiracy or you can accept that the reality that it was incredibly stupid.

[stillcool]

47. it sounds like..

I'm in an echo chamber. I guess you could listen to the 'sentence' and value the man and his life according to those what... maybe eleven words? I hope you're judged the same.

[Lex]

13. WHAT?

Why are letting Tony Snow tell you what to think?

[DaveinMD]

29. the fact is

Kerry has to spend time explaining this and it won't sound good to the average voter on first blush. He gave the Republican an opportunity. It was stupid plain and simple.

[ProSense]

42. Complete BS!

You're insulting the average voter! They are just like me, and many of them know people who got stuck in Bush's illegal war due to immoral policies.

Lower standards help Army recruit more

By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer Mon Oct 9, 7:34 PM ET

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army recruited more than 2,600 soldiers under new lower aptitude standards this year, helping the service beat its goal of 80,000 recruits in the throes of an unpopular war and mounting casualties.

The recruiting mark comes a year after the Army missed its recruitment target by the widest margin since 1979, which had triggered a boost in the number of recruiters, increased bonuses, and changes in standards.

The Army recruited 80,635 soldiers, roughly 7,000 more than last year. Of those, about 70,000 were first-time recruits who had never served before.

According to statistics obtained by The Associated Press, 3.8 percent of the first-time recruits scored below certain aptitude levels. In previous years, the Army had allowed only 2 percent of its recruits to have low aptitude scores. That limit was increased last year to 4 percent, the maximum allowed by the Defense Department.

Snip...

About 17 percent of the first-time recruits, or about 13,600, were accepted under waivers for various medical, moral or criminal problems, including misdemeanor arrests or drunk driving. That is a slight increase from last year, the Army said.

Of those accepted under waivers, more than half were for "moral" reasons, mostly misdemeanor arrests. Thirty-eight percent were for medical reasons and 7 percent were drug and alcohol problems, including those who may have failed a drug test or acknowledged they had used drugs.

more...

[Lex]

44. No, that's not a fact. You've been SPUN by the Republican

spin machine, my friend.

[DaveJ]

20. Question: Who's Vote would that statement change?

Even if he had meant it the way it sounded? I am not sure.

[DaveinMD]

24. because it changes what is being discussed

instead of talking about what a disaster Iraq is, the discussion will be about Kerry criticizing the troops. Awful.

[sandnsea]

31. There's no excuse for your bashing

See #28. Seriously.

[DaveinMD]

36. not bashing

he said a stupid thing and it hurts us in the last week. The fact that he and other Democrats have to explain this gets the entire campaign off message.

[sandnsea]

43. Iraq is ON message

I don't know what campaign you're watching. I've been through this with DU in 2004. We told staying on message meant being supportive then, but you 'knew' better. Well not this time. It's damned simpled. If you can't say something helpful - SHUT UP.

[boolean]

38. Apparently, some people here ARE intellectually lazy

How do you guys NOT get what Kerry said?

[Coexist]

5. CNN is discussing this right now.

They are showing the correct quote.

[Mass]

11. Good news. Important that the truth is known.

[Lex]

16. That's good that they are discussing the CORRECT quote.

I get so tired of Republican lies and spin.

[Mass]

7. That is what I guessed when I read the line. He has been using this line

several times already.

[Coexist]

10. KERRY LIVE ON CNN NOW!!! 2:34.

[tblue]

12. He needs to learn to speak in 5 second sound bites, unfortunately

and use *'s name over and over. Never say 'you aren't smart' in any context. That is just asking for trouble. Kerry should know that by now, after all he went throgh in '04. I'm sorry, I like the guy, but the media detests him.

[Coexist]

14. "Let me make it crystal clear, I apologize to NO ONE"

for my criticism of the President and his policies.

[Coexist]

17. "it was a botched joke" "I am not going to be quiet now."

he is using this free press well.

Go Senator Kerry.

[Coexist]

21. "I am sick and tired of republican attackes from people who have

never worn a uniform."

[stillcool]

18. that is not what I heard...

"If you don't do your homework, study hard...you get stuck in Iraq"...is there something wrong with that statement? I don't get it.

[Coexist]

22. "its over"

hear that, Karl?

Its over. No more free ride on our tolerance.

[Coexist]

26. Q: Do you owe an apology to the troops who "don't get your joke"

"John McCain knows I would never say that. John McCain ought to ask for an apology from Donald Rumsfeld."

I love it!!!

[sandnsea]

28. Aaah, love that Dem "Unity"

After this man has worked every single solitary day for 2 years, fought back against every slime thrown at every Democrat - this thread is the thanks he gets.

Fuck you people - seriously, just fuck you.

(Not the OP - fuck the bashers)

[Coexist]

30. ignore them - they wouldn't be happy no matter what he did.

Kerry has some GREAT free press and he is using it well.

[seabeyond]

35. i am so with you sandnsea..... it is pure bullshit

[Coexist]

33. He is kicking some R ass.

Thanks, John!
:toast:

[Terri S]

34. oh for crissake!

EVERYONE knows what he was talking about!! Including the Repubs..

You can expect this reaction from Snow & Limbaugh.. and McCain's statement showed just how much he's been willing to sell his soul for political points.


Good for Kerry for fighting back!!

[seabeyond]

41. thank you. this is the REAL stupid... and to have people on this board

"pretend" otherwise is disgusting, in my book. it is bad enough having media and repugs play the game,.... but others here,that are dem suporters,know all kerry is doing, disgusts me

[Coexist]

37. "I'm not giving them an ounce of dayligt ... ever again."

"that is a lesson I learned hard."
was that right?

[Coexist]

45. Julian Epstein is doing a good job opposite Bayh Buchanan

Thanks, Mr. Epstein.

[INdemo]

46. The hell of it is that will be used in the 2008 Presidential campaign

just like "I voted for it before I voted against it " or whatever that statement was.

[sandnsea]

49. Bush got us stuck in Iraq??

I hope it's used in the 2008 campaign!!

[Lex]

50. .

kick