Kerry should......

[garybeck]

NOT apologize.

He should go on the offensive, which he appears to be trying to do, but...

He should clarify that his remarks were not just aimed at the President, but that they referred to the fact that many people have ended up dying in Iraq just because they couldn't afford to pay for college, or they couldn't find a decent job. And the military has a disproportionate amount of minorities, underprivileged, and low income folks who are just trying to survive in a world where the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.

He should hammer that it's IRONIC that the President is criticizing him for not supporting the troops, when the fact is that Bush has sent these kids out into combat without the proper body armor, and many have DIED as a direct result of this and other bad decisions that Bush has made.

No defense. Stay on offense! there's plenty of dirt to dig up around this subject.

[emdee]

I agree...

He should simply say "If the Bush administration is so stupid that they don't know I was talking about them, I rest my case."

[mmonk]

1. And he should be the only one replying to the attacks

or issuing statements.

[Beelzebud]

2. In a perfect world, he would have just silently gave money and shut up.

I don't ever want to see Kerry run for president again.

[twiterpatted]

5. Your response is weak and pathetic.

[Cha]

29. Your "perfect world", not

mine.

[twiterpatted]

3. YES!!, He should demand to go on every right wing radio show

and confront the host and the republican base on there lies and accuse them on having our soldiers blood on their hands if they vote for the republicans.

Balls to the Wall!!

[David Dunham]

4. Regardless, this poorly worded statements really hurts Kerry's 2008 chances.

[twiterpatted]

7. Bullshit, He only needs to confront the liars until they bleed.

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. Yes, I certainly won't support Sen Kerry '08 because he botched a joke

aimed toward the WORST. PRESIDENT. EVER. back in 2006. :eyes:

[oasis]

6. No apology needed. Kerry will bow out of the national spotlight for now.

Good move. Ford and others should shut up and let this blow over.

[twiterpatted]

11. Bull, He will be on CNN, The Situation Room, tonight.

[oasis]

17. He told Imus he was going low profile until after the election.nt

[sandnsea]

8. $7.50 An Hour To Die In Iraq

Who supports the troops?

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/

[Taoschick]

9. He did go on the offensive

But he needs to apologize for the actual words he spoke.

This is really a no-brainer. When you inadvertently insult a group of people, you apologize first and then explain your remarks afterward. Kerry needs to get on top of this today and it's not going to happen if his position is that we should have know what he meant.

[madmunchie]

22. If Kerry is going to follow this up and defend himself,

then he should APOLOGIZE for the misunderstanding and then he should reiterate that BUSH got us into this war because BUSH is the dumb ass and then he should read off the names of the soldiers who lost their lives this month and say "that is what we should be talking about", he should throw in the deficit numbers and the fact that the "Repubs" talk about small Government and reduced spending and how great our economy is doing?????? - - say "that is what we should be talking about", he should mention the fact that Bush tried to take away the SS and add "that is what we should be talking about"... The list goes on and on, why oh why does Kerry get himself into these type of situations?

[ljm2002]

30. He did not insult a group of people...

...inadvertently or otherwise. Well, he did, but it wasn't the group of people that the right wingers would have us believe.

This is 100% manufactured outrage on the part of the right wing, and the media is as always, going along with that narrative.

When will the Democrats learn to stick together against the most outrageous, corrupt bunch of right wing scum ever to stain the body politic???

[rustydog]

10. there was a suggestion in an earlier thread suggesting Kerry

call a news conference, read the names of the 103 Americans killed in iraq last month and reiterate this is what the debats is really about.

[stowaway]

19. you left out one word

call a news conference, read the names of the 103 STUPID Americans killed in iraq last month and reiterate this is what the debats is really about.

======

That should clear things up.

[Laurab]

27. um, no it's really about the STUPID pResident

who sent them there, and lied to the american people to do it. Kerry is a vet, he enlisted, and it's doubtful he'd be calling himself "STUPID". Welcome to DU - enjoy your stay.

[ljm2002]

31. Hey stow...

...fuck off.

[newyawker99]

36. Hi stowaway!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[madmunchie]

25. That would be a good way to handle it.

In fact everybody that goes on the shows should bring pictures of the coffins that are not allowed to be shown on TV and mention 50 or so deceased soldiers by name and age when they start talking, and finish with "what again was the mission?"

If somebody that is really good they could actually divide up the "mission" and talk about how different groups of soldiers actually lost their lives for different reasons in the same war. The first group, to find WMD...that didn't work, then the next group "fighting and dying to bring Democracy to Iraq", that didn't work, "fighting and dying to stablize Iraq".... We could then ask, what will be the reason for the next group of soldiers that will lose their lives?

[Jacobin]

12. Personally, I'd like to win the House and hopefully the senate

For me, its not 'all about Kerry'

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. Well we'll find out what he plans on doing today when he's on CNN with Leslie.

Be sure to tune in. He'll be IN THE STUDIO with Wolfie Leslie.

[Fleshdancer]

15. I wish he wouldn't say he "botched a joke".....

I would rather he point out that the administration didn't understand the joke...which pretty much proves the entire point of what he said in the first place.

I know many people on DU are going bat shit crazy over this but it's a hilarious situation IMO.

[madmunchie]

18. It would be more hilarious if dumbasses wouldn't believe

that what Kerry said was aimed at the troops. One week before elections, Kerry should learn to communicate with a little bit more clarity.

[Fleshdancer]

21. his joke was pretty clear when you also listen to the set up

Anything can sound bad or be misinterpreted if you pick one sentence out of a speech without listening to the context.

[madmunchie]

23. Kerry should know by now what "soundbites" are and how they

can be manipulated. He handed them a whopper.

[Fleshdancer]

32. if he had to fear every single soundbite created by the GOP....

...then he wouldn't be able to talk at all. Then again, I guess that's the point.

[madmunchie]

34. Kerry is known for his problems with communicating.

He is either too nuanced or doesn't speak out enough. During this time when every word should count, a former Presidential Candidate should really KNOW how things work and shouldn't put himself out there on a limb - weak at that.

Clinton knows how to speak and has been doing a great job. Kerry is still apparently trying to learn.

[madmunchie]

35. Lets watch and see how he "cleans" up this mess

[Taoschick]

20. Quite a few people

Didn't mentally insert the missing words into his joke including many on this forum.

He blew the joke and made it something it was never intended to be. He needs to own that instead of going on the offensive. What's the big deal about saying, "I'm sorry, I misspoke and didn't mean what I said"?

[Fleshdancer]

33. he owned up to it this morning n/t

[mentalsolstice]

16. He Should...

He should issue a statement saying he "regrets" that his remarks have been misinterpreted by those who are trying to make a political gain. Otherwise, he owes no apologies.

[The Count]

24. My advice: "I apologize - for not talking more of the war and W's bunglng it"

Make false starts to get their attention, then keeping hard - like he's been doing. Keep it in the news for as long as possible!

[Senator]

26. Still Not Enough ...

Especially with Harold Ford now taking the RNC/Euphemedia line. More words is just more words. With Kerry, and by extension the "confused, weak Dems" remaining on the defensive.

Kerry needs to up the ante -- by saying Impeachment or War Crimes.

-----
(repost from another thread)

It doesn't matter how much he couches it. He could even say:

"If I were President and had led our nation into this quagmire, the Republicans would be calling for my impeachment" (or "would be calling me a war criminal").

But he needs to get the words into a comment. In direct response to the bushkid.

It's the only way he can up the ante -- move the game -- and put them on the defensive.

Right now, they've set the frame and gotten the last word. Unless he turns the boat into the shore at them the story will be:

"Kerry's bonehead comment that may have insulted the troops, which caused ... (whatever they feel like blaming on it)."

(Yes, I know what the reality is. But no WMD and stolen elections are realities too.)

If he just leaves it at, "I've said my piece," or worse, waits for strategery reasons, he's weakly capitulating to the Euphemedia parrots squawking "he's hurting the party, oh my!"

If he did take the initiative to "up the ante" or "move the game," this could be a watershed event, where the DC/Euphemedia Analstocracy -- including the careerist, toady Dem "strategist" members -- get an object lesson on just how detached from reality their worldview has become.

He hasn't got much time. And if past non-performance is any indicator, I wouldn't hold my breath.

--

[Cha]

28. I agree, I agree, I agree!

madfloridian had a thread about this last night and I think she nailed it..

"What people here are doing to Kerry shows we are fearful of the right wing."

"It is our Stockholm Syndrome coming into play."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2918234

Edit~ Sure are a bunch of hand wringers around here! :scared: