NationStates Jolt Archive

Oops.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061101/ts_nm/usa_elections_kerry_dc

Kerry apologizes for "botched" Iraq joke

1 hour, 1 minute ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Sen.
John Kerry said on Wednesday he was sorry about a "botched joke" that drew election-year fire from
President George W. Bush and other Republicans who accused him of insulting U.S. troops in
Iraq.
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Kerry reiterated the target of his joke was Bush, who immediately seized on the senator's remarks to rally Republican supporters ahead of Tuesday's elections, in which the party's control of Congress is at risk.

AKA "Kerry Torpedoes the Democrats Again!"

What was the joke?

is Kerry even *running* for 2008?

Fourth thread on this in two days. Are we going for a record?

AKA "Kerry Torpedoes the Democrats Again!"

He's good at that.

And I've just lost all faith in the Democratic Party. Again.

is Kerry even *running* for 2008?

I hope not...

And now we can move on and never have to hear about this again... :rolleyes:

The U.S. Politics have turned into High School debates basically. We are losing hundreds of men a month because of the war in Iraq and other politicians are just making jokes about it. It is sick.:mad:

Fourth thread on this in two days. Are we going for a record?
I hope so. The thread Eut started was the most fun one I've read in a long time.
ppl were getting so bitchy at each other. It was awesome!

is Kerry even *running* for 2008?

yes i believe he is.

I hope so. The thread Eut started was the most fun one I've read in a long time.
ppl were getting so bitchy at each other. It was awesome!

And yet, no one brought lawn chairs or popcorn. :(

And yet, no one brought lawn chairs or popcorn. :(

I have a tiki bar. Will that help?

And yet, no one brought lawn chairs or popcorn. :(
I know. Sad innit?
People here have lost all the old traditions that made NS so great.

I have a tiki bar. Will that help?

If it's an open bar, yes. ;)

Wait ?!!?

Didnt he screech yesterday, through clenched teeth and spittle, that he WONT say he is sorry?

I have a tiki bar. Will that help?

Yes, thanks. :)

I have a tiki bar. Will that help?

Yes- a tiki bar will help me get along with anyone. Coronas and Captain Morgan & cokes will complete that happy picture.

Wait ?!!?

Didnt he screech yesterday, through clenched teeth and spittle, that he WONT say he is sorry?

Well, you know how he changes his mind.

Wait ?!!?

Didnt he screech yesterday, through clenched teeth and spittle, that he WONT say he is sorry?
Yep. Shocker, isn't it?

Well, you know how he changes his mind.

He's no less a flip-flopper than the Commander in Chief himself. Screw them both, I say.

Yes- a tiki bar will help me get along with anyone. Coronas and Captain Morgan & cokes will complete that happy picture.

The two most beautiful words in the English language-"open bar."

Wait ?!!?

Didnt he screech yesterday, through clenched teeth and spittle, that he WONT say he is sorry?

No. He said he would not apologize for the remark. And he has not. He has apologies for those who took offense by misinterpreting the remark.

It's a difference. Once can say he's sorry if someone got upset by misinterpreting what he meant to say, without backing down from the point he was making.

The two most beautiful words in the English language-"open bar."

I couldn't agree more! :D

No. He said he would not apologize for the remark. And he has not. He has apologies for those who took offense by misinterpreting the remark.

It's a difference. Once can say he's sorry if someone got upset by misinterpreting what he meant to say, without backing down from the point he was making.
Good luck on trying to get the rabid rightys on this board (let alone the rest in the US) to understand that difference.
They couldn't understand why Kerry would first vote for a bill and then against it when it was altered radically.

Kerry reiterated the target of his joke was Bush, who immediately seized on the senator's remarks to rally Republican supporters ahead of Tuesday's elections, in which the party's control of Congress is at risk.
Note "reiterated." The original joke, in full context, made it perfectly clear that he was targeting the administration, not the soldiers.

The entire claim that it was an insult to the soldiers was a product of a vicious right-wing spin machine desperate for ammunition this late in the election cycle. Things are looking bad in the polls, and the only way to fix that is to get conservative voters riled up enough to show up to the polls in unusually high numbers.

Note "reiterated." The original joke, in full context, made it perfectly clear that he was targeting the administration, not the soldiers.

The entire claim that it was an insult to the soldiers was a product of a vicious right-wing spin machine desperate for ammunition this late in the election cycle. Things are looking bad in the polls, and the only way to fix that is to get conservative voters riled up enough to show up to the polls in unusually high numbers.

But he didn't make the original joke. He flubbed it.

The U.S. Politics have turned into High School debates basically. We are losing hundreds of men a month because of the war in Iraq and other politicians are just making jokes about it. It is sick.:mad:

In high school debates, the debaters are bound by rules of debate that require them to focus on the topic and not attack each other with petty insults.

US politics is quite a few rungs below high school debates.

Note "reiterated." The original joke, in full context, made it perfectly clear that he was targeting the administration, not the soldiers.

The entire claim that it was an insult to the soldiers was a product of a vicious right-wing spin machine desperate for ammunition this late in the election cycle. Things are looking bad in the polls, and the only way to fix that is to get conservative voters riled up enough to show up to the polls in unusually high numbers.

Quick, check Kerry's bank accounts, maybe someone slipped him some 527 money to do this. Actually, his being a Republican mole would explain a number of things, like the roll over and play dead performance in Ohio after the 2004 election. :p

But he didn't make the original joke. He flubbed it.
Still perfectly clear who he was attacking.

Let's face it: Trying to blow this up into a major issue is nothing more than a publicity ploy. At best, you can claim that Kerry is bad at telling jokes if you stay honest about this - which is absolutely irrelevant to the election.

Let's face it: Trying to blow this up into a major issue is nothing more than a publicity ploy.

Yeah, but it will be successful. Know why?

Because people don't like to be wrong. After years of Bush's proven incompetence, all the people, Dem and Rep, who voted for him have a cognitive dissonance because they did the wrong thing. Now, pointing and laughing again at Kerry can help restore peace in their mind by saying, 'look! Bush sucked, but at least he wasn't Kerry! I made the right choice after all! Oo-rah!'

That, and it's all about the fucking circus anyway.

People don't even KNOW there are third parties.

Still perfectly clear who he was attacking.

No, it wasn't. Not the way he said it.

Let's face it: Trying to blow this up into a major issue is nothing more than a publicity ploy. At best, you can claim that Kerry is bad at telling jokes if you stay honest about this - which is absolutely irrelevant to the election.

And politicians making publicity ploys is anything new? Did I state that Kerry WAS attacking soldiers? No. I said he provided another soundbite and that he has a history of doing so no matter what he actually meant.

That, and it's all about the fucking circus anyway.

People don't even KNOW there are third parties.

What's a "third parties"? :p

He apologize, I accept, I move on.

In high school debates, the debaters are bound by rules of debate that require them to focus on the topic and not attack each other with petty insults.

US politics is quite a few rungs below high school debates.

Well I was trying to give them a little credit. :headbang: Stupid me!

No. He said he would not apologize for the remark. And he has not. He has apologies for those who took offense by misinterpreting the remark.

It's a difference. Once can say he's sorry if someone got upset by misinterpreting what he meant to say, without backing down from the point he was making.

He took a page from the book of the Pope in that one, he did.

Kerry is a steaming turd.


http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/pictures/20061101TroopsMessage.jpg

Kerry is a steaming turd.


http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/pictures/20061101TroopsMessage.jpg

How very eloquent. Your bias is showing.

He took a page from the book of the Pope in that one, he did.

The difference being is that the pope said exactly what he meant to say, he didn't flub the words and end up saying something that, on its face, would be offensive to a group but in reality was directed somewhere entirely different.

Kerry on the other hand was implying something radically different than what was it appeared to be that he was saying.

AKA "Kerry Torpedoes the Democrats Again!"

November 8 headline: "Kerry Comment Costs Democrats Congress!"

Thank you, Lurch. You're one of our best weapons. You're a regular Swift Boat :p

Kerry is a steaming turd.


http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/pictures/20061101TroopsMessage.jpg

LOL! I love that! :D

See our men and women do have a sense of humor. :cool:

Yes- a tiki bar will help me get along with anyone. Coronas and Captain Morgan & cokes will complete that happy picture.

May I join you all? I will be as stereotypical as possible and order an organic, fair trade, rum and fruit juice. Mmmmmm.

I almost respected Kerry when he said he would not apologise. I wish you guys had more parties and more radicals down there.

Has the transcript of the original remarks surfaced yet?

May I join you all? I will be as stereotypical as possible and order an organic, fair trade, rum and fruit juice. Mmmmmm.

I almost respected Kerry when he said he would not apologise. I wish you guys had more parties and more radicals down there.

Has the transcript of the original remarks surfaced yet?

No, but his press secretary do have what he was suppose to say!

The difference being is that the pope said exactly what he meant to say, he didn't flub the words and end up saying something that, on its face, would be offensive to a group but in reality was directed somewhere entirely different.

Kerry on the other hand was implying something radically different than what was it appeared to be that he was saying.

I disagree. It was relatively clear what he meant - to me, at least. Maybe it translated differently for you.

LOL! I love that! :D

See our men and women do have a sense of humor. :cool:

Apparently not too much intelligence, though.

Is there a "HELP US, MR. BUSH, WE'RE STUCK IN IRAQ!" version floating around anywhere? It would make more sense, considering he got them there in the first place, and they really do need help, because they are stuck.

Apparently not too much intelligence, though.

Is there a "HELP US, MR. BUSH, WE'RE STUCK IN IRAQ!" version floating around anywhere? It would make more sense, considering he got them there in the first place, and they really do need help, because they are stuck.

:rolleyes: I guess you can't take a joke, it's a play on Mr. Kerry fumble.

:rolleyes: I guess you can't take a joke, it's a play on Mr. Kerry fumble.

Obviously - but Sanity would have us believe the troops are actually offended by what was assumed to be an insult to them, and insists on posting the damn picture all over the place as if it has any pertinence to his points.

Obviously - but Sanity would have us believe the troops are actually offended by what was assumed to be an insult to them, and insists on posting the damn picture all over the place as if it has any pertinence to his points.

Eh, people take poorly written and executed jokes in different ways, some rant and rave, other say "Why I never!" and some bright people, like the men holding up that sign, come up with their own clever little joke.

Eh, people take poorly written and executed jokes in different ways, some rant and rave, other say "Why I never!" and some bright people, like the men holding up that sign, come up with their own clever little joke.

I don't think speeches should be pre-written anyway. I'd fucking applaud till my hands fell off if a politician had the balls to just walk up to the podium and start the speech by going "Hey, how's it hangin'?", y'know, like an actual fucking person who speaks from his own mind, as opposed to rehashing the product of his advisors and ghostwriters.

I don't think speeches should be pre-written anyway. I'd fucking applaud till my hands fell off if a politician had the balls to just walk up to the podium and start the speech by going "Hey, how's it hangin'?", y'know, like an actual fucking person who speaks from his own mind, as opposed to rehashing the product of his advisors and ghostwriters.

Agreed. But then they would actually have to have a mind.

Elections get closer and the Repubs reach for anything.

They are running scared. We had the shrub, cheney, and Laura out her campaigning for one seat.

Agreed. But then they would actually have to have a mind.

They have them, they've just been told their entire careers that using them would only bring trouble. Their minds have gone shriveled from disuse - the best possible thing to do is toss them all out.

They have them, they've just been told their entire careers that using them would only bring trouble. Their minds have gone shriveled from disuse - the best possible thing to do is toss them all out.

Exactly. But if from day-one way back when, they all had balls and just tossed the rag when they were talking instead of acting and trying to remember their lines, then maybe we would have a totally different country.

Exactly. But if from day-one way back when, they all had balls and just tossed the rag when they were talking instead of acting and trying to remember their lines, then maybe we would have a totally different country.

Unfortunately, anyone who does that today will most likely not only not be elected, but will be vilified by the political community.

Oh lord, I wouldn't want politicians to give impromptu speeches...look at the way Bush talks when he actually has a teleprompter!

Kerry had nothing to apologize for. I feel nothing but incoherent rage at this entirely blown out of proportion incident. Kerry was on track with what he said yesterday...

AKA "Kerry Torpedoes the Democrats Again!"

I figured it out. Kerry is really Bush's croney. It's really the only acceptable explanation.

Why the hell should he have apologised for a fairly stark, but honest remark?

I can't believe Kerry is kow-towing to these Right wing spinmasters, he should hold his ground and reveal these scumbags to the masses.

By apologizing he is only confirming their partisan lies in the public's mind.