John Kerry is an idiot!

[Bungee Jumper]

But you DO apologize for affending people even if what you meant to say wouldn't have.  It's called manners.  I think we all have put our foot in our mouths at some point.  You need to be man enough to apologize to those you've offended.

822339[/snapback]

 

There is that. Even if it's "I'm sorry...maybe that didn't come out how I meant it; here's what my point was..."

 

It's usually very effective; God knows I have to do it often enough myself. And to not be stupid or humble enough to even manage that little when your party has the friggin' legislature on the line... Kerry may not be an idiot for what he said, he may not be an idiot for not apologizing, but he sure as hell is an idiot for willingly handing a bunch of beseiged Republicans a distracting hot-button issue on a silver platter a week before mid-term elections, and propagating it for two days.

[SilverNRed]

But you DO apologize for affending people even if what you meant to say wouldn't have.  It's called manners.  I think we all have put our foot in our mouths at some point.  You need to be man enough to apologize to those you've offended.

822339[/snapback]

Exactly. Kerry's whole press conference yesterday afternoon could have been less than 60 seconds and there wouldn't have been any story today.

 

Instead he played the "I'm a real man" card. Wow, and that didn't work? No kidding...

 

EDIT: From Drudge

 

Link

 

"HALP US!"

[SD Jarhead]

I just heard Tony Snow make a dumb response to the Kerry statement.  He said that you can't say you support the troops and then say you hate the cause.  What?  The troops don't decide what the cause is, the civilian leadership does.  He also then said that the troops joined the military because they support the cause.  While that may be true for some who reacted to 9/11, it certainly isn't true of all, especially with regard to Iraq.  Many were already in the military before the Iraq invasion, and some that want to get out can't because of stop-loss orders.

822073[/snapback]

 

Hey Joey Balls or Pasta Balls or whatever you're calling yourself in this post. You also don't know what the !@#$ you're talking about. We currently are in November 2006. Most military enlistments are for four years. Do the math Einstein. The people who are in today do, for the most part, support the cause. I know this firsthand because I am among those same uneducated slobs (according to JK) like myself every day. While I certainly can't speak for everyone, the Marines who I am associated with are REGULARLY volunteering to go back to Iraq.

 

What the hell do you know about stop loss? Oh, you probably heard a soundbite on Air America from Reverend Al Franken.

 

Of course the civilain leadership dictates our missions. I'm sure that there are those who don't agree with it and get out, but your foolish argument dosen't hold water

[Johnny Coli]

He just apologized.

MSNBC link

Sen. John Kerry apologized Wednesday to “any service member, family member or American who was offended” by remarks deemed by Republicans and Democrats alike to be insulting to U.S. forces in Iraq.

There's no transcript up, but if you watch the video linked in the article they have the transcript up of what he said.

 

Screw it. I'll write it out:

 

"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member or American who was offended."

[Bungee Jumper]

He just apologized.

MSNBC link

 

There's no transcript up, but if you watch the video linked in the article they have the transcript up of what he said.

 

Screw it.  I'll write it out:

 

"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member or American who was offended."

822383[/snapback]

 

Basically, "I'm sorry you people were too stupid to know what I really meant."

 

I can appreciate that, really. That's usually what passes for an apology from me.

[Johnny Coli]

Basically, "I'm sorry you people were too stupid to know what I really meant."

 

I can appreciate that, really.  That's usually what passes for an apology from me. 

822388[/snapback]

I don't know. I mean, are we now going to get calls from the GOP saying that the apology they asked for isn't enough?

 

"I personally apologize to any service member, family member or American who was offended."

 

They can try and make this election about John Kerry, but they asked for the apology, and they got one. It's a lot more than we've gotten out of Bush for the war, or Cheney for shooting a guy in the face.

[Bungee Jumper]

I don't know.  I mean, are we now going to get calls from the GOP saying that the apology they asked for isn't enough?

 

Of course. Six days to the election.

 

They can try and make this election about John Kerry, but they asked for the apology, and they got one. 

822393[/snapback]

 

More to the point, Kerry managed to make this election about Kerry. Needlessly. Even hard-core Democrats are saying "You !@#$ing idiot! It's a !@#$ing election year, and you're not running! What the hell are you doing???"

 

It's a lot more than we've gotten out of Bush for the war, or Cheney for shooting a guy in the face.

 

The day Cheney shoots everybody in the country in the face, I'll expect an apology.

[Chef Jim]

I don't know.  I mean, are we now going to get calls from the GOP saying that the apology they asked for isn't enough?

 

"I personally apologize to any service member, family member or American who was offended."

 

They can try and make this election about John Kerry, but they asked for the apology, and they got one.  It's a lot more than we've gotten out of Bush for the war, or Cheney for shooting a guy in the face.

822393[/snapback]

 

One should not have to be asked to apologize.

[Johnny Coli]

One should not have to be asked to apologize.

822402[/snapback]

You've got to be kidding me. So that's the angle, now? When was the last time any politician apologized for anything without some amount of outside persuasion? Actually, I really hope the GOP runs with something that patently hypocritical.

[SilverNRed]

"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member or American who was offended."

822383[/snapback]

His words weren't "misinterpreted"! They were interpreted correctly. He just (supposedly) used the wrongs words for what he was (supposedly) trying to say.

 

I suppose it's fitting that his apology would also be convoluted, insulting, and inaccurate.

[Johnny Coli]

His words weren't "misinterpreted"!  They were interpreted correctly.  He just (supposedly) used the wrongs words for what he was (supposedly) trying to say.

 

I suppose it's fitting that his apology would also be convoluted, insulting, and inaccurate.

822413[/snapback]

Keep beatin' that dead horse, SnR.

 

The outrage in this thread is primarily coming from people who wouldn't be voting for any Dem anywhere, no matter what Kerry said. I suspect the majority of Americans will see this as a brainfart moment that Kerry let get out of hand, but that he apologized for, within 72 hours, when asked to by members of both parties.

 

He apologized. Any continued noise on this from the GOP will not detract from any of the issues that the independent voters were concerned about to begin with. Kerry is not on the ballot in any state, county, or town anywhere in the US. Anybody swayed by this wasn't voting "blue" to begin with.

[Chef Jim]

You've got to be kidding me.  So that's the angle, now?  When was the last time any politician apologized for anything without some amount of outside persuasion?  Actually, I really hope the GOP runs with something that patently hypocritical.

822408[/snapback]

 

The angle is that yesterday he as so adamant that he owed no one an apology. Now he's apologizing. If he had shut his mouth yesterday, assessed the damage, then came out and apologized today, no harm no foul. The guy doesn't think before he speaks. Is that a trait of most politicians? Absofukinglutely! This guy just does it so well.

[SilverNRed]

Keep beatin' that dead horse, SnR.

822422[/snapback]

I will, because he deserves it.

 

His apology (or whatever it was) was pathetic. I don't mind pointing that out.

 

If he ever manages to say something intelligent in the wake of this entire mess, I'll give him credit (though it's basically WAY too late for him to make anything right from the last three days).

 

The angle is that yesterday he as so adamant that he owed no one an apology.  Now he's apologizing. 

822427[/snapback]

No he isn't. "Sorry you were offended because you misinterpreted me" is not an apology. And it does matter that his supposed apology only came after his own party abandoned him on this one. What he said was offensive. He shouldn't have been waiting to see if no one would hold him accountable.

 

"I'm sorry for what I said. I was trying to make a different point, chose the wrong words, and ended up saying something offensive and incorrect."

 

Wow, John, see how easy that was?

[VABills]

Keep beatin' that dead horse, SnR.

 

The outrage in this thread is primarily coming from people who wouldn't be voting for any Dem anywhere, no matter what Kerry said.  I suspect the majority of Americans will see this as a brainfart moment that Kerry let get out of hand, but that he apologized for, within 72 hours, when asked to by members of both parties. 

 

He apologized.  Any continued noise on this from the GOP will not detract from any of the issues that the independent voters were concerned about to begin with.  Kerry is not on the ballot in any state, county, or town anywhere in the US.  Anybody swayed by this wasn't voting "blue" to begin with.

822422[/snapback]

So Kerry basically bashes anyone ever in the military, and gives a !@#$ed up apology and we should let it go.

 

Foley sends a few inappropriate emails to a couple of pages, he apologizes, quits and is undergoing couseling but it still is going.

 

Neither was illegal, and one is obviously more hideous, however, one went away, and still the media, and everyone continued talking about it for a month. You expect this fiasco to go away in a day, when he basically called everyone in Iraq stupid and continues to give aid and comfort to the enemies cause.

 

Don't you find it funny that the dems pulled him from all speaking engagements until after the campaign, told him to go back to DC and shut his piehole.

[Johnny Coli]

I will, because he deserves it.

 

His apology (or whatever it was) was pathetic.  I don't mind pointing that out.

 

If he ever manages to say something intelligent in the wake of this entire mess, I'll give him credit (though it's basically WAY too late for him to make anything right from the last three days).

 

No he isn't.  "Sorry you were offended because you misinterpreted me" is not an apology.  And it does matter that his supposed apology only came after his own party abandoned him on this one.  What he said was offensive.  He shouldn't have been waiting to see if no one would hold him accountable.

 

"I'm sorry for what I said.  I was trying to make a different point, chose the wrong words, and ended up saying something offensive and incorrect."

 

Wow, John, see how easy that was?

822428[/snapback]

Right.

 

Here's your acceptable apology:

"I'm sorry for what I said. I was trying to make a different point, chose the wrong words, and ended up saying something offensive and incorrect."

 

Here's what he said:

"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member or American who was offended."

 

Some might call your outrage a bit nit-picky. I'll just call it petty.

[GG]

He just apologized.

MSNBC link

 

There's no transcript up, but if you watch the video linked in the article they have the transcript up of what he said.

 

Screw it.  I'll write it out:

 

"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member or American who was offended."

822383[/snapback]

 

I listened to Imus this morning, and the old coot gave Kerry a mile wide expanse to limit the damage. Didn't hit the soft pitch. Afterwards, Imus & Charles were stunned that Kerry didn't do the obvious thing, even when they mocked him in person that the Dems immediately took him off the campaign trail.

 

Even when the guy gets emasculated by his own party, he kept pressing the issue.

 

(Kind of reminds me of someone. Can't put my arm on it, though)

[X. Benedict]

 

Don't you find it funny that the dems pulled him from all speaking engagements until after the campaign, told him to go back to DC and shut his piehole.

822433[/snapback]

Not funny. Just prudent.

[Johnny Coli]

So Kerry basically bashes anyone ever in the military, and gives a !@#$ed up apology and we should let it go. 

 

Foley sends a few inappropriate emails to a couple of pages, he apologizes, quits and is undergoing couseling but it still is going. 

 

Neither was illegal, and one is obviously more hideous, however, one went away, and still the media, and everyone continued talking about it for a month.  You expect this fiasco to go away in a day, when he basically called everyone in Iraq stupid and continues to give aid and comfort to the enemies cause.

 

Don't you find it funny that the dems pulled him from all speaking engagements until after the campaign, told him to go back to DC and shut his piehole.

822433[/snapback]

I've got news for you, VA...they didn't really want him on the trail before he opened his mouth on Monday. This is actually a benefit. Also, since you bring up Foley, I seem to remember a few campaign cancellations for "Coach" Hastert.

[SilverNRed]

Right. 

 

Here's your acceptable apology:

"I'm sorry for what I said.  I was trying to make a different point, chose the wrong words, and ended up saying something offensive and incorrect."

 

Here's what he said:

"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member or American who was offended."

 

Some might call your outrage a bit nit-picky.  I'll just call it petty.

822436[/snapback]

And I think most would read Kerry's quote and mine and see that they are completely different. Saying "I chose the wrong words" is taking responsibility, while saying "my words were misinterpreted" is saying it's everyone's fault but mine that people were offended.

 

So either:

1. SnR, some guy on a message board, understands English better than Senator John Kerry.

or

2. John Kerry carefully worded his apology to deflect responsibility.

 

I tend to think it's choice #2 and that's pretty fuggin' sad.

[X. Benedict]

I tend to think it's choice #2 and that's pretty fuggin' sad.

822441[/snapback]

 

Maybe a broader question - but why the hyper-sensitivity (I'm not saying you)

on the right about any slight to the military?

 

I mean Kerry wasn't intending to piss off the military?

And it is pretty clear that it is what you think he was insinuating - not so much what was said- that is offensive (or not).

 

I just think the guy is terminally unfunny.

 

But more worrying about all of this kind of crapola is the idea that somehow the military is the keeper of our national virtues (it is not, protector perhaps). I just think its silly that we have let politics get to a place where the discussion of who/what honors the military makes the issue of whatever the hell we are asking them to do, subordinate.