me & my college degree went-in because the men in my family almost all served, back to the Revolutionary War, & because President Reagan issued a call to arms to win the cold war.

I got out following service in Gulf 1.

I'll never regret it.

Semper Fi.

No, Kerry is not saying that the military are a "bunch of poor and/or dumb people who have no other options in life". After all, Kerry was from money, was Yale educated, and he volunteered to serve in combat.

What he is critcizing is the fact that the elites by and large don't end up serving in combat. For example, a person from a wealthy political family might get preferential treatment to get into a Guard unit that had virtually no chance of getting sent to Vietnam. (That's just a theoretical example, mind you. Any resemblance it bears to real-life people is purely coincidental.)

Yes, young men and women who are bright and educated proudly volunteer to serve in the military. We all know that. But I think we can all agree that very few offspring of wealthy elites end up going to Iraq.

More unsubstaniated seething hatred for our military from error-time,

In fact, since the 9/11 attacks, more volunteers have emerged from the middle and upper classes and fewer from the lowest-income groups. In 1999, both the highest fifth of the nation in income and the lowest fifth were slightly underrepresented among military volunteers. Since 2001, enlistments have increased in the top two-fifths of income levels but have decreased among the lowest fifth.

Kerry, as usual, is nothing but a phony, condescending piece of pond scum . . . and get off the combat crap, he wasn't in Vietnam long enough to qualify for R&R.

Banal -

For some reason, any post I make that has a link in it is deleted. I used to be allowed to post links, but now I am prohibited. YOu guys nervous about something?

However, go to nationalpriorities (dot) com slash index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=231

What you see is that among recruits in 2004-2005, household incomes below the national median are over-represented. Most stunningly, however, upper income households are severely under-represented in new military enlistees. Recruits from household incomes above $145,000 are represented at less than one-fifth the rate you would expect from the percentage of above $145k households in the general population.

Aarontime,

"What he is critcizing is the fact that the elites by and large don't end up serving in combat."

Funny, I don't see any mention of elites in this statement:

"You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq."

All I see is Kerry insulting all of those who are serving by implying that they don't have what it takes to go to college and "make an effort to be smart". To bad Senator Kerry doesn't make an effort to be smart.

"For example, a person from a wealthy political family might get preferential treatment to get into a Guard unit that had virtually no chance of getting sent to Vietnam."

Has the smack-down you received on other threads worn off? Do you want some more?

"But I think we can all agree that very few offspring of wealthy elites end up going to Iraq."

SO WHAT. Perhaps you can fill us in. Which of the following children of elite Democrats have served:

The five Pelosi children?

The five Kennedy children?

The five Kerry children?

The five Reid children?

The three Durbin children?

Finally, your statement is illogical and irrational on another level. You seem to be stating that although some "elites" are in the military, they hardly ever serve in combat. Again there is absolutely no basis in fact for your statement. In fact "Bane's" cite shows that the opposite is true.

Sounds like you and Senator Kerry are "Stuck on Stupid", as General Honore would say.

Oops, forgot to turn off the "blockquote". I hate it when that happens.

a person from a wealthy political family might get preferential treatment to get into a Guard unit that had virtually no chance of getting sent to Vietnam

Aaron, you left something out from your "hypothetical example". The guardsman from the wealthy political family might want to volunteer to join a program that sends guard pilots to Vietnam, but loses the chance because the U.S. cuts and runs from Vietnam before the guardsman has enough flying experience to qualify for the program.

Then, there's another hypothetical exammple, in which someone just plain dislikes the military, and although from a humble background, is still able to pull the correct high-placed strings in order to avoid the military and service in Vietnam entirely. Many years later, he joins a political party that hypocritically complains about the above-mentioned guardsman.

FLIP-FLOP, FLIP-FLOP, FLIP-FLOP

Kerry Flip-Flopping again - what a sueprise! Say one thing one day and say the opposite thing another day. Kerry is nothing but the front man for a FLIP-FLOPPING Dhimmicrats.

Quit sticking up for this bozo...what Kerry said was "if you make an effort to be smart you can do well...if you don't you get stuck in Iraq."
He's unfit to serve in any office in this land, in my opinion. If I were from MA (and I did live there) I would be ashamed. If I voted for him in 2004 (and I didn't) I would be angry. And if I were in the military or had anyone in my family in the military (and I do), I would be disgusted.

Kerry, once again has proved how arrogant he is that is does not have to apologise to anyone for anything.

I can't believe Kerry is selling this as a joke against Bush and some in the media are buying it. Today's hissyfit of a presser he had no trouble saying "President Bush", in 2004 no problems attacking Bush and using the words "President Bush", yet during this 'joke' he doesn't use the words "President Bush". Also look at the clip he isn't smiling or laughing or anything that shows it to be a joke. And, honestly whats the joke study hard and do well in school or you might become President of the United States?

It never fails to give me a hearty chuckle when the aarontimes speak of John Kerry willingly joining the service etc..

Fact:

As reported in the Harvard Crimson February 18, 1970 (an interview w/John Kerry) and the UK Telegraph July 7, 2004, John Kerry had upon graduating from college having already received four deferments, sought a fifth deferment from the draft to study in Paris. The request was denied by his draft board.

It was then and only then John Kerry enlisted.

Fact:

For those unfamiliar with how it worked you could either enlist in ANY branch of the armed services or risk being drafted, then told which branch of service you'd be in. John Kerry took the safer route by serving in the Navy versus being drafted and possibly walking the jungles. As to his request for Swift Boat duty this too was the safer way, or so he thought. At the time Kerry volunteered Swift Boats patrolled the oceans off Vietnam, it was later their mission took on patrolling the Mekong Delta and other inner waterways.

Fact: John Kerry has never denied these truths yet like so many other aarontimes sought to diss VP Cheney for receiving 5 deferments... the same number sought by Kerry falling but one short.

Fact:

The Air NG during Vietnam often had vacancies and required no special treatment to enter. The reason openings existed is it required the mental apptitude required to fly a jet... something few people had or have...

The Army NG however did have a backlog whihc would and did often require knowing someone to enter...

I applaud John Kerry for his service but he has emebellished greatly his reasons for serving, what transpired while he served and how he served while in the reserves... and the aarontimes have like sponges soaked it up...

Well if you bother to read John Kerry's actual quote he is *clearly* referring to Bush, not the troops.

It is Bush's intellectual laziness that has mired the troops in a disaster of Republican making.

I hope that the quote is played over and over, because it clearly is a valid description of Bush and of Republicans in general.

Wade

Ouch, pay back is a b*tch eh Aaron? Don't even bother replying because you are so owned in this post it is embarassing.

Gotta love Kerry. Wonder how pleased the 'Rats are that this ogre yet again opened his yap to spew his normal filth right before the election...

Kerry could have done a better job with the statement. But that happens sometimes when you deviate from text.

Anyway it is similar to what I have been telling my own kids. Stay in school and get an education. The Repbulicans have Iraq so screwed up that should they win control of Congress there is a good chance they will have to install some form of draft.

Aaron,

Well, you've been slammed - it is precisely what you deserved for attempting to defend the indefensible...if Kerry had any love for our military, then what he would have said is that if you work hard, study hard and get a degree, you might have the honor and privilege of becoming an officer in the United States Armed Forces...but, no, he sais "stuck", and just like "global test", it will dog him for the rest of his days.

Kerry is an elitist cretin - a man of no honor and no loyalty; a man who has USED this country for his own personal benefit and advancement...and now he's fully exposed for what he is.

Now,
this LOUD mouth,pontificating,three band aid, 4 month serving, LYING, DECEIVING,TRATOR, "veteran" again slams the US service men and Ladies.
Then procedes to slam the President of the United States during a war, and an election.
He is indeed, as referred to here, POND SCUM.
PS
I am a Viet Nam Vet 13.5 months on the DMZ.
1966-1968

Kerry is appalling.

This is today's quote from the ABC White House correspondent:

Terry Moran: "It comes from, I think, a huge gulf of misunderstanding, for which I lay plenty of blame on the media itself. There is, Hugh, I agree with you, a deep anti-military bias in the media. One that begins from the premise that the military must be lying, and that American projection of power around the world must be wrong. I think that that is a hangover from Vietnam, and I think it’s very dangerous. That’s different from the media doing it’s job of challenging the exercise of power without fear or favor.

John Kerry's arrogant mouth: The Gift that Keeps on Giving.

The Repbulicans have Iraq so screwed up that should they win control of Congress there is a good chance they will have to install some form of draft

Despite the fact that you're parroting lies about Iraq, Josie, let me offer you a way out of the "draft" for your poor children.

When they're drafted, have them show up and tell the draft board that they're homosexuals. Don't ask, don't tell is still the policy.

BTW, to all you clear-thinking people on this blog, and I'm not talking about you hate-America trolls, I've heard plenty of comments lately from troops who've returned from Iraq/Afghanistan, and they all say that the situation over there isn't nearly as bad as the DBM would have you believe.

I guess that's why we clear-thinkers don't get our news from CBS, ABS, NBS, CNNBS, and MSLSD...

Mark -

"Well, you've been slammed - it is precisely what you deserved for attempting to defend the indefensible..."

lol! "Slammed"? lmfao!

Not even close, dear Mark. Not even close. Is this the best your toady peanut gallery can bring? No one was able to refute the stats I provided.

By the way, if you all read the full context of Kerry's remarks, it is clear that he was referring to Bush when he said that if you don't study, you might find yourself stuck in Iraq. That's precisely what happened: Bush has no clue about the Middle East and failed to listen to the sage advice of thise who did. Now, the C student Bush, who never took an interest in the world, indeed finds himself "stuck in Iraq".

Moral of the story? We can't afford to have presidents who don't know anything about the world, and don't care to.

Karl Rove, you magnificant bastard!!

Aarontime,

I see you're still defending Senator Kerry. I expected as much. You are as no-class as the rest of the liberals (but I think we already knew that).

Would you like to provide a link to the entire speech (that is if you can figure out how to code a link using html)? We'd like read the entire speech. Can't seem to find it enywhere.

As for comparing grades and educational accomplishments, you'll have to do better than comparing the President to Senator Kerry. It seems that the President's grades were better than the Senator's and then there's that little something called a Harvard MBA. The last time I checked, the Senator didn't have a Ivy League Graduate Degree. In fact, he doesn't have a graduate degree at all.

The bottom line. Senator Kerry insulted every current and former member of the military, me included (I too have a graduate degree, so I guess compared to Senator Kerry, he'd be considered uneducated). You are supporting his decision to insult us. Both you and the Senator need to issue apologies to all current and former members of the US Armed Forces.

Aaron,

Amazing, still trying to defend it...but, then again, you are of the same opinion as Kerry vis a vis our military...your quoting of bogus stats designed to prove that our military is made up of poor and/or stupid people shows it...and you've even got the nerve to brazenly claim no one has disputed your bogus stats when the very post you comment on is a refutation of those stats.

You really might want to think about what you're about - being contemptible is no way to live.

Let's be serious for a minute. Do you really think Kerry would campaign for someone and say something like that on purpose? It's clear if you listen to the 15 sec before that statement he was CLEARLY talking about the president.

Take off the blinders!!! Now let's talk about a real subject. Iraq?

I stand corrected. I see that Senator Kerry has a JD from Boston College Law School. My apologies to the Senator for failing to give him credit for a Graduate Degree.

See, Aarontime, how easy it is to apologize. It didn't hurt at all.

All,

Just ventured over to DU (I think I need a shower). They are all thinking that Senator Kerry made the comments on purpose to get a reaction out of the GOP. Something about "refocussing on the Iraq disaster" and going on the offensive. They think his press conference was a thing of beauty. Now I'm convinced they live in an alternate universe.

If anything, his comments will envigorate the GOP GOTV efforts. Their flagbearer has shown his true colors, whether it was on purpose or not. Support the War in Iraq or not, "Mainstream America" does not appreciate national political figures insulting American fighting men and women.

God bless all of our soldiers. They are true patriots!

I've been posting here for months about the fact that the military is becoming very very conservative. Meanwhile liberals will soon have no real world experience in military affairs.

Mark, I haven’t been a B4B reader very long, but your usual Blogs show a lot of insight and understanding about the political world. You do your conservative spin, but everyone spins some. My question: did you go a little bit overboard about Kerry’s remark. When I first heard Kerry’s remark I thought it was what he later said it was – a Bush slam. I did not put the conservative connotation on it until I heard the Bush spin. After Bush put his spin on it Kerry’s should have apologized including: If any of our fine fighting forces took offence at what I said I would like to apologize to them for wording it in such a manner that Bush could put such spin on it.

It has been awhile since my son was in high school and college, but they still used the same old saying we used when I was back in high school and college: You better finish your education or you will end up in the army. I suspect that today’s high school and college students still use comparable sayings. Unless you plan to be career military the Army is an employer of last resort for most (not all) young men and women.

I hope that the quote is played over and over, because it clearly is a valid description of Bush and of Republicans in general.

I hope you post this over and over, in other threads, Wadie--it is clearly a valid indication of a true moron..you!!!

John "Spitball" Kerry--"I loved the military before I hated it."

Mark,

This is getting too easy. It’s like entering a quarter in the gopher smash game. The liberals pop their heads up and get whacked back down. I’m just a little curious as to why they keep coming back. I’m guessing it’s to practice so they can impress others with the crap they regurgitate. One a few offer any real debate. Oh well, next quarter please.

People join the military for a multitude of reasons. The common denominator of all these Great Americans is love of country....

Nobody joins the military just for a "job." We have an all volunteer Army. We do not have a draft. People have choices regardless of what the liberals tell us. All of our great soldiers love this nation more than pigs like Kerry will ever understand.

God Bless America!