Who would have thought that Kerry would give us such an October surprise? Thank you for actually showing that the dems think the military men and women are idiots! I'm sure it will be a nice talking point for the next week. Dolt.

The dems will now go into overdrive to prevent military absentee voting....remember every vote counts except for the military's.

The point he was trying to make was pretty simple: Bush didn't take his education seriously, and he got stuck in Iraq. A really dumb joke, even if he had told it right, and even dumber politically, since Kerry knows everything he says will be spun by his opponents. Its too bad he just can't shut up.

However, this is Blogs for Bush. You guys have thrown your support behind a guy famous for mangling phrases, mixing metaphors, and generally bungling his words. (Classic example: "Seldom is the question asked, is our children learning?") Its a little silly for you to now suddenly be interested in exact meanings.

Lets say this was supposed to be a remark against the President. According to his statement then if you're lazy, you don't study, and you're uneducated then you'll end up at the crappiest job ever, President of the United States. Liberals are becoming completely unhinged. Usually they're pretty good at lying but this one is a doozy!

President Bush called on ol' Spitball to apologize for his slander of our troops. This ain't the first time he's done this; he did it after Vietnam, and he did it not too long ago when he accused our GIs of "terrorizing women and children in the dark of night."

Ol' Spitball refuses to apologize; it must be nice to be in the safest seat in the Senate.

What's up with the people of Massachussetts? Ted Kennedrunk, Ol' Spitball Kerry, and Barney Frank are certifiable loons, yet they've been in Congress for decades. These kooks spend YOUR money, and you keep reelecting them. WAKE UP!!!

Keefer

Let's hope he doesn't apologize. Then this will be an issue all the way up to the election. I wonder how many fellow dems are begging and pleading for him to apologize? This could very well be the last "issue" before we go to the polls next Tuesday

Courtesy from Ace. Another John Kerry joke

Knock, knock.

-- Who's there?

Our soldiers are terrorizing women and children.

-- Our soldiers are terrorizing women and children who?

Our soldiers are terrorizing women and children and dragging them out of their homes in the dead of night.

-- I don't get it.

Don't question my patriotism. I served, reluctantly, in Vietnam.

And another one

A man walks into a bar wearing a pig on his head.

"Why did you bring that thing in here?" the bartender asks.

The man says, "Because our troops in Vietnam raped, committed murder, chopped the ears off civilians, chopped the heads off civilians, blew up bodies, mutilated bodies, and poisoned cattle and crops."

"No, I was talking to the pig," the bartender says.

The pig smiles and says, "They also ravaged and pillaged in a way reminiscent of Jenjis Khan."

ba-dum-DUM

Why don't you right wingers discuss some real issues and solve some real problems instead of attacking John Kerry. Aferall he is just a loser politician.

And of course you Dear Leader Bush *never* *ever* mangles a sentence or has a slip of the tongue.

Or Bush reall meant this?

"They [terrorists] never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
(8/5/04)

Really, grow up already and leave Kerry alone already. Rush Limbaugh has other invalids and terminally ill folk to ridicule.

Wade

Hmnnn..strange...where are all the libs on this site? As Rush would say..send out an Amber Alert!!!
crickets............
and Rove, you magnificant bastard!!!!! ROFLMAO!!!

So Kerry supposedly screwed up a joke about Bush, eh? Figures. Then he goes ballistic over his own mistake? I guess that figures, too. The guy is constitutionally incapable of keeping his foot out of his mouth.

You put the period in the quote you have up too soon.

"I apologize to no one for my criticism of the president and of his broken policy."

Now before you guys start with the name calling, I did not vote for Kerry, nor am I a Kerry fan/apologist. After reading the whole of what he did say, (and at first I took it the same way most of you did) it's obvious he was not talking about the troops. Sorry, but that's the way it goes. He's a politician, not a comedian. The "joke" wasn't funny, but it wasn't a smear of people in the armed forces.

"If that was a remark directed at the Administration, I fail to see the link."

Dubya fails to make an effort to be smart. Thus he got us stuck in Iraq.

He's bringing up his own military service, to prove he didn't mean it. I wonder if he means his service in Vietnam or his service back home after he left Vietnam? Seems he said alot of bad things about US troops in Vietnam too,if I remember right. Must be a habit.

Botched joke or not, as a US Senator you apologize to the troops, and to their families. Without an argument.

Wonder if he meant it before he didn't mean it.

Based on Kerry testimony after Vietnam as well as his remarks against the Military. There should be no question as to who his remarks were directed to.

"They told the stories at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war, and the normal and very particular ravaging which is done by the applied bombing power of this country."

Kerry has been "Anti-Military", EVEN when he was in the military. He has blasted members of the armed services from Viet Nam days in front of the Congress LYING about soldiers then, and he should have been brought up on charges of Treason. His picture still hangs in the Viet Cong Museum, with the notation thanking him for helping THEM defeat the enemy-The USA. If this, alone isn't enough, (along with the other Treasonist-Jane Fonda) there
is more of his military rants against our men and women, when he lied AGAIN about them entering homes of Iraqis' killing the men/women/children.
NOW, he is at it again and trying to say it was a joke gone bad: HE IS A JOKE GONE BAD. Without any apology to our Military Men and Women, he is now backpeddling(as usual) and saying he 'meant it
as a blast against the President and his Administration-BULLSHIT....HE IS, AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN ANTI MILITARY, AND HE PROVES IT EACH AND EVERY TIME HE OPENS HIS LYING MOUTH. THANK GOD FOR THE SWIFTBOAT VETS, THAT SHOWED THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS TREASONIST/WHO FAKED HIS MEDALS TO GET OUT OF THE SERVICE-BUT NOT BEFORE HE HAD ALL KIND OF MOVIE FOOTAGE TO SHOW-"LOOK AT THE BIG HERO I AM. WHAT A FAKE. BY THE WAY, WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THOSE "FULL MILITARY RECORDS TO BE OPENED UP FOR THE PUBLIC'S REVIEW".

It is hard to calm down over this - I don't think that Kerry, or his contemptible defenders, realises how great an insult this is. What I've heard is that they are trying to pitch this as complaints by GOPers who didn't serve...well, let me just say that this GOPer who did serve would really, honestly, like to punch Kerry in the mouth...a knuckle sandwich is the proper response to such an insult...but, we calm down, we pray about it...we hope that, one day, Kerry will awaken to what he has done, now and in the past...

But we also have to keep this before the American people - they need to know just what sort of people our Democrats are.

Ricorun,

Thanks. You've proven that not every liberal who posts here is incapable of seeing Senator Kerry's insult to members of the Armed Forces and all veterans.

Had the Senator done the honorable/smart thing, and immediately apologized, this would have quickly blown over. His press release and today's press conference have only made things worse for him and the Democrats.

Again, thanks for being a "relatively" sane liberal. ;-)

Why would Kerry insult troops. He was one. Bush was not. Neither was anyone who wanted this stupid war in Iraq. Are you righties so afraid of giving up power? Why do you want the power anyway, you don't do anything with it! What a lame excuse for a government! I can't wait to see how Rove tries to spin losing control of congress.

Seriously, if this was a "botched joke aimed at the administration" fine, I can accept that. Heck I have terrible comedic timing. But if I botched the joke so much that it actually became an insult to folks I don't want to insult I would quickly apologise. I think most of us here would as well, so why not Kerry?

Heck, I've seen several of you fine folks apologise for mistypes and misreads here, so why can't a big important Senator?

It is great this tiff between Kerry and Bush is providing the opportunity, once again, to discuss the merits and execution of the Iraq war.

Senators Oath to Office:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

I guess for Kerry this was a meaningless tradition of becoming a Senator of the United States of America.

Kerry is a national disgrace.

John Kerry IS a botched joke.

I remember when he visited our school in Western Mass while he was a big shot in the VVAW. There were three vets there, but Kerry did all the talking. I asked him if he wasn't betraying the soldiers still serving and he assured me he wasn't. Of course, it turns out that the North Vietnamese considered his and his friends efforts vital.

Even though it's Halloween, thanks to John Kerry I'm a little less afraid tonight. Thanks for the special surprise in my pumpkin John! :)

As a Liberal, my first take on Kerry's "joke"
was that it was dumb, and I was'nt about to
defend him. I felt that he neede to explain it,
which he did.

The reason though, that you guys are so upset,
is because Kerry, in a clumsy way, hit a nerve
with those last three words-STUCK IN IRAQ.

-The Bush Admin. is STUCK IN IRAQ

-The American people feel STUCK IN IRAQ

-At least 140,000 TROOPS are STUCK IN IRAQ

That's the real issue here. Bad-mouth Kerry
all you want, but he uncovered raw nerve

I love the claim by the libs and John Kerry that it was a botched joke.

Well hell, what was the punch line then?

Now they are trying to say it was about Bush's education.

Uhm...hello. Bush received BETTER grades than John Kerry did at the SAME UNIVERSITY...YALE!!! Bush received one D at Yale, Kerry received 5...including one in Political Science.

You libs keep backing this guy....please, keep backing this complete FRAUD of a person and complete a-hole of a politician.

Tonight on Bill O'Reilly, Democratic Strategist Mary Anne Marsh stated that a bad day in Iraq is a good day for Democrats.

They're full of October surprises!

I saw that too Culture Warrior. Interesting the O'really O'reilly said that Kerry couldn't have meant it, and then also have TWO Democrat strategists on his program. No fricken balance there....and KERRY WAS NOT MAKING A JOKE! Bush was not even mentioned. This slander may subside but more and more of the public is now coming to understand what the party of progressive anti-Americanism has come to be. Their leaders are all of ill-repute and they speak in double talk. Hell, they should play Mary Anne Marsh's statement that a bad day in Iraq is a good day for Dems! Thats a gem to get rid of this party once and for all. I love debating current dems who have no idea what their party has become...I open their eyes by asking what they believe on a certain case and then proceed to ask which party believes the same as them. Almost always they are incorrect...now that the dems are on the side of the enemy completely, they will not get away with it. The Republican Hordes are coming to vote!!!

Democrats, the gift that keeps on giving. :D

More on Kerry's superior intellect

-------------
From Jewish World Review June 23, 2005

Kerry's military records also include his college grades. (The New Yorker printed Bush's grades in 1999, but Kerry consistently refused to release his.) It turns out that "dummy" and fellow Yalie George W. Bush made better grades than did brainy, intellectual John Kerry. Under Yale's grading system at the time Bush and Kerry attended, grades from 90 to 100 meant an A, 80 to 89 a B, 70 to 79 a C, and 60 to 69 a D. Kerry received five Ds, including four in his freshman year, with a D in political science! Bush, during his time at Yale, got one D, in astronomy. Overall, Kerry finished Yale with a cumulative score of 76. Bush finished with a score of 77. So who's the dummy?

Retired history professor Gaddis Smith taught both students, but only recalls Kerry. Smith remembered Kerry as a "good student." When informed, however, that Kerry received a 71 and 79 in Smith's history courses, the professor said, "Uh, oh. I thought he was [a] good student. Those aren't very good grades." Oh, what did the forgettable Bush get in history? 88.

Kerry and the Democrats clearly considered Bush stupid. During the campaign, when Bush injured himself by falling off his bicycle, Kerry snidely said, "Did the training wheels fall off?" And on 2004 election night, as the returns came in, a dejected Kerry said, "I can't believe I'm losing to this idiot."

What did some in the mainstream media make out of Kerry's now-released records?

A Boston Globe article began, "During last year's presidential campaign, John F. Kerry was the candidate often portrayed as intellectual and complex, while George W. Bush was the populist who mangled his sentences. But newly released records show that Bush and Kerry had a virtually identical grade average at Yale University four decades ago." The New York Times, too, ran a piece — on page 10 — about Kerry's grades. The Los Angeles Times, however, ran a page A-17 story, only about how Kerry's records refute allegations made by the Swift Boat Veterans. Not one word was printed about Kerry's grades! "The long-awaited documents," said the Los Angeles Times, "contained no bombshells . . ." No bombshells?

A week after Kerry's grades were released, a Fox News poll found that only 27 percent of likely voters (about one in four) believed Bush had better grades in college, while 43 percent still believed Kerry had better grades. Does the contained-no-bombshells media play a role in voters' ignorance of current events?

Bush also performed better than Kerry on military intelligence tests. This came out during the presidential campaign. When Tom Brokaw told Kerry that Bush scored higher, the senator sniffed that, the night before the exam, he "must have been drinking."

"Tonight on Bill O'Reilly, Democratic Strategist Mary Anne Marsh stated that a bad day in Iraq is a good day for Democrats."

Culture Warrior

This point needs to be made more often. The Dems see anything that is bad for America as good for them. They literally seem to wait breathlessly for and celebrate each soldiers death. It's obscene.

Makes you wonder if Kerry is on the Rove payroll. LMAO, you can't even see this stuff in comedys these days. I love it, "Thank you John friggin Kerry". When OBL doesn't come through for you it's Kerry to the rescue! I'm sure this has crossed every seasoned liberals mind or lack of mind! Bwhahaahahahahahahahahahhaahaaaaaa!!!!!!

This is another "Paul Wellstone Memorial" moment for the DNC.

John Kerry's a COMMUNIST!
Nancy Pelosi's a COMMUNIST!
John Murtha's a COMMUNIST!
Hillary Clinton's a COMMUNIST!
Ted Kennedy's a COMMUNIST!

Communism, It is the way of life in the liberal arena! DEMOCRATS - THEY ARE *DANGEROUS!!!!

Tell people everywhere...email your friends, tell your neighbors, notify Church members, start up a petition, Do EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO GET AMERICA TO WAKE UP! AND REALIZE, THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE HARMFUL TO SOCIETY!

Democrats primary aim is to collapse America!

Democrats HATE Christians!

Democrats love EVIL!

Democrats HATE GOOD!!

It is mandatory people that we stop the COMMUNISTS from getting control of our goverment!!

PRAY FOR AMERICA!! THESE NEXT SIX DAYS ARE A CRUCIAL SIX DAYS HERE FOR AMERICA!

PRAY THAT ALMIGHTY GOD WILL SEND HIS HAND OF GUIDANCE ON THE PEOPLE!!

Jeremiah

GASP GASP for air. I love how this is the best yall got as you try to rally for the election. God bless you and I hope that you have many many years of parroting drudge.

Steve,

You bettered hope Conservatives get it, or you just may be going GASP, GASP for air!

Democrats = DANGER!!

Jeremiah

Tonight on Bill O'Reilly, Democratic Strategist Mary Anne Marsh stated that a bad day in Iraq is a good day for Democrats.

Say it ain't so, Culture Warrior; say it ain't so. I missed O'Reilley last night--actually, I don't watch him very much.

If she said this, I'll catch it today on Limbaugh--he's been saying this for years...

Danimal,

"Why would Kerry insult troops. He was one. Bush was not."

Only if you consider being a F-102 Fighter Pilot "not one of the troops".

Why would Kerry insult troops? Because he's a Democrat/liberal and most Democrats/liberals have distain for the "troops". Even though Kerry served, he returned to testify untruthfully (that's PC for "lied") before Congress about atrocities committed in Vietnam. He consorted with the enemy (in Paris) while still a Naval Officer. He has called today's troops "terrorists".

Why would Kerry insult troops? Because, in a Freudian slip, he said what he truely meant.

Anyone who wants to give Kerry the benefit of the doubt here has to, first, ignore all his previous arrogant, condecending, fallacious remarks (too many to list) about the military. Even then if you say that, at least in his demented mind, this was supposed to be a joke, you have to conclude two things: he is the world’s worst joke teller, and he lacks even the most basic intelligence to discern the damage that a badly told joke could do to his party during one of the most important elections ever. So, tell me again who’s the stupid one?

I have to agree with A-10: in a Freudian slip, he said what he truely meant.

Actually this was the first salvo in Kerry's assault on the D nomination for President 2008. Of course everyone knows he doesn't stand a chance but that won't stop this loon. Fortunately we can count on more gaffs from this baffoon.

Our leftist friends here want to spin this. But Dem candidates all over are diving for cover, condemning his remarks and canceling appearances with Kerry (PA, Iowa, Minnesota). They understand how stupid, insensitive and damaging these comment are.

And now, in response to the criticism, he characterizes as stupid, anyone who did not understand that the remarks were directed at the President!!!! I guess the joke was just too nuanced for the average intellect.

I must say that Kerry's refusal to aploogize in the face of all of the flak, is remarkable,even for someone as arrogant and out of touch as Kerry.

We can only hope that he does not leave the stage, but continues to defend himself and his comments.

Democrats...truely the gift that keeps giving.

Is this the best you've got? Seriously?

We're tied down in Iraq in the middle of a civil war. We've got Iran and North Korea increasing their nuclear capabilities. We've got an administration attacking our own Constitution on numerous fronts, from signing statements to illegal wiretapping. We've got government spending at all time highs and massive budget deficits. We've got domestic policies that are unpopular and ineffective. All of these things are the burden of Bush and the rubberstamp Republican Congress.

And the best reason you can come up with to vote Republican, here in the last week before the election, is that John Kerry said something stupid?

Good luck next Tuesday, guys...

A WP headline states that 'Bush Risks Rallying Dems'.

Yet, Dem candidates are backing away and Johnny is cancelling his campaign appearances with these candidates; while other Dems are grumbling about JFK's rant and refusal to apologize.

Some Rally.

While the Libs, are falling all over themselves as
apologists for the (non-apologetic Kerry) they too
are making fools of themselves. Further, when a GOP has fouled up, the DEMS demand that the person
RESIGN.....DOUBLE STANDARD, WOULDN'T YOU THINK?

WHY, ARE THE DONKS OR GOP, NOT ASKING FOR THE LAUGHABLE SEN. KERRY'S ..."RESIGNATIION".

ALSO, OT, "WHY HAS THE HARRY REID SCANDLE BEEN PUT
ON THE BACK BURNER, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE LATEST TRY BY THE DONKS IN NEVADA TO THROW MUD ON A GOP MEMBER THERE?"

P.S. THERE SHOULD BE AN AD OF KERRY FROM THE DAYS HE WAS TESTIFYING BEFORE CONGRESS ABOUT HOW DESPICABLE HIS FELLOW SOLDIERS WERE IN VIET NAM,
LAST WEEKS'S DESPARAGING REMARKS, AND THE LATEST HE SPEWED OUT WITH REGARD TO OUR SOLDIERS"....IT WOULD BE A GREAT AD, AND THE GOP SHOULD JUMP ON THIS IMMEDIATELY. KERRY IS THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING, NO MATTER HOW THE DONKS TRY TO CLEAN HIM UP WITH THE LATEST FIASCO. THEY ARE HYPOCRITS THAT DEMAND OTHERS RESIGN, BUT "NOT ANY OF THEIR OWN".

And to put the icing on the cake, the dem legions swarm onto the republican blogs alternatively pretending to be over-zealous republicans and attempting to sound issue oriented. We've heard six years of their BDS and now they want to sound "reasonable". Too funny!

steveGA,

I see you're trying for the #1 spot as the most wack-o liberasl posting on B4B.

"We're tied down in Iraq in the middle of a civil war."

Actually, we're not "tied down". We have a clearly defined plan, available for all to read (if you took the time), that as the Iraqi Security Forces take over security for their country, we reduce our footprint in Iraq.

"We've got Iran and North Korea increasing their nuclear capabilities."

No thanks to the triumvirate of diplomacy - Clinton - Carter - Albright, who gave the North Koreans the money, materials, and technology to defelop nukes.

Actually, I hear that the North Koreans are returning to the "Six Nation" walks. Imagine that. Bush deplomacy seems to be working.

"We've got an administration attacking our own Constitution on numerous fronts, from signing statements to illegal wiretapping."

Liberals - the masters of lies and distortions. Signing statements have been used by all Presidents as they sign Congressional actions into law. But now that President Bush does so, he's "attacking our own Constitution on numerous fronts".

Still stuck on the "illegal wiretapping" meme. Earth to steveGA: They aren't all "wiretaps" and they are legal. Five separate federal courts, including the FISA Court of Review, have so ruled.

"We've got government spending at all time highs and massive budget deficits."

When, in the entire history of the United States, hasn't spending gone up from one year to the next? While we conservatives don't necessarily agree on the growth of spending, we would be naive to believe that in FY-2007, the spending wouldn't be higher than previous years.

Try proposing a reduction in the rate of growth in government spending and see the reaction from the left: "Massive Cuts in critical government programs to help the less fortunate." And we're just talking about slowing the growth in spending, not actual cuts.

Besides, the deficit, as a percentage of the GDP, is below that of previous decades, so what's the problem.

"We've got domestic policies that are unpopular and ineffective."

Unpopular to whom? Liberals, who want gay marriage? Liberals, who want partial birth abortions? Liberals, who want unrestricted illegal immigration?

Talk about ineffective, we've spent something like $9 TRILLION on the Democrat created "War on Poverty" over the last 40 years, and we still haven't won the war.

Senator Kerry typifies the arrogant, elitest attitude that pervades the entire Democrat Party and liberal movement. He dropped the mask for a moment and again the world got see his true colors.

The wisdom of Senator John F. Kerry:

"I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." Senator John F. Kerry

"I think there has been an exaggeration of the terrorist threat." Senator John F. Kerry

"And there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the customs of the--of--the historical customs, religious customs." Senator John F. Kerry

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force if necessary to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." Senator John F. Kerry

"This President rushed to war against the advice of many in this country." Senator John F. Kerry

"Saying there are weapons of mass destruction in iraq doesn't make it so." Senator John F. Kerry

"These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen." Senator John F. Kerry

"I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations." Senator John F. Kerry

"I can’t believe I’m losing to this idiot." Seantor John F. Kerry

A-10,

Thank you for the "#1 liberal wacko" comment, I will wear it as a badge of honor. Too many garbage points to address at once, I'll just pick out some of them.

Iraq - Yes, I'm aware of the "stand up, stand down" plan. I'm also aware of the "stay the course" plan. More recently, I've heard of the "adapting tactics" plan. Of course, none of these has resulted in a winning plan, nor even an improving plan. But you say this plan will work. Then let me ask you this: by all accounts, the ISF is heavily infiltrated by Shiite death squads and is engaged in low-grade ethnic cleansing. Once the ISF is "standing up", will we then "stand down" and let them fully engage in a civil war? Because if so, we could just leave now and save ourselves some lives and money.

Iran and North Korea - Get your history straight. Clinton's diplomacy was an imperfect, but working solution. It also happened six years ago. President Bush has been in office since then, and has done nothing but tough talk. The result has been a nuclear test. I thought Republicans were about personal responsibility, why don't you accept that President Bush is at least partially to blame?

Spending - Republicans repeatedly claim to be for lower government spending. Saying that spending increases haven't been as bad as they could have been is still admitting your wrong.

Domestic policies - Failed, wrong, or unpopular domestic policies: social security 'reform', federal gay marriage bans, federal abortion bans (you realize that all that Republican talk hasn't done crap, right?), cutting veterans benefits, opposition to embryonic stem cell research, Terri Schiavo. These have all been losers in one way or another for the Bush admin and the Republican Congress.

War on Poverty - Good point, we haven't won that war. Nor have we won Reagan's War on Drugs. Fortunately, we've now got the War on Terror. Cause if there's one thing our country needs, its another War on a noun.

John Kerry comments - Who cares??? Is John Kerry on the ballot? Is he the President right now? Has he gotten us into this mess?

Again, good luck on Tuesday, I look forward to reading your comments on Wednesday. (Tip: blame the MSM, that always works, and is completely unverifiable.)

For those of you that say that Kerry meant that as a slam on President Bush must be mind readers, or Kerry's speech writers. Look, the excuse that this was meant as a joke against the President didn't come out until one of Kerry's handlers talked to the press about it. Many of you forget that Kerry's military service was nothing more than a sham. It was a ploy to bolster his political credentials. That's proved by his actions after the war. Remember the footage that was taken of Kerry wandering through the jungles of Vietnam? That footage was shot after the war. Kerry took a film crew over there to recreate some of his "heroic" endeavors. When this scumbag got back from the war he found out just how unpopular the war was and immediately joined up with an anti-war group. Why? Because he wanted to run on an anti-war platform in Mass. Remember the winter soldier meetings? There were former military members testifying to atrocities that occured while they were there but many were found out to be frauds, many of them never saw action and many of them were being coached on what to say.

John Kerry is a fraud and I feel sorry for anyone that feels the need to defend the foolish things that come from his mouth.

Please visit www.wintersoldier.com

steveGA,

"Yes, I'm aware of the "stand up, stand down" plan. I'm also aware of the "stay the course" plan. More recently, I've heard of the "adapting tactics" plan."

If you are aware of all these "plans", then you are aware that the "stay the course" plan refers to continuing the "stand up, stand down" plan to victory. It is the strategic plan. Always has been.

We have also been "adapting our tactics" since the intervention in Marc of 2003. As the terrorists have changed their tactics, we have adapted. This is on the tactical level. You see, while the strategic plan and the tactical plan are related, they are also separate.

"Of course, none of these has resulted in a winning plan"

Says who? We won't know if we have won until the Iraqi government can stand on its own, with our help. Just as we helped Germany and Japan stand on their own after WWII. I'll admit that the jury is still out. But since not all of the evidence has been presented, I think its a little premature to judge our winning and losing. Except for the left. To them we have already lost. That's the good ole' American fighting spirit.

"Iran and North Korea - Get your history straight. Clinton's diplomacy was an imperfect, but working solution."

A "working solution"? You mean when we gave the North Koreans the money, materials, and technology for a peaceful nuclear energy program and they immediately began a nuclear weapons program, that was a "working solution"? When, by the end of the Clinton Administration, the North Koreans had enough fissable materials for 1-3 nukes and may have actually had a nuke or two was a "working solution"?

What, exactly, did you expect the Bush Administration to do when they took office and were told that because of the Clinton Administraion gaving the North Koreans everything they needed to build a nuke, we have a crisis on the Korean peninsula? Launch Cruise missiles at North Korea? Blockaide them? Send in a "hit team" and assassinate Kim Jong Il?

They began deplomatic efforts to place pressure on the North Koreans to dismantle their nuclear program. That diplomacy is ongoing. Sure, the Norks may now have a few more nukes, but once the nuclear genie is out of the bottle, its difficult, if not impossible to puthim back. And William Jefferson Clinton let him out. You can't blame President Bush for Clinton giving nukes to North Korea.

"Failed, wrong, or unpopular domestic policies: social security 'reform', federal gay marriage bans, federal abortion bans, cutting veterans benefits, opposition to embryonic stem cell research"

They are only "Failed, wrong, or unpopular domestic policies" in the minds of liberals. The GOP policy on these issues is in line with that of "Mainstream America". The Deomcrat policies are not:

91% of Americans believe that Social Security is in some trouble, serious trouble, or in a crisis. CBS News/New York Times Poll. June 10-15, 2005

58% of Americans believe that it should be illegal for homosexual couples to get married. ABC News Poll. May 31-June 4, 2006

66% of Americans believe that abortion should be subject to greater restrictions, be limited to cases of rape, incest, to save the woman's life, or should not be permitted at all. Pew Research Center. July 6-19, 2006

Since 2003, the Veterans Administration budget has increased by 61%. That sounds like "cutting veteran's benefits". (By the way, I am a veteran and my benefits have not been cut. In fact, they have been expanded)

Most of us don't oppose embryonic stem cell research. The existing policy is to restrict additional federal funding to expand the lines available for research (and, no, the existing lines are not contaminated). In fact, the Federal Government is spending millions on embryonic stem cell research. So your meme about opposing embryonic stem cell research is false.

"John Kerry comments - Who cares??? Is John Kerry on the ballot? Is he the President right now? Has he gotten us into this mess?"

Americans who care about their country care. Senator Kerry is a leading Democrat. We was your Presidential candidate. He carries your banner. When he speaks, he reflects the values of Democrats. We care that he has such a low level of respect for those serving in the military. And this is not new. He showed his true stripes in 1969. Again in 1971. Again earlier this year. Again Monday.

No, he's not on the ballot. But either is President Bush. But that hasn't stopped Democrats across the country from framing this as a referendum on the President. Here in Michigan. Governor Granholm has blamed the President for the state's economic woes. It has nothing to do with her leadership. President Bush has singled Michigan out and he personally is destroying our economy. While the unemployment rate for the other 49 staets is about 4.5%, it is about 7.2% in Michigan. Bush's fault. There have been 6.6 million new jobs creted in the past few years, but about 200,000 lost in Michigan. Bush's fault. That evil Bush has been taking jobs out of Michigan and is giving them to other states.

What mess? You mean the booming economy? The low unemployment rates? The low interest rates? The low tax rates? The shift of more of the tax burden onto those in the upper income brackets? The record tax revenues? The record home ownership rates? The millions taken off the tax rolls?

Oh, you mean the "mess" in Iraq. Yes, some would say it is a "mess". Others would say that it took years to bring Germany and Japan out of WWII and we didn't have terrorists trying to stop the spread of democracy. But bringing democracy and freedom is sometimes messy. But it is worth the effort.

Danimal chimes in with this brilliant analysis: "Why would Kerry insult troops. He was one. Bush was not."

So Kerry was a "troop" by nature of spending less than three months in Viet Nam, only after being denied his SEVENTH deferment and then signing up for what was supposed to be a cushy, non-combat, assignment running boats between the shore and offshore ships. He got blindsided when the duty was changed, AFTER he applied and was accepted (a Favorite Son kind of thing, dependent on strings pulled back home, as he had absolutely no command experience, and somehow leapfrogged over experienced and qualified officers to get the assignment) and then had to actually be on the rivers, where he might actually get shot at. For a few weeks, anyway.

But Bush was NOT a "troop" though he spent nearly two full years assigned to the Air Force, in pilot training, full-time, before getting his wings and going on to more than fulfill (by achieving more than three times the credits necessary) his military assignment flying a very demanding and dangerous supersonic jet interceptor, intercepting unidentified planes approaching the United States.

And by the way, while Kerry was a "troop" he was illegally sneaking off to confer with the North Vietnamese military. Ever wonder how he pulled that off? We will never know, not unless this "troop" lets us look at his military records. Because while he was supposed to be serving out his six years in the Navy, he was either sloping around in starched cammies and long hair being a diletantte psuedo-hippy and organzing fake "veterans" to mount street theater anti-war protests, lying under oath to Congress about invented atrocities committed by the military, or indulging in what in any other conflict would have been considered treasonous activities. How do you think "troop" Kerry got away with all that? Was he still a "troop" while he was overtly acting against the United States? If he was not, why not? How would he have managed that?

Do you think maybe the fact that his HONORABLE dishcarge was dated March of 2001, nearly thirty years after he was up to all his anti-American antics while his six-year term of service was still going on, might have been made necessary by another type of discharge back then, one that reflected the legal and moral realities of what he was up to? It's a whole lot easier to manipulate the system when you're a Senator, you know, and get records changed and/or hidden.

I'm pretty sure Mark and Matt keep you guys around just for entertainment value, though sometimes I feel guilty for laughing at your stupidity---I was taught not to ridicule the disabled.

But reading your inane and pathetic posts is like watching Curly, Moe, and Larry do politics, so I do let myself giggle every now and then...

A-10,

Thank you for clearing up our Iraq strategy. Now I see that instead of three vague plans, we have one grand vague plan. Much better.

As far as the jury still being out on winning in Iraq, that may be true. Why then do you repeatedly say that we are winning? Why does the President say it? True, the evidence is not all in yet, but the evidence we do have is not good. Increasing violence, decreasing government control, and increasing milia control are what we see today. All evidence to this point says our policy is failing. Maybe its time we change our policy of "Staying the course of standing up Iraqis so we can stand down by adapting tactics." (That doesn't even sound like a plan, does it?)

North Korea - The fact remains that when Bush took office, NK had no nukes. Now they do. This administration has to take responsibility for that failure. (Its what adults do, and we all know that Republicans are the adult party, right?)

Iran - You didn't mention this, I wonder why? Can you honestly deny that Iran is in a far stronger strategic position than it was at the start of the Bush administration? Who's fault is that?

Social Security reform - Bush's social security 'reform' plan failed spectacularly. No one denies that social security needs to be repaired, but the nation overwhelmingly rejected Bush's scheme. That by definition is a failed policy initiative.

Gay marriage and abortion bans - These are just wrong, period. They are in no way conservative, and they are not compassionate. Citing polls showing American support is kind of hypocritical, since you routinely denounce polls as biased.

John Kerry - The difference between John Kerry and George Bush is simple: GWB is the President and thus in charge of the federal government. John Kerry is not. (We had an election about this?) Crying that its not fair that an election should be a referendum on the President but not a Senator is childish and stupid.

SteveGA,

Have you read the National Strategy for Victory in Iraq? It better explains the "Plan". Read it, then come back with your pot-shots. Better yet, come back with a better plan, and not one that includes surrendering to the terrorists.

"Why then do you repeatedly say that we are winning?"

I guess because I'm an optimist. We have ousted Saddam and defeated the Iraq Army in record time with record few casualties. (Do you realize that they had years to prepare their defensive positions and we walked through like they we're even there?) We have enabled the Iraqis and the Afghans to hold a series of peaceful elections to determine their own future. We have completed thousands of reconstruction projects. We have completely disbanded their army (OK, so maybe that wasn't the best approach), and recruited, trained, and fielded an Iraqi Security Force of over 250,000. We did this while being shot at by terrorists in Iraq and liberals at home (figuratively, of course).

"The fact remains that when Bush took office, NK had no nukes."

No such fact remains. We don't know if they had a nuke or not. Perhaps they did. Perhaps they didn't.

But it wasn't the Bush Administration that enabled them to reach the point of fielding a nuke. Without the $$$, materials, and technology provided by the Clinton Administration, they would still be years, if not decades, away from being a nuclear threat. I see you're still apologizing for the Clinton Administration's failures.

I asked you before: What, exactly, did you expect the Bush Administration to do when they took office and were told that because of the Clinton Administraion gaving the North Koreans everything they needed to build a nuke, we have a crisis on the Korean peninsula? What's your answer?

"Iran"

I guess we can play this "It's the Clinton Administration's fault", "No, it's the Bush Administration's fault" all night. The bottom line is that the Bush Administration inherited the growing terrorist threat, the Iranian nuclear problem, the North Korean nuclear problem, as well as a recession from the Clinton Administration. Has the Bush Administration been 100% successful in resolving all of the problems they inherited. No. (with the exception of the recession) But they have fought back against terrorism, where President Clinton did not. They are addressing the Iranian and North Korean issues, while President Clinton created the North Korean problem by giving them their nuclear program on a silver platter (along with a Michael Jordan autographed Basketball), and did nothing about the Iranians.

If the order of Presidents was reversed, I can pretty much guarantee you that President Bush would not have given the North Koreans the ability to build nuclear weapons. I can pretty much guarantee you that the response to the 1993 WTC attacks would have been different. I can pretty much guarantee you that a President Clinton taking office in 2001 would not have inherited the problems he left President Bush.

"Social Security reform - Bush's social security 'reform' plan failed spectacularly. No one denies that social security needs to be repaired, but the nation overwhelmingly rejected Bush's scheme. That by definition is a failed policy initiative."

I still think the ability to put away a small fraction of your SSA contributions into an account that you control is the correct solution to the problem. Would you prefer the Charlie Rangel plan? Exempt the first $15,000 of income, but lift the maximum income ceiling? Its a good Socialist solution. Make the "rich" pay for everyone else's Social Security retirement. Of course, the "rich" will NEVER get back the money they put in. But that's the Socialist way.

"Gay marriage and abortion bans - These are just wrong, period. They are in no way conservative, and they are not compassionate."

I guess you and the rest of the world have different opinions of "conservative". Just about every conservative is against gay marriage and abortion. Would you like to retract that statement, or was that a nuanced joke that I'm just too stupid to understand.

And exactly what is "compassionate" about sucking the brains out of a baby's head as it is being born? Do you have any kids? If you do, I want you to walk up to them and look them squarely in the eyes. Now imagine their brains being sucked out as they are being born. Real compassionate, eh?

You want my stance on abortion? Personally, I'm opposed to it. But the greater question is who should be deciding the issue. Since the "freedom of abortion" is not found in the Constitution, regardless what a bunch of liberal justices said, the question of abortion should be decided by the states. That's what the Constitution provides:

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Same for Gay marriage.

Now for opinion polls. I have taken graduate level courses in marketing, opinion research, and statistics. I know that you can sample populations to get the result you want. I know that you can word questions to get the result you want. The opinions polls I quoted were specifically selected because the questions were not leading and asked for specific answers. I think the results they produced are fairly accurate. Even with a 5-7% margin of error, they overwhelmingly support my claim that Mainstream America rejects liberalism. Sorry, you lose.

Besides, how can you call me a hypocrite when I don't think I have ever critized polls on this blog. I will now though. Most of the political polls are biased and are designed to solicit a specific result. Even the most "scientific" poll is flawed unless control questions are added to ensure consistency. Otherwise, it is too easy to have respondents lie.

"Crying that its not fair that an election should be a referendum on the President but not a Senator is childish and stupid."

You must really like Senator Kerry's example, calling us "stupid".

The difference between John Kerry and George Bush is simple.

President Bush has respect for the men and women in uniform. Senator Kerry does not.

President Bush is a leader. Senator Kerry is not.

President Bush is a man of principle. Senator Kerry is male, but that's about as far as I can go.

President Bush has the best interests of the country in mind. Senator Kerry has the best interests of Senator Kerry in mind.

Its not that I "adore" the President, because I do not. He has plenty of faults. We all do. I do not agree with all of his policy decisions. But he's the President and hasn't called me for my opinoin, so I guess I have to live with it.

I see a honest man, leading the country through tough times, surrounded by sniping liberals who throw up roadblocks in his path at every opportunity.

The guy has one primary thing that drives him: trying to keep Americans safe from further terrorist attacks. For over 5 years, he and his team have been successful. For that alone, he sholud get some credit. But, with the exception of a very few (Joe Lieberman and Zell Miller come to mind, and even they get shunned by their Party), not a single Democrat gives the President credit for anything. A booming economy. Couldn't be something dumb "Dubya" did. (Hint: it was the tax cuts). No further terrorist attacks on US soil. Naaa, wasn't something "Dubya" did, we've just been lucky.

You guys have to get over your hatred for the President and start being Americans again (except for you Canadians, although you could show a little appreciation for us keeping you safe and your economy in decent shape. If it wasn't for us, you'd all be out clubbing seals for dinner)