Kerry's mis-speak

[GrpCaptMandrake]

I'm listening to Randi and I've heard Ed, each of them explaining away Kerry's mis-speak and the Repig feeding-frenzy that followed it.

And I'm remembering what Karl Rove is attributed as having said in regard to his political philosophy: "If you're explaining, you're losing."

Thanks to Senator Kerry, we're doing a LOT of explaining today. What a pity. As someone who has literally begged for Democrats to fight back, this is especially sad. Poor John tried and tripped over his own tongue. And he's being eaten alive for it. And the MSM, is, of course, not helping at all.

Memo To Our Party Leaders: for the next week, please try to avoid running with scissors.

[JackBeck]

1. Wait until you hear Kerry's speech from today.

Maybe that will change your mind.

[Ignacio Upton]

22. Yeah, but not many voters will

People on sites like DU swoon over Kerry and think he is a genious, but they are simply reading shit that will NEVER get any play to the broader public. Kerry's comment will NOT help us in ANY way possible. I won't be surprised if it costs us in several close House and Senate races.

[Roon]

25. I'm with you, Kerry blew it for us

We gave the GOP their October suprise.

[gully]

2. We're not explaining, we're talking about the war.

They are explaining their failed policy once again. IT'S GREAT!

[trumad]

3. Dude...catch up

you're way behind on this...

[WI_DEM]

4. It's a shame his words were mis-interpeted and allowed to be

so by the "liberal" media.

[emulatorloo]

5. The only thing Kerry "explained" was that BUSHCO ARE LIARS

http://www.johnkerry.com/news/releases/release.html?id=33


October 31, 2006

Statement of John Kerry Responding to Republican Distortions, Pathetic Tony Snow Diversions and Distractions


Washington – Senator John Kerry issued the following statement in response to White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, assorted right wing nut-jobs, and right wing talk show hosts desperately distorting Kerry’s comments about President Bush to divert attention from their disastrous record:

“If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize the more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they're crazy. This is the classic G.O.P. playbook. I’m sick and tired of these despicable Republican attacks that always seem to come from those who never can be found to serve in war, but love to attack those who did.

I’m not going to be lectured by a stuffed suit White House mouthpiece standing behind a podium, or doughy Rush Limbaugh, who no doubt today will take a break from belittling Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s disease to start lying about me just as they have lied about Iraq. It disgusts me that these Republican hacks, who have never worn the uniform of our country lie and distort so blatantly and carelessly about those who have.

The people who owe our troops an apology are George W. Bush and Dick Cheney who misled America into war and have given us a Katrina foreign policy that has betrayed our ideals, killed and maimed our soldiers, and widened the terrorist threat instead of defeating it. These Republicans are afraid to debate veterans who live and breathe the concerns of our troops, not the empty slogans of an Administration that sent our brave troops to war without body armor.

Bottom line, these Republicans want to debate straw men because they’re afraid to debate real men. And this time it won’t work because we’re going to stay in their face with the truth and deny them even a sliver of light for their distortions. No Democrat will be bullied by an administration that has a cut and run policy in Afghanistan and a stand still and lose strategy in Iraq.”

[Sammy Pepys]

7. My only criticism...

...that Kerry should've been saying this in 2004. A gaffe in 2006 shouldn't have occurred for him to come out with guns blazing.

[seabeyond]

6. thanks to kerry over two years of attacks on bushco. thanks to kerry

for helping candidates all across the nation with time and money. thanks to kerry for being such a damn GOOD DEM>

you want perfection cant happen. stand by the dem on the very few mistakes they make as opposed to the repugs many many mistakes, instead of jumping in the repugs game

[kimmerspixelated]

8. Yes,

Bravo, Bravo, Bravo Kerry!!!

[DURHAM D]

9. Kerry may have articulated his point poorly - however,

the people screwing up big time are the Repugs. By trying to take this false issue and spin it they have given Kerry (and the Dems) an opportunity to discuss the Iraq war not-stop until next Tuesday.

The last thing the Repugs want to be discussing is the war in Iraq. They want to talk about the WOT and the economy, not the war in Iraq. They are the stupid ones and you are wrong.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

16. But the Repigs certainly did enjoy

getting to put that question out there "Ask Tammy Duckworth and James Webb if they support Kerry's position." It's classic dirty politics and Kerry wandered right into it.

And today he's had to come out and "explain" it. Not a good thing for us.

As I said, I applaud all democrats who come out fighting. It's just a shame when we flat the note.

Far more people (thanks to the MSM) will hear the inital verbal gaffe than will hear his explanation; an explanation, b-t-w, that was passionate and fiery.

[DURHAM D]

20. You are wrong - thinking small - thinking one news cycle. n/t

[GrpCaptMandrake]

21. I'm wrong?

The Repigs didn't jump on the stumble like pirannha on a baby deer at the water's edge?

How many news cycles did the Repigs use to make Dick Durbin apologize for telling the truth about attrocities?

I find it highly frustrating that we had, among others, that filthy Phlegmball in a corner over Michael J. Fox and this let's him out of the box.

Unfortunately, I don't think this goes away in a 24 hour cycle.

[jarab]

10. Caution might be a good thing, but ...

that doesn't mean the Democrats tippy-toe around the egg shells. We must stand up, being prepared to attack rather than defend.
We can't take the stance that if we make too much noise Daddy will wake up and beat Mom again.
Caution should not be fear.

...O...

[durrrty libby]

11. Sorry, but you got it wrong. Kerry is not explaining or apologizing

He is on the attack and bringing focus back to the war

[Red Right and BLUE]

12. It was taken out of context

and this kind of crap is not helping.

[AlinPA]

13. Kerry fought back effectively. Yes, there is talk of him, but also of Iraq.

The R's did not want to talk about Iraq. Now you won't hear them talk about the stock market being up, "low unemployment", taxes, gay marriage, God, guns and flags.

[Matariki]

14. yep. was just listening to Ed Schultz - thinking the same thing

he's having his callers answer "'botched joke?' or dissing the troops?'". Seems like he's playing right into their strategy to turn the conversation into an argument about what Kerry said. Also by the looks of how many threads are popping up here it looks like it's working.

Better strategy is to ignore this and keep the conversation on Republican corruption and failed policy.

[JackBeck]

15. Schultz is asking callers whether it's a joke or dissing the troops??

And you haven't turned him off yet.

Ed really is an a-hole, isn't he?

[Matariki]

19. sometimes he is. i listen in my car, sometimes.

not listening anymore. He *did* interview Tom Dashiell, who said essentially that the republicans were desperately trying to find something to latch on to, to control the conversation right before the election. I guess Ed didn't get how he was contributing to that.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

24. Of course, it's worth remembering

that Daschle was the biggest factor in getting "Big Eddie" national. He helped Schultz put together the money necessary to get "noticed."

[JackBeck]

26. And Randi said, "No thanks."

I don't want to be owned by a party.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

17. How does "Big Eddie" continue

to get away with being called "liberal" or anything remotely resembling liberal?

For the life of me, I don't understand it.

[DaveJ]

18. This issue needs to be talked about.

And not just because Kerry brought it up. I'm personally glad he did. Something should be done about the social standing of the military. The Cons think that they will be able to call the Democrats Congress a do nothing congress over the next two years. This sets the stage for change.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

23. CNN is running a package today

on military personnel being preyed upon by payday lenders. I'm glad they are. Among other things, it's shameful to allow such people to exploit our enlisted military. Shameful also that the brass itself won't stand up for them.

Moreover, I hope the thing can prompt a debate on payday lending as an overall plague on the poor.

How we treat both our active duty vets AND our post-duty vets is of critical importance and a quality issue for Democrats.