Nov. 3, 2006
Group Of GIs Mocks Kerry Remarks
Holding Sign Saying: 'Halp us Jon Carry – We R stuck hear n Irak'
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Play CBS Video Video Sen. Kerry Apologizes Sen. John Kerry issued a formal apology for his remarks about U.S. troops. Jim Axelrod reports that Kerry also cancelled several campaign events.
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Video More Fallout From Kerry Flap Sen. John Kerry has apologized for remarks that some say insulted U.S. troops in Iraq, but the White House said his words fell short. Aleen Sirgany reports.
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Video Kerry Comment Debated The sparks are flying in Washington over Sen. John Kerry's remark that poor students will "get stuck in Iraq." Bill Plante reports.
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U.S. soldiers in Iraq hold up a sign mocking recent comments by Sen. John Kerry – comments for which he has already apologized - about people who didn't study in school being "stuck in Iraq." (AP Photo/WTMJ-AM)
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Photo Essay Sen. John Kerry His early life, war days and Senate career.
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Interactive The 109th Congress Meet the leaders and follow the action in the House and Senate.
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Interactive Campaign 2006 Complete coverage and analysis of Senate and key House races, plus gubernatorial elections.
The Massachusetts Democrat told a group of college students this week that people who do not study and do their homework were likely to "get stuck in Iraq." Kerry has since apologized, saying he botched a joke meant to be about President Bush.
The photo shows eight soldiers holding a white sign with heavy blue letters spelling out, "Halp us Jon Carry - We R stuck hear n Irak."
The photo has appeared in newspapers and on television newscasts and Web sites. It was apparently first posted on the Web by radio host Charlie Sykes of WTMJ-AM in Milwaukee on Wednesday. It was provided by a listener, the station said.
Capt. J. Elaine Hunnicutt, a spokeswoman in the Joint Operations Center in Iraq, confirmed in an e-mail that the soldiers in the photo were from the Minnesota Guard and that commanders see it "as a humorous response."
The photo surfaced on the same day as Kerry's statement in which he apologized 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.
The 2004 Democratic presidential nominee also said he sincerely regrets that his words were "misinterpreted to imply anything negative about those in uniform."
The war of words started when Kerry was talking to a group of students about education.
"If you make the most of it and you study hard and you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq," Kerry said Tuesday.
That's not what he meant to say, he said. A spokeswoman says this was the prepared text:
"Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush."
Thursday, in Mississippi, Republican Sen. Trent Lott said he felt for Kerry as the remark hit the headlines. "I almost felt like calling John Kerry and saying, 'John, apologize and go home,"' said Lott.
In December 2002, Lott lost the chance to regain his position as majority leader after saying at Sen. Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party that the country "wouldn't have had all these problems over the years" if it had elected Thurmond president in 1948. Thurmond was a strong segregationist at the time.
Kerry, who is not up for re-election, retreated from the national campaign spotlight as Democrats worried about the controversy with the midterm elections just days away.
"No one wants to have the 2004 election replayed," said Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, commenting earlier in the week.
A congressional candidate in Iowa said swiftly he no longer wanted him to appear at a scheduled rally. Kerry abandoned plans to attend events in Minnesota and Pennsylvania.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Michelle Obama tells how her role as the First Lady has changed her perspective.
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See all 695 CommentsWHICH ANTICIPATED INVASION OF IRAQ WOULD REQUIRE 400,000 TROOPS, AND EVEN THEN CHAOS MIGHT ENSURE" - Associated Press, John Heilprin - Requested by George Washington University under Freedom of Information Act....
I hope your son or daughter comes home safely and soon. And I hope that none of them have to find out the hard way what years of Republican control of Congress and the White House has done to their VA health benefits. If anyone wants to see the reality of how the two parties support the troops, or see how John Kerry has, check out their ratings here: http://www.iavaaction.org/
By the way, Minnesota's GOP Reps have horrible voting records on veterans issues. The Dems are doing a great job, though.
God Bless.
Maybe he should become a monk !!!
"You have nothing to stand on. 105 of our troops died in October".
I quote your own statement from your own post and I ask you now.
Whats funny about Iraq, why did your Senator Kerry think it was clever to get at the president and "joke" about Iraq!!?? Did Kerry think 105 dead was something to laugh about?
Face it, he said what he was "thinking" or he figured it was "funny" to "joke" about our troops being killed. It's "one" or the "other" and both are beneath contempt.
This man is below "despicable"! And seems to be your buddy.
They can't make the sign, according to your Democratic Senator, they are too dumb to spell it out.
God bless the USA, our troops, and President Bush.
Gotta go. It's late.
There is an old saying, "don't count your chickens before they hatch".
A lot of folks, after hearing Kerry's "joke," who were going to vote Democratic for the first time, just changed their minds.
Everone knows how he feels about the military since his NAM days.
He was trying to tell a joke, but what he was really "thinking" came out, he just could not help himself, thats how he felt for years.
Whats funny about Iraq anyway, 104 dead in October, why joke about it, even if you are trying to get at the president, as he said he was? The man does not have any class at all. Got any more jokes Senator? Lets laugh it up some more.
This man represents your democratic leadership, this man is a Democratic Senator, He represents the thinking of the Democratic party.
This "loser" in 04, is finished for good now, his own party told him to shut up and go home.
Support our troops: Condemn our leaders.
Democrats hold a 52-34 percent lead over Republicans one week before the midterm elections, according to a CBS News/New York Times poll. Women and independents heavily favor the Democrats, while Iraq remains the campaign's top issue.
Action speaks louder than words.
Man, am I proud of the Democrats or what?
But I am really surprised that so many Americans see Sen Kerry's latest vocal miscue as targeting the individuals serving in the armed forces. It is quite clear to me that he was referring to the politico most responsible for the decisions that put us into the very complicated situation in Iraq. On such a serious topic, when lives are being lost daily, a joking reference to anything about Iraq is, at best, in poor taste, and at worst, disgraceful.
Where is the liberal bias of the media when you really need it? Where are the pundits who went to Ivy League schools and understand Kerry's phraseology?
God Bless America. Read some position papers and VOTE!
IMHO, though, the focus on Kerry serves the Democrats in the end (though not perhaps Sen, Kerry's 2008 ambitions). It refocuses on Iraq and serves to nationlize the contests, exactly what the DNC has been striving for from the beginning of the campaign season.
But, long live the Democrats.
The Democrats are number 1.
Second to none baby.
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