Group Of GIs Mocks Kerry Remarks

Holding Sign Saying: 'Halp us Jon Carry – We R stuck hear n Irak'

(CBS/AP)  A group of Minnesota National Guard soldiers in Iraq has made a comically misspelled sign mocking Sen. John Kerry's recent comments about the education level of troops, and their handiwork is getting plenty of attention.

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.

[gslinger3]

This was no "Botched Joke"
john kerry has made it clear over the past couple years how he feels about our military and this statement is just further evidence of it, frankly the DNC needs to distance themselves from this guy as fast as they can. They may win elections short term on the anti Iraq stance, but there is no way they can ride this anti-military platform and expect to have any long term success at all, maybe the left wing radical kooks will love it but they are in the extreme minority, mainstream American people will not stand for it at all!

[peterbaldwin-2009]

The Democrats can't even defend their own, but they are all we have for the moment.

[fallngempire]

What complete and total toss. Anyone who believes that this news story is anything more than Republican obsfuscation trying to cover their lack of success AND lack of a platform to run on deserves 6+ more years of total incompetence and mismanaged government.

In this magical land of fantasy a war veteren who's voted FOR the troops and against the megacorporations looting the treasury is now somehow a "hater of the troops", and a man who dodged the draft via his rich daddy, didn't even serve the limited stateside amount he was assigned to, and now is sending our boys to die in a war 60 percent of Americans believe is not even a just war is somehow speaking FOR the troops?

HOW DARE YOU.

[einsteinian2]

Gimme a break. It is SO obvious that the Republicans are snapping back at Kerry to win last miunute points with voters. How can they placate dems about how Kerry was "insentive" or "disrespectful" to troops dead or still serving in Iraq when Bush is doing worse by politicizing this thing to the Rep's benefit. If Bush cared so much about the troops, he wouldn't have sent them into that hell hole to begin with.

[edjohn66]

Just when I thought we Americans were all smart enough to see through the Republican propaganda machine......

I'm aghast at how willing we are to accept the lies and illusions that are told to us by Bush and co.

[perception5]

John Kerry is a rich white liberal snob. He couldn't tell the truth if his life counted on it.
He was clearly talking about the troops.... because you don't tell a group of college students that .....if you don't maintain your grades you're end up stuck in Iraq..... you mean the war in Iraq that John Kerry voted for along with almost all of his fellow Democrat pals???...

[huskerarmy]

I just have one question for you thinking impaired GOP drones. There's a network just for you. Why are you not on the Fox site posting your feeble minded spew over there? You can't defend your record over the past six years. You have nothing to stand on. 105 of our troops died in October. All you can do is run racist ads, beat up former marines and manipulate the truth to fabricate a story and assasinate the character of a decorated Viet Nam vet. And if you weren't disgusting enough, you must throw you vile mindless blather in the face of those who disagree with you. Are you just so desperate and bitter? You have truely sunk to the bottom of the gutter and you are digging vigerously. You should go to Fox. They have easy words and bright colors just for you. I think you might find comfort there.

[perception5]

huskerarmy, your intolerance is showing...... yeah..... decorated in phony purple hearts...Kerry broke the Guiness world record by collecting 3 purple hearts in about 120 days......

[jetlizhan]

I'm going to try and be just as bipartisan as I can - I'm writing this, not as a Democrat or Republican, but as a supporter of our troops. I think I know what Kerry was trying to say; however, his choice of words were very damning to our great military. Shame on you John Kerry. You're in the media, limelight, etc - you need to be very sure of what you MEAN to say and what you DO SAY. That was a hard slap in our troops faces and I'm so embarrassed and ashamed of this remark. They are over there giving their lives and you stand there in your "safeness" and expensive suits and state that our military gets the bottom of the barrel compared to college graduates. I'm appalled. Whether this was your intentions or not, hell yes - you owe the US military an apology!!!

[huskerarmy]

"John Kerry is a rich white liberal snob."

I grew up in the hood and I would much rather spend time with fellow Viet Name veteran John Kerry than any stuffed shirt GOPer.

"you mean the war in Iraq that John Kerry voted for along with almost all of his fellow Democrat pals???..."

I imagine you think you've said something very clever here. What you've really done is illustrate a problem you have dealing with the changing landscape of the reality that is Iraq.

[kstrisha]

Here is the truth...

Quote USA Today: Posted 10/9/2006 12:18 PM ET WASHINGTON (AP) %u2014 The U.S. Army recruited more than 2,600 soldiers under new lower aptitude standards this year, helping the service beat its goal of 80,000 recruits in the throes of an unpopular war and mounting casualties.

=======

Our government lowered aptitude standards in order to replace our dying soldiers. This is no joke...

[kevboom]

Yes, let's focus on a stupid comment, not six years of destroying the environment, economy, education, and civil rights, making no progress on medical care, lying to the people, getting thousands of troops killed and maimed for nothing, increasing terrorist activity against Americans worldwide, doling out tax breaks to big oil, record debt, and I could go on. Can't Republicans recognize SPIN for what it is... propaganda for the feeble-minded who can't remember two days in the past?! Wake up, your country is flushing down the toilet, while you rally 'round the flag.

[perception5]

huskerarmy, I grew up in the hood also and I'm also a vet......... I rather spend my time with a real vet John McCain ......... not someone who has lied again again about his service......120 days and 3 purple hearts and Kerry was out of Vietnam........ back sailing his boat in Mass.

[angryliberal-2009]

what a smuck, Kerry is a disgrace and his record proves his arrogant distain for the military. This is a guy who brought a video camera with him to Vietnam in the 60's to get footage for future campaign videos, this is a guy who called our troops in Vietnam murderers and rapists, this is a guy who said that our troops dont need to be in Iraq breaking in Iraqi homes and terrorizing children at night, this is a little boy who makes juvenile jokes about the education level of our troops in Iraq. To top it off he has the audacity and arrogance to refuse to apologize.

[angryliberal-2009]

now he trying to pull a Bill Clinton and play with words.

[huskerarmy]

"huskerarmy, your intolerance is showing."

No intolerance here. I grew up in a poor neighborhood, went to college on the GI bill and married a black woman. I've lived a life of tolerance that you righties like to refer to somehow as "elitist?" Regardless, I have no desire to hang out at Fox for what I think are obvious reasons. I was sincerely wondering why any self respecting, lock step, neo-cons would hanf out on this site? If you aren't here to learn something that may be censored at Fox or offer anything coherent, and you clearly aren't, why are you here?

[rharrin1]

percepion5 you must mean bush and cheney o well republicans been making a lot of them you just fell in with the crowd.
Could you explain to me why the gop controlled congress has not sent hastert packing yet they have sworn statements from members of their own party stating he was told of foley months before he claimed he knew GOP GOP GOP GOP GOP GOP GOP GOP GOP GOP GOP GOP SUCKS

[chrms1]

I'm by no means a fan of John Kerry, and what he said may have been in poor taste and insulted many, but there is truth in it as well. I am in the military, "stuck" in this war that should have never been started in the first place. You can bet that if I had been able to get an education, I wouldn't be here fighting a war for Republican riches (Halliburton ring a bell?) rather than a war for our nation's security (for which I would gladly fight for). The fact is that a good percentage of enlisted military, many of my friends included, joined because we didn't have an education and needed a job. That doesn't make us unintelligent, we just didn't have the means to go to college and now we are fighting for Republican causes. If you want to talk intelligence, let's talk about the Republican intelligence that got us in this mess in the first place. And poor taste? THEY ARE the one's keeping this in the media spotlight, fueling the fire, and using Kerry's statement as a means to divert attention from their botched handling of our great nation. They have made the world hate us!

[blahblahbla5]

If you are stupid you end up in Iraq, JUST ASK PRESIDENT BUSH. I've seen this any number of places and pretty much they always leave off the end "JUST ASK PRESIDENT BUSH". Without the ending, it is a slap at the troops. With the ending it is a slap at Bush.

Kerry's sin is and always has been giving quotes that can be used out of context by his opponents. the republicans sin is taking these quotes out of context. Looking at the full quote there is no issue here.

[patriotic9]

How can John Kerry say anything against our great troops when he himself was a part of it and fought a war in vietnam.People misunderstood what he meant to say.
He was not actually talking about our troops,but was talking about the PRESIDENT BUSH,who is well known to be an AVERAGE or BELOW-AVERAGE student his entire life and has got stucked in IRAQ with his NON-SENSE IDEOLOGY BASED POLICIES which can't be practically implemented in this 21st century.

[ronniehm]

"I'm by no means a fan of John Kerry, and what he said may have been in poor taste and insulted many, but there is truth in it as well. I am in the military, "stuck" in this war that should have never been started in the first place. You can bet that if I had been able to get an education .........."

So am I to take it that you don't believe Kerry when he said that's not what he meant? By the way, the education level of our recruits is higher than the education level of Americans the same age, so either way, there's no truth in it. It's just a line that capitalizes on the liberal perception that the military is made up of idiots.

[kjunrj-2009]

Does anyone reading this really believe Kerry wasn't just misspeaking? I mean come on, look at his record. And the comments that he should be more careful are just studpid. He's a man not a machine. In all the speeches he makes he's bound to get tongue tied once in a while! And many of the negative comments I saw disparaged Kerry for his wealth! If wealthly people are bad then not only is Kerry bad, but so is Bush and most of Congress! Get smart and make this election about the issues. Not the red herrings being used against us!

[crater7]

OK FOLKS, BEFORE WE ALL HANG KERRY ON THE NEAREST AVAILIBLE TREE, TAKE A LOOK AT THE TAPE OF KERRY'S STATEMENT. IT'S CLEAR THAT THE MAN WAS STRUGGLING WITH THE INTENDED PUN AT THE WHITE HOUSE (BUSH). KERRY HAD TO LOOK DOWN AT HIS NOTES, BEFORE THE NOW FAMOUS REMARKS. SEEMS LIKE TO ME, AT A LOSS FOR WORDS, HE INJECTED ABLIB REMARKS IN ORDER TO RECOVER. HIS CHOICE OF WORDS OF COURSE WERE WRONG. BUT, I DON'T BELIEVE THEY WERE INTENDED TO OFFEND OUR TROUPS. LETS NOT FORGET THE STATEMENTS OF OUR VICE PRESIDENT, AS HE SUPPORTED THE USE OF TORTURE. THEN SAID HE DID NOT SAY IT. THIS STATEMENT PUTS OUR TROOPS IN A GREATER RISK OF DANGER. DON'T FORGET SENATOR ALLEN'S RACIST REMARKS. LETS NOT FORGET, WILL ENOUGH SAID.

[huskerarmy]

"120 days and 3 purple hearts and Kerry was out of Vietnam........"

When I was in the service, we were taught to appreciate everyones service. Maybe that's changed? But when we came under hostile fire, we instinctively lost respect for those who were back home on multiple deferments or working on political campaigns when they were supposed to be serving in the National Guard and sipping pena coladas at the country club. Kerry served in Viet Nam. That's good enough for this war veteran.

[ronniehm]

"the republicans sin is taking these quotes out of context. Looking at the full quote there is no issue here"

Exactly how do you think republicans should be able to put his quote in context when it only supposedly appeared on his script? Like you said, without the line at the end, it's a slam on the troops. Guess what? Kerry didn't say the line at the end. Now how on earth do you blame republicans for that one?

[angryliberal-2009]

kevboom

you have no support for you ridiculous accusations. The economy is in the best shape it has been in years. Clinton did some major damage but it is back and thriving. Unemployment is at 4.6% lower than it ever was under Clinton. The national deficit is way way way lower than when Clinton held office, taxes are lower%u2026the economy is not the issue to harp on right now if youre a lib. The facts contradict your statement as is so often the case when liberals speak. The facts also contradict Kerry%u2019s statement whether he was criticizing Bush or not you see either way the military has a much higher education than the general public and George Bush had a higher GPA than Kerry at the same school (Yale). Bush had a 77 average and Kerry had a cumulative average of 76 and got four Ds his freshman year %u2014 in geology, two history courses and political science, The Boston Globe reported Tuesday.

First Year Courses: 61 in Geology (grade of D)

63 and 68 in History (grades of D)

69 in Political Science (grade of D)

Later Year Courses: 79 in Political Science (grade of C)

77 in French (grade of C)

Senior Year Courses: 89 in Political Science (grade of B)

Interesting Kerry%u2019s highest grade is freshman year was French..lol.
So either way we see the military is more educated than the public so Kerry has lied there and he lied accusing Bush as uneducated unless he is willing to admit he is even more uneducated than Bush.

[jls0802]

Also, let's not forget that, whatever Kerry meant, and however brave the men and women fighting in Iraq are, army recruiters target the disadvantaged among us, and the requirements for service have been dropped repeatedly to meet recruitment quotas. I live in NY and see recruiters in subway stations snagging kids on their way home from school in Brooklyn. They aren't on Yale's campus, know what I mean? I'd be willing to bet that the majority of those who sign up for military now have misinformation about many issues related to our "war," i.e. weapons mf mass destruction in Iraq, Hussein's relationship with al Quaeda, Iraq being involved in 9/11, etc.. Google "Building 7," everyone please. Be absolutely critical of the information and realize that something's not right in our official story of 9/11.

[meboard]

ANGRYliberal--"now he trying to pull a Bill Clinton and play with words." We all know you meant to put "Now he's trying..." See how that works! We cut you a break...cut Kerry one!

[ronniehm]

"He was not actually talking about our troops,but was talking about the PRESIDENT BUSH,who is well known to be an AVERAGE or BELOW-AVERAGE student his entire life"

John Kerry got lower grades than Bush. Do you think it's logical that John Kerry would be critical of Bush's grades?

[jumkey]

George Bush owe the military an apology for 40 years of disrespect to our armed forces. His attempt to smear Kerry is pathetic but just another example of his using America's respect for our armed forces for political gain.

People DO join the military because they don't have other options - this is not the reason ALL of them join why but a good many do. This fact doesn't disparage the military or the soldiers who join because it's their best option. Pointing out that the draft dodging George Bush doesn't take seriously the commitment or lives of these soldiers, regardless of circumstance, is neither wrong or incorrect.

[cornelia11]

Whats more sad ? A Fool in Chief who saids that if you vote for the Democratics the terrorist win, or the people who blindly follow him. The Bible says you should know him by his works(deeds,actions) not by his words. Bush has not done anything to help the troops or their love ones. The masterful cheeleader in cheif that he is only takes these topics out to rally(get them emotional so they don't think)his base. GOD USE THE ANMISH SHOOTINGS TO SHOW US WHAT TRUE CHRISTIAN LOVE IS. PICK UP A BIBLE AND READ IT FOR YOURSELF.

GOD HELP US

[blincolnw-2009]

John Kerry wanted to make a joke that pointed out that the president is dull, not that the troops are. So John believes that the president is stupid, and in making a simple joke about how stupid the president is he botched it. John tries to insult the president and he can't even do that right. Who is the moron now?

[blincolnw-2009]

John Kerry wanted to make a joke that pointed out that the president is dull, not that the troops are. So John believes that the president is stupid, and in making a simple joke about how stupid the president is he botched it. John tries to insult the president and he can't even do that right. Who is the moron now?

[ronniehm]

"Also, let's not forget that, whatever Kerry meant, and however brave the men and women fighting in Iraq are, army recruiters target the disadvantaged among us"

That's a lie. Statistics do not show that our recruits come from poorer than average families. They show the opposite. They do not show they are less educated. They are more educated. All the liberal perceptions of the military as some poor stupid victims of circumstances are false.

[huskerarmy]

"Does anyone reading this really believe Kerry wasn't just misspeaking? I mean come on, look at his record."

"Get smart and make this election about the issues. Not the red herrings being used against us!"

These seem to be contradictory statements. Kerry's record is clear enough for me on his DD-214. I suppose the real issues are gay marriage, Terri Schiavo, WMD's in Iraq, Cleaning up after Katrina perhaps?

[chrms1]

"So am I to take it that you don't believe Kerry when he said that's not what he meant? By the way, the education level of our recruits is higher than the education level of Americans the same age, so either way, there's no truth in it. It's just a line that capitalizes on the liberal perception that the military is made up of idiots."

You misunderstand me, I absolutely believe that Kerry said what he meant, I just belive there is truth in what he said. And yes our education level may be higher, as you say, but that is because we had to join the military to afford that education in the first place. And I don't believe that the country thinks of us as "idiots", as you say.

[angryliberal-2009]

Even if his words were taken out of context, which is a stretch, than he should apologize to the troops in humble fashion for not being clear in what he meant. One thing he did make clear "crystal clear" is that he will apologize to no one. A bone head move if you ask me. Democrats have to be really ticked off at him right now. He is acting like an arrogant child.

[whatithink-2009]

So it's okay to lie to the American people and get our troops into an endless war? Let's just skip this important issue and get onto more stupid topics.

[ronniehm]

"And yes our education level may be higher, as you say, but that is because we had to join the military to afford that education in the first place."

No, actually they're ahead in high school graduation rates as well. 98% of the recruits 18-24 graduated from high school. For 18-24-year-olds in general, it's 75%.

[bluestardad]

Being as John Kerry did serve in Combat he has far more credibility than any of the neo-cons that Bush rubs shoulders with. I heard his original statement and I did not think he meant any disrespect to the soldiers. The Republican machine is trying to paint him as doing something against the troops. Just because you are against the war policy does not mean you are against the troops.

[gslinger3]

I voted for it before I voted against it. Thats my perogative!

[whatithink-2009]

To ANGRYliberal,

I spent 8 years in the military and what he said was often the case, even if he didn't mean it in this context. Most middle class and upper class students who get good educations these days are DO NOT join the military. Many students who did poorly in school or who are poor and looking for scholarship money (which was my case) do.

This was also the case during Vietnam when those who could get education deferments were exempted from having to go, but those who did not go to university were sent directly to Hanoi. Many of the latter were either too poor to go to university or did so poorly in high school that college was not an option. This is not always the case, but is often.

[chrms1]

No, actually they're ahead in high school graduation rates as well. 98% of the recruits 18-24 graduated from high school. For 18-24-year-olds in general, it's 75%.

High school educations don't get us jobs! But this really isn't the issue, the fact remains that the Republican's got us somewhere we shouldn't be and this Kerry comment has nothing to do with it. As I stated, the GOP is just using it to divert attention. The end.

[kstrisha]

Great post below (whatithink)

[whatithink-2009]

"No, actually they're ahead in high school graduation rates as well. 98% of the recruits 18-24 graduated from high school. For 18-24-year-olds in general, it's 75%."

- Graduating from high school and being literate are not mutually inclusive.

[abigail4476]

Even if he meant something else, he should be big enough to say "I'm sorry" to the troops who are risking their lives in Iraq. If he meant what he said and is crawfishing, then that simply fits right in to my already-formed opinion of Mr. Kerry. I'd take just about anyone over his lame behind.

The fact that he refused to apologize for his misstatement just shows a lack of class and integrity.

[whatithink-2009]

To kstrisha,

Thanks.

[gslinger3]

Huskearmy,
We conservatives have as much right to be here as you do man, your just not used to having a conservative viewpoint around the places you hang out, like here at the left wing biased CBS news. You seem to be very pranoid that sombody may be swayed to go to the side of truth and common sense if they hear it rather than the Left Wing radical spew that comes from you keyboard daily. Well man, we are here to stay so get used to it. CBS may want to rethink allowing the "opposition" to post on here!!!! todaloooo

[angryliberal-2009]

Rangel, a Harlem Democrat who regularly exchanges verbal volleys with the vice president, called Cheney a "son of a b...."
hmmmm, thats repectable, real intelligent. We know that when the democrats want to turn to someone to make them look intelligent Charlie Rangel's name is at the top of the list.

[angryliberal-2009]

" You've got to wonder about John Kerry's eye-hand coordination. His career is falling into a pattern. Whenever Kerry is confronted with a big decision, he tries to compensate for his last mistake. He voted against the first Iraq war, which turned out to be a success. So when the second one came around, he swallowed his misgivings and voted for it. That also turned out to be a mistake. So when it came time to vote for the $87 billion to fund the war that he had voted for, he produced what must be the single most damaging sound bite in modern political history by voting for it before he voted against it.

So now, when U.S. troops are suffering their worst casualties in nearly two years, he insulted them. Could Karl Rove have dreamed up a better October surprise than having the Democrats' most recent choice for Commander in Chief suggest that the men and women are dying there because they weren't smart enough to get into law school? "



by
KAREN TUMULTY

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1553167,00.html