What did Kerry say this morning???

[neverevergivein]

I just got two emails from "friends" mocking something Senator Kerry said this morning. Something about schools in America or graduation rates. Both people are being total asswipes. I just walked in and have to go to a meeting, but I will see one of these dorks later. What was said, how do I rebut? Thanks.

[valerief]

1. I heard Kerry say that

53% of America's youth won't graduate from high school. I didn't quite understand that comment myself.

[Mass]

2. He got wrong a statistic about high school graduation, I think

(53 % instead of in the 70s %) that was exactly 2 words in his interview and does not change the point he was making, that more needs to be done, but, as they cant counter the rest of the interview, they jump on this.

[kerrygoddess]

7. I think he is close

when it comes to accress the board averages throughout the country. I know that that figure is about the average in L.A. and many major cities.

[Mass]

10. The average according to the DOE is around 70 %,

This is what they are contesting, but whatever the number is, I reread the transcript on your blog and this point is so non-essential that the nuts' attacks on that are just ridiculous.

[kerrygoddess]

12. At this point I would not believe the DOE!

One rightwinger posted on my blog and linked to a recent census report (2005) that claimed 85% of americans over 25 have graduated from high school. I pointed out that given that age margin the majority had to have graduated prior to 1998, so the census report does not give current data.

My kid's LAUSD school has a 49% graduation rate, the school is in the Newsweek Top 100 High Schools, has a Highly Gifted Magnet and 5 Honors Academies. It's also overcrowded as hell!

[karynnj]

13. If DOE is 70%, Kerry might not be far off

There are likely kids who simply fall through the cracks and are not included in the denominators for any schools.

[neverevergivein]

3. Oh geez

He misspoke or got a stat wrong? That's it????? I thought he had called for the execution of all kids the way these idjuts were acting. thanks gang!!!

[wtbymark]

4. He must have been up all night

he was bumbling and fumbling his words this morning, I couldn't even understand what he was talking about. wasn't his best appearence - for sure

[Mass]

5. I thought he was pretty good, despite Couric;s performance

She was interrupting him every two seconds to defend Bush.

[valerief]

6. No he was NOT bumbling and fumbling

You must be mistaking Kerry for Couric.

[wtbymark]

8. if he was talking about education

I will put this fact out once again for you (which NObody talks about - press, dems etc)

under the NCLB formula: NO school in the US will be eligible for fed funds by 2012 - not one, by then if every student in the best school got 100% they would still fail the requirement. WHY doesn't Kerry say that!

[valerief]

9. This was quite clear

"The average American is struggling to find time to take care of families, time to be able to work two or three jobs. Their wages haven’t gone up, and the president wants to give an estate tax cut and a capital gains tax cut and make it permanent to people earning more than $1 million a year while people earning less than $50,000 get $20 back. It’s a disgrace."

[kerrygoddess]

11. Oh really?

what I saw was Kerry kicking Katie Couric's out of the studio!

The transcript and video are here - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1824

[pacalo]

14. I'm with you! Kerry roooooccccckkkkkked!

He was on his toes & was razor sharp. Kiss-up Katie was outmatched.

[pacalo]

15. I just saw the video & I cannot disagree more with what you said.