Another Editor gets it right: Mr. Kerry and Mr. Bush

[whometense]

Via Dan Kennedy.

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=531159&category=OPINION&BCCode=

What the senator said about the President and the war might not have been very funny, but that's not the point


First published: Thursday, November 2, 2006

Sen. John Kerry has always seemed very thoughtful yet rather stiff. So it's not terribly surprising that his attempt at a joke at President Bush's expense was a dud. Mr. Kerry has taken himself off the campaign trail for a few days and an appearance on those TV shows where they mix a bit of news in with their humor would seem to be out of the question.

But let's get this much straight. Mr. Kerry wasn't disparaging the American troops in Iraq. No one who has been in combat, as he has, would think of saying such a thing.

Here's what Mr. Kerry did say as he campaigned Monday for California gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides: "Education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. And if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

For that, Mr. Kerry is getting ambushed by the White House in a manner that's awfully reminiscent of the smearing of his Vietnam War record during the 2004 presidential campaign.

Here's President Bush: "The senator's suggestion that the men and women of our military are somehow uneducated is insulting and it is shameful. The senator from Massachusetts owes them an apology."

This, from the very president and commander in chief who last month suggested that the Iraq war will go down in history as just a comma. This, from a president and commander in chief who should be paying less attention to a defeated political rival and more attention to U.S. forces having to retreat, in essence, from the streets of eastern and central Baghdad.

Stuck? Did someone say stuck?

It's, yes, Mr. Kerry who sees this war for what it's become, and is refreshingly willing to say as much.

Mr. Kerry did apologize Thursday, to "any service member, family member or American" who may have been offended nonetheless by his poor attempt at humor. But he made this equally important point as well.

"I'm not going to stand back from the reality here, which is, they're trying to change the subject. It's their campaign of smear and fear."

In time, we'd think, Mr. Kerry will be out of his self-imposed exile, welcomed back by even the Democratic political candidates who are annoyed at him for telling an unfunny joke. He'll need a new stock phrase, though. So how about what he said in 1971 to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the Vietnam War?

"How do you ask a man to be the last to die for a mistake?"

[WildEyedLiberal]

1. Finally someone who recognizes the swiftboating for what it was

I do disagree with Mr. Kennedy that Kerry is "stiff" - in fact, if the media showed his actual appearances, not just distorted soundbites, they would show wildly enthusiastic crowds connecting with a warm and friendly Kerry. But of course that would contradict their entire invented narrative, so we can't have that now. :eyes:

[IndyOp]

2. Agreed. I am about sick of the media defining Kerry, Gore, Clinton, Edwards...

The best and brightest that are ready to work for the people have to be stomped down HARD by the corporate media. :grr:

The media killed Gore - the election was stolen, but it wouldn't have been close enough to be stolen if they hadn't created THE LIE that he was 'wooden'.

:kick:

[WildEyedLiberal]

3. Yep. They decide what each candidate's "personality" is, truth be damned

Gore was "wooden" and a "liar," Kerry was a "flip-flopper" and "aloof" and "stiff," etc etc etc

Meanwhile McCain is a "maverick" and "independent" and Bush is "resolute" and "tough" and a "good ol' boy."

Never mind that none of the above characterizations is true; the corporate media is DETERMINED to vilify any candidate who they know will be a voice for the people and determined to prop up any who will do their bidding.

[blm]

4. Or how they lied and said he claimed to invent the internet.

A completely made up lie based on an awkwardly worded sentence, and no media would allow any explanation to get through their stone wall.

And they knew EXACTLY what they were doing to Gore in 2000 and to Kerry in 2004. Cripe, they all still target those two unfairly every time they stick their neck out.

I hope Kerry calls for hearings on corporate media in January.