Are Kerry comments on Iraq--helpful to us or to the GOP?

[WI_DEM]

Poll question: Are Kerry comments on Iraq--helpful to us or to the GOP?

Lots of threads on this and apparently it is dominating the discussion on cable news (and probably network news tonight), so are John Kerry's comments helpful to us because it allows us to focus on Iraq or are they helpful to the GOP because the media is focusing not so much on what Kerry meant but on what they feel is a gaffe--offensive to our troops. Or neither.

[Sammy Pepys]

1. Undecided

It will depend on how the Dem candidates field the inevitable questions about it.

[AndyA]

2. Undecided.

The Dems need to throw this back in the GOP's face. Kerry is correct about people who didn't serve sending others to fight. And now they say Bush is going to personally demand an apology from Kerry.

Kerry needs to apologize to the soldiers for being over there in Iraq based on a lie.

He can apologize to the American people for losing so many loved ones because the Bush Administration lied about WMDs in Iraq, Saddam harboring 9/11 terrorists, etc.

But Kerry SHOULD NOT apologize for his remark, because IT IS THE TRUTH. The truth may not always be pretty, but it IS THE TRUTH.

[izzie]

3. I took it to mean the WH did not do their homework so we are

in this mess in Iraq. I am sure the GOP will say he is calling the troops the ones that did not do their home work. It works for both sides. Kerry never said he did not liked the service but he often has said how it is runs is bad. I go alone with him on that. Does any one who can read about Iraq of Vietnam think anything else and it is not the guys fighting but the big wigs that are making the mess. They do not seem to know what they are doing and have been know to not even hear anything they do not like.

[Jacobin]

4. Associating 2004 with 2006 is dispiriting

Which, of course, is the media's aim.

[Sugarcoated]

5. I don't know if it helps anyone

Who will it hurt? Probably his presidential run.

[DaveJ]

6. Helpful because it speaks the truth...

No matter how it's translated it's not an offense to the troops. Many do join because of circumstances involving their education.

I'm sure many soldiers have a problem with that fact as well and are glad Kerry brought it up.

[Dr Fate]

7. Only helpful if Kerry demands media access to rebut false claims.

If he sits back & lets the media frame this w/o publicaly demanding equal time, then it hurts us.

If he continues to go on TV and clarify his statements, it fires up the base as well as anti-Bush leaning swingvoters who have been waiting for a fighting DEM to ride into town.

[Dawgs]

10. EXACTLY!!!

This could be huge. Just look at how Michael J. Fox used the Rush criticism to get interviewed on all of the major networks.

[Dr Fate]

11. I t all hangs on kerry's continued floow-up. GO KERRY!!!

Dont let us down JFK- keep on talking!!!- ON TV that is.

[Catchawave]

8. I voted "undecided"

I get daily emails from the Kerry Pac, but none of them have addressed the crap I still get from veteran groups e-spams....I posted one in the Propaganda group :cry:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=284&topic_id=272&mesg_id=272

[0rganism]

9. helpful, but with a few caveats

As it stands now, his statements can help. But:

* If Kerry apologizes or retracts in any way, it's net damage to Dems
* If Kerry lets RW attack spew based on these comments go unchallenged, it's net damage to Dems
* If Kerry is the Democratic nominee for Preznit in 2008, it's net damage to Dems
* If other high-profile Democrats visibly back away from Kerry's assertions, it's net damage to Dems

IMHO, obviously.

[DaveJ]

12. I doubt that sound bite would matter in '08

We all know he will give a deep intellectual explanation sending our minds into a trance like he always does.

[Vinca]

13. I'm afraid it's helpful to the pukes because they will focus on

the comment to the exclusion of everything else. It's been on CNN and MSNBC almost nonstop all afternoon with only brief mentions of Kerry's rebuttal. It makes me furious that all of a sudden all the important issues are put to the side in favor of a misspoken comment.

[Dr Fate]

14. That is true only if Kerry fails to demand equal time on interview shows.

It's all on how he follows up at this point.