Kerry Campaign Events Cut as Democrats Criticize Troops' Remark

[ProSense]

Kerry Campaign Events Cut as Democrats Criticize Troops' Remark

By Roger Runningen

Nov. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts canceled campaign appearances with Democratic congressional candidates in three states after members of his own party criticized his remarks about the Iraq war and U.S. troops.

Snip...

In Montana, Jon Tester, the Democratic challenger to incumbent Senator Republican Senator Conrad Burns, also sought to distance himself from Kerry.

``Senator Kerry's remarks were poorly worded and just plain stupid,'' Tester said in a statement late yesterday. ``He owes our troops and their families an apology.'' President George W. Bush is scheduled to campaign for Burns in Montana tomorrow.

Kerry's spokesman confirmed the senator has canceled the appearances.

``We made a decision not to allow the Republican hate machine to use Democratic House candidates as proxies in their distorted spin war in which once again they're willing to exploit brave American troops,'' David Wade said in a statement.

more...

Seem's like Cleland and Carville are the only rational Democrats around:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2535862

[David Dunham]

1. Kerry's inartful joke has seriously damaged his chances for 2008.

Regardless of what he meant to say, his poorly worded remark will remind Democrats that he has a habit of repeatedly making statements that are unhelpful and can be harmful to Dems.

[politicasista]

3. I don't really care about 2008 anymore n/t

[blm]

8. Let's see which candidate will consistently outdebate the others during the

course of the primaries and the series of Dem debates. If there are far better and consistent speakers who never make a statement that can be spun, then I am sure that person will emerge.

BTW - my guess is that Churchill would get his words spun and lied about if BushInc needed to target him politically.

And so would Jesus.

[ROakes1019]

11. I agree.

My first reaction to the Kerry debacle was anger. He effectively lost the '04 election by refusing to fight back and now that he has no dog in this fight he decides to defend himself. He needs to take one for the team and get out of sight as soon as possible. Frankly, I find his reaction self-serving, if not downright egotistical. He's running for'08 when we all need to be focused on is next Tuesday.

[karynnj]

17. I disagree

The Republicans were already running with this before Kerry's press conference and statement. The joke was bad - but not responding wouldn't make it go away. What Kerry did may or may not help in 2008 - but it did allow many Democrats to answer it in terms of the failure in Iraq.

If Democrats can be strong enough recounting the problems in Iraq - this issue might die faster than if it had no downside to them. Now, from what I see - the coverage does contain many comments reminding people that the war is a mess.

The war is reality - Kerry's problem was a badly wored joke. These aren't on the same scale. Kerry is not on the ballot and will not be seen as the person affected by the outcome of a given contest.

[SouthernBelle82]

21. What bullshit!

What about Bush's "WMD joke"? Remember that one? I guess that doesn't hurt the troops does it? Nah! :eyes:

[rockymountaindem]

2. Oh, now I can add Tester to the list of Dems shooting each other in the foot

Why not let this overblown non-issue just fade away? Bringing it up s'more doesn't help anybody.

[ProSense]

5. Really and they

say Kerry should STFU! Not one rational person has claimed to have misunderstood this comment, but these Democrats are giving in to RW manufactured distortion!

So much for courage!

[cagoldensun5050]

4. Got this from NewsHounds...

Here's something to do: go to each of these pages, look for the box that says "Send news tip to FOXNews.com".

http://www.foxnews.com/bigstory/index.html

http://www.foxnews.com/hannityandcolmes/index.html

http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/index.html

and paste this in. I just did!


"Soldiers are just cowards with their backs against the wall. The lowest IQ men in our society, those incapable of normal careers enlist. Their choice in life; prison or the military. Some will have to die in the support of our cause."

Ann Coulter – Intervention Magazine, 11/06/03

[NavyDavy]

6. whatever, more DINOs attacking other true DEM Senators

[Mass]

7. All these candidates miss the opportunity to criticize Bush on Iraq.

Too bad for them.

[Totally Committed]

9. That's the really sad thing...

They have a chance to widen the discussion on Iraq, and instead, they are choosing to attck one of their own.

It's sad, it's stupid, and it's disappointing.

TC

[PATRICK]

19. They send a message to Rove

Use ME, no ME! Shows how uphill it swill still be to get Democrats to REALIZE the need for basic reforms in the media and voting if they plant both feet into these obvious traps.

[izzie]

10. Their is not way to say this but right out. Dem are in fear of being called

un-Am. Even if most Am. from Vietnam were not spit on or called baby killers people think it was that way. And they bring it up to date. And many of these are the same people who said Bush could do any thing he wanted in his War On Terror. So we lost rights. Getting to stay or in office will often let what you believe fall by the way side. Just look at McCain. He hardly knows what he believes any more he is running so hard. Leaders are hard to find but we always have the ones that get in front of the pack and cash in.

[ProSense]

12. More courage:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2538270&mesg_id=2538270

If only the candidates would follow their lead!

[wisteria]

13. Asshole! Does he even know what Kerry said? I doubt it. n/t

[Mass]

14. What Kerry said was poorly worded. That Tester missed an opportunity

to attack Bush (and Burns) IS the problem.

[ProSense]

16. Why do you suppose that is?

Do you think some of these Democrats really don't want Iraq to be the focus? Why wouldn't they jump on the opportunity to expose Bush's Iraq lies and failures?

[candice]

15. Many of those stuck in Iraq had no idea what they were getting into

...joining the National Guard to be a weekend warrior helping out at home in times of crisis..whodathunk they'd be deployed and re-deployed to Iraq.

I doubt the Army recruitment salesmen told the whole truth to those who joined up.

[loyalsister]

18. What was it Bush said that so offended some of us?

"Who cares what you think."
If that is something that truly matters to us, than it is only consistent to consider the possibility that vague language, subject to interpretation may not be helpful to this debate.
I firmly believe that we should care what "they" think because he is trying to get the attention of voters on a national scale. They are voters who do not use subtle language regularly. There are people who remember the Vietnam years as a time when soldiers were spit on and are sensitive to anything that sounds like it could resemble a criticism.
Tester was harsh, but It is not invalid to suggest Kerry should be more careful with his language so that there is not room for interpretations like the one taken.
I can imagine that it would be very frustrating to a candidate.

[PATRICK]

20. Impossible standards, a surrender

to hypocrisy. You can't meet these one-sided standards about "mistakes" which can simply be invented out of thin air. You can't meet them by retreating and hiding and slapping your compatriots around. No, we need politicians who understand how to DEAL with attacks, not paralyze and sissify themselves by idiotic bullies who have succeeded through decades of these easy scams. If not loyalty or agreement, then politics for pete's sake. Filling in the blanks for GOP attack points is stupid beyond belief when the nation vitally needs better.

[loyalsister]

22. hypocrisy

What about the hypocrisy of wanting other people to hear our POV without caring about theirs?
Why is the assumption ALWAYS that it is the media spins that it in the other direction? Does that not presume that we are the only people capable of interpretation?
This is where we come off as elitist. I don't deny a media bias, but perspective is important. There are people who interpreted this statement without the media analysis and came to the conclusion that Kerry was speaking unfavorably about troops.