The Lowell Sun says, no damage done

[TayTay]

This is a Massachusetts paper that endorsed Bush in '04 and just endorsed Kerry Healey (R) today for Mass Governor.

http://www.lowellsun.com/front/ci_4591656

Kerry flap: ‘John should have never told the joke'
By Evan Lehmann, Sun Washington Bureau
Article Last Updated:11/02/2006 01:24:06 PM EST

WASHINGTON , D.C. — Dumb. A mistake. A butchered line from a senator who's unable to deliver a joke when it matters most.

That's how local soldiers, service-member families and a Massachusetts congressman described Sen. John Kerry's gaffe, which seemed to urge teenagers to succeed in school lest they get “stuck in Iraq.”

But even as President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other Republican leaders repeated what Kerry described as a “botched joke” over and over on the campaign trail this week, soldiers and their families interviewed yesterday largely absolved their home-state senator.

Kerry, most of them said, did not intend to insult American troops.

“I think he made a dumb statement and he apologized for it. That's good enough for me,” said Nicholas Pulliam, 43, a Bedford native who served in Iraq for 11 months, until last December.

“If anyone had to apologize for what's going over there (in Iraq), I'd like to see the president apologize for taking 15 months of my life,” added Pulliam, a war critic with a law degree who was mobilized as a National Guardsman. “Apologize for having a strategy that's nothing but a failure.”

[beachmom]

1. Okay, that sounds about right.

And from the Lowell Sun (yes, I know the history of THAT paper). Screwed up the joke, but didn't intend to insult troops.

As far as this 2006 election goes, I'd say this cruel gotcha game by Karl Rove has fallen flat. Time will tell on Election Day.

[karynnj]

2. That is a great editorial

It's the first I've seen that actually spoke to veterans.

[whometense]

3. great news!!

I'm surprised - but delighted!!!

[rox63]

4. Whaddya know... My hometown rag finally says something worthwhile n/t