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Tony Snow Reads Kerry Quote Into the Official Record
October 31, 2006 7:52 AM
ABC News' Ann Compton Reports: With dizzying speed Senator John Kerry's newest quote has Republicans pouncing. Bringing the scuffle into the media mainstream, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow seemed to delight in reading the entire Kerry quote into the official record of his daily briefing, live on tv.
Speaking to students at Pasadena City College, Democrat Kerry said Monday, "You know 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.”
The White House spokesman took that to mean the troops, called it an "absolute insult" and Snow strongly suggested the Senator has apologies in order for soliders and families of troops who have died.
The acid response might have stopped there but the Republican party's number one veteran, Senator John McCain, added this sizzling retort: "an insult to every soldier serving in combat, and should deeply offend any American with an ounce of appreciation for what they suffer and risk so that the rest of us can sleep more comfortably at night."
Kerry's written response is unusually personal and biting, and insists the "stuck in Iraq" reference is to President Bush. “If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize the more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they're crazy. This is the classic G.O.P. playbook. I’m sick and tired of these despicable Republican attacks that always seem to come from those who never can be found to serve in war, but love to attack those who did."
And talk radio is just warming up over this one….
October 31, 2006 in Political Radar | Permalink | Share | User Comments (44)
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The Left pretends to be middle of the Road, they all made a deal to shut up so know one would get how wacky they are, and their last Presidential Candidate proves who he is and where the Party stands..
Posted by: Politics by The Untitled One | Oct 31, 2006 8:34:00 AM
I am sickened and angered by John Kerry's remarks. I have been in the U.S. Army for over 19 1/2 years; I have a college degree and I have been to Iraq and served honorably. Does that mean I am less of a person or something? What in the world is wrong with him? He owes every single military member, past and present, a huge apology. Does John Kerry think that he is smarter, more educated, than the likes of GEN Casey? GEN (R) Colin Powell, GEN (R) Schwarzkopf, and many, many other outstanding military leaders? Give me a break.
Posted by: timothy glenn | Oct 31, 2006 9:19:10 AM
Kerry's remarks are out there and he can't obfiscate and even though the Driveby Media will shill for him all America heard him!!!!
Elitist, condescending and arrogance by Kerry, Main Stream Media and Democrats, but with 20 million hearing it and 14 million reading it, there is no twisting the meaning!!!!
Posted by: Bob Clark | Oct 31, 2006 9:23:53 AM
Didn't Kerry get the memo to not speak until after the election? Anybody else notice the democratic leadership is mysteriously MIA lately? Anything to keep from not saying anything that shows their true colors and motives. Kerry will be taken to the woodshed on this one! And then he blames the GOP for what he said. By the way, in contrast to Kerry, Rush stood firmly by his statement last week with no follow-up "clarifications". Unlike Kerry. Please pass the popcorn, this is a great show.
Posted by: Jay | Oct 31, 2006 9:51:50 AM
I just read on your website the remarks john kerry made. he made no mention of President Bush or any politcal entity. he has insulted me also as I am a former service member. I would like to know how tony Snow or any one else twisted kerry's comments in any way. In my opinion, abc is just despicable and warped as kerry. By the way, I was against a war in Iraq or any other form of nation building. I also am not a republican. I damned sure am not a socialist democrat. Read this if you dare, you spineless, lying whiny butt.
Posted by: gbonner | Oct 31, 2006 10:10:11 AM
Why they let this man speak the week before an election is beyond me. This is the same man that alienated more than two/thirds of the country in '04 by calling them lazy, unemployed, nuts among other things....
This is not really open to too much interpretation. It says if you aren't smart enough to cut it in college you are stupid enough to be a soldier. And it fits into Sen. Kerry having thrown his medals away and his conduct ever since. He has shown disrespect for the military on many occasions.
Posted by: Kate | Oct 31, 2006 10:13:20 AM
Kerry obviously was talking about Bush...who is the one "stuck in Iraq". Why in the world would Kerry insult U.S. troops for no good reason? The Republicans are creating straw men to knock down since they want to avoid dealing with the reality of their failures. Tony Snow is nothing but a hairstyle in search of a brain.
Posted by: Dirik Lolkus | Oct 31, 2006 10:23:30 AM
i think every man and woman serving our great country should write to sen kerry and tell him how they feel about his comment.my husband ,who is a very intelligent man, with several degrees ,served in vietman and was proud to do so.he is also disgusted with this @$^&*$# man. no words can describe my disgust.
Posted by: mary wicks | Oct 31, 2006 10:37:04 AM
Tom Vaitys- Yeah that was a bone-headed statement by Kerry. On the other hand Cheney, Tony Snow, Rush Limbaugh have no military background in a combat/war zone. They dodged the draft through loopholes. I’m sure they are mighty proud of that.
On the other hand Bush and Rumsfeld got to fly around a little while inside the U.S. The closest experience they had with shooters was at a Stateside Airbase Bar.
Sadly this administration squeezed the one (decent) guy who had experience in a combat/war zone- Colin Powell.
So of course they will jump on Kerry- why not what else do they have to talk about?
What a shame it is that this administration is so in love with hearing itself talk rather than provide workable solutions. The hypocrisy in this Administration is stunning. Why Moderate Republicans and Fiscal Conservatives have not yet revolted is amazing.
I think this round of voting goes to the Boneheads and not to the Hippocrates.
Sadly this administration squeezed the one (decent) guy who had experience in a combat/war zone- Colin Powell.
What a shame it is that this administration is so in love with hearing itself talk rather than provide workable solutions. The hypocrisy in this Administration is stunning. Why Moderate Republicans and Fiscal Conservatives have not yet revolted is amazing.
I think this round of voting goes to the Boneheads and not to the Hippocrates.
Posted by: Tom Vaitys | Oct 31, 2006 10:37:35 AM
I heard the speach and I knew he was talking about BUSH right away. The GOP's do this all the time,I'm 69yrs old I've seen it over and over again. They try to take the spotlight off themselves.My vote is not for McCaine now. He's The same as the rest.You hear what you want to hear.
Posted by: Dorothy | Oct 31, 2006 11:02:10 AM
Are you kidding me? John Kerry's comments have nothing to do with Hippocrates or Boneheads, he is a horses a@@, period. No matter what party you support, you cannot possibly defend this elitist moron. There is no way to possibly spin this in a positive manner. He made his bed and now he can rot in it!!
Posted by: chri | Oct 31, 2006 11:02:24 AM
If this is just a botched joke then so be it and lets end this round. I am a conservative republican, but I will play fair always. I will give him the benefit if the doubt after reading his explanation. HOWEVER, the problem with that is if this were Bush in the exact same situation, the criticism about how he is too stupid to even tell a joke, etc. would go on and on. So, let us have our fun with this one for the one news cycle it will have...I doubt it has much more than that in it.
Posted by: Jay | Oct 31, 2006 11:09:59 AM
Well, aren't we "Stuck in Iraq?" For god sakes, he meant George Bush! and anyone with half a brain could understand that.
The person who owes the apology is George Bush to all the soldiers "Stuck" over there, doing 3 terms and to all the families who have lost loved ones.
George got us into it, and now he has no way of getting us out -- it's a mess and now the PM of Iraq is calling the shots in Sadr City.
John Kerry does not owe anyone an apology. George Bush owes the apology.
Posted by: paulet | Oct 31, 2006 11:15:15 AM
It amazes me how the two readers above Kate & Tom can respond and defend Kerry by putting others down...ie "Tony Snow is nothing but a hairstyle in search of a brain".
If it were not for the Swift Boat Veterans Kerry would probably be president. He is not worthy of carring water for any of our brave troops.
Posted by: Yianni | Oct 31, 2006 11:16:36 AM
lets be serious, kerry was right, did you hear rumsfelt today, there will be a troop increase, not long before a draft and guess what, no education, you go to iraq period, where did kerry lie, it is the repubs just dont want the cat out of the bag until after the election, where we will hear stay the course and a draft.
Posted by: mike | Oct 31, 2006 12:29:12 PM
Kerry got an education and fought in Vietnam...Bush was a cheerleader and like the coward he is avoided Vietnam...Rush Limbaugh's actions and words need no clarification...drugs and comments regarding unfortunate Americans with currently incurable diseases. I am a Vietnam veteran who met John Kerry...I know he stands with me in action and words! I stand with my brother John Kerry and not those who talk and never serve!
Posted by: John | Oct 31, 2006 12:51:56 PM
Oh poor Republicans--now they want to stand up for the troops? Kerry was right to say that if you don't get a good education, you could end up having to join the military and get sent to Vietnam, Iraq, or wherever by the absolute idiots that run the military. I'm fed up with half-witted service personnel that would rather send their own children to die for a lie than admit they should've been smart enough to see when they were sold a bad deal. If you don't get educated, you have limited choices. Vets, don't pull the patriot card and act the hero because you're not. You're just a guy that had to do a crummy job, and you're not any better than the rest of us. If you're not smart enough to figure that out, you probably shouldn't be carrying a piece.
Posted by: steve | Oct 31, 2006 1:57:00 PM
Kerry was talking about the US now being stuck in IRAQ. We are stuck. Not even a new President or new Congress could get us out without creating a big mess. Bush/Republicans have no plan except to pass the buck. You can't pass the buck when you are in power. I was hoping in 2000 that social security and tax reform would happen under the republicans. We all know that hasn't happen for the middle class. What would the US be like if we had that money we are spending in IRAQ. I wish we had waited for good information(I heard the good info was surpressed) before we went find WMD which don't exist!
Posted by: Rodney Atlanta | Oct 31, 2006 3:56:13 PM
Yanni-At least Kerry went to war. Bush records are MIA and he never went to war. As a guy whose brother and nephew went to serve I don't need guys who got out of service (bush and others)telling us what we need to be offended about. At least Kerry stood up and served I don't care what swiftboot who backed a guy who used power to stay out of combat say. Swiftboot please Not to Swift I say!
Posted by: Rodney Atlanta | Oct 31, 2006 4:04:06 PM
Will Tony Snow please tell us what the dunking remark meant.
Will Tony Snow please tell us about what the White House is doing about October being one of the deadliest months for Iraq troops?
Will Tony Snow tell us how our conservative party spent us into
uncontollable debt?
Posted by: pmiller | Oct 31, 2006 5:08:17 PM
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