November 01, 2006
Hotline After Dark -- Kerry Critized For Being Not Very Funny
Did the last day of October bring the surprise the GOP has been waiting for? Cable coverage was all over John Kerry's remark on the troops and the admin's response:
CNN's Cooper: "Election 2006, it is beginning to look a lot like election 2004 -- Bush vs. Kerry all over again" ("AC 360," 10/31).
Washington Post's Milbank: "It's sort of this made-for-Fox News Halloween thriller. It only runs in even years, but Karl Rove casts some spell. John Kerry turns into the Grim Reaper, and the Democrats all look as if they've seen a ghost" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 10/31).
FNC's Kondracke: "I think that he was criticizing the troops, but I don't think that he meant to do it" ("Special Report," 10/31).
FNC's O'Reilly: "I don't believe John Kerry meant to demean any American military member. I just don't. I think that fair-minded people know that that would be political suicide for the senator. He wouldn't do it" ("O'Reilly Factor," 10/31).
National Journal's Cook: "I don't know what Kerry meant. ... Frankly I don't think that there is anything that John Kerry could say or do that could positively or negatively significantly affect this election, because frankly I don't think he's terribly relevant to this election" ("Tucker," MSNBC, 10/31).
CNN's Quijano: "Clearly Senator Kerry's comments a political gift for Republicans" ("Lou Dobbs Tonight," 10/31).
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): "John Kerry should apologize to the brave young men and women who are serving this nation in Iraq. Thousands of them risking their lives, putting them on the line, not because of any other reason but patriotism and certainly not because of any academic deficiencies. Some have high school diplomas. Some have graduate degrees, but they're all serving. I'm grateful for them. And to somehow suggest that only those who are lacking academic credentials are the ones who are serving is an insult to every one of those young people and brave, young and old, who are serving in what I believe is a noble cause. So, that's my view, and I hope that Senator Kerry will apologize quickly so that we can get this issue behind us" ("Hannity & Colmes," FNC, 10/31).
Pat Buchanan: "Kerry has probably been more permanently damaged than he was in 2004. I don't know how it's going to impact this election, but I will say this. It's going to be the big news tomorrow and it's going to be on a lot of these shows this weekend. And that is not good news for Democrats, and a lot of them are going to be asking to disassociate themselves from Kerry" ("Scarborough Country," MSNBC, 10/31).
Dem strategist James Carville: "It is much easier to say, I botched a joke, than to say, I botched a war. And he was very frank. ... He gave an explanation. And, as I say, Senator Kerry is one of the great war heroes to ever serve in the Congress. He has about a 100 percent record when it comes to the veterans. So, I don't understand exactly what the problem is. He didn't owe anybody an apology. He owed an explanation" ("Situation Room," CNN, 10/31).
FNC's Barnes: "If it was a botched joke, what did he mean to say?" ("Special Report," 10/31).
Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD): "John Kerry has clarified what he said. And I think it was the wrong choice of words. I'm sorry he did what he did. But I think the issue, that we want to make sure it doesn't confuse the subject of the war in Iraq. The war in Iraq, we need a new plan. I voted against the war in Iraq four years ago. But we need a plan to get our troops home" ("Situation Room," CNN, 10/31).
Dick Armey: "I would say to John Kerry, look, you live by the P.C., you die by the P.C. I mean, the P.C. was a Democrat creation, so share and share alike" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 10/31).
Tom DeLay: "I don't think he intended to insult the troops at a campaign event, but he did. I don't think he intended to call them stupid, but he did." More, on Kerry's apology: "I saw it on the news conference, and it was very clear to me. He blamed everybody else but himself" ("Hannity & Colmes," FNC, 10/31).
HE'LL LEAVE THE CONSULTING TO ROVE
"Hannity & Colmes" aired Part II of FNC's Hannity's interview with Pres. Bush:
Bush: "My thoughts are that the day after the Election Day will be the beginning of a lot of people trying to get me to become a political consultant. And what I want people to know in Congress, and more particularly at home and around the world, is that I'm going to be president up until the very last day" (10/31).
ONE WEEK OUT ...
One week left and there are still candidate profiles out there:
- "NewsHour" examined the MO SEN race.
- Candy Crowley profiled MO SEN for various CNN shows.
- FNC's Cameron profiled MO SEN for "Special Report."
- John King profiled TN SEN for various CNN shows.
- Dana Bash profiled VA SEN for various CNN shows.
- Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD) was in the "Situation Room."
- Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) was on the "O'Reilly Factor." [EMILY GOODIN]
Posted at 07:15 AM
Comments
Senator Kerry,
You offended me, my family and every military member in the armed forces. Before you insert your old out of date combat boot into your mouth look at the data. There are more college educated military members now then every before. We perform our duties with pride and dedication with or without you Senator Kerry. Can you perform your duties as a Senator without us?
MSgt Ron | 11.02.06 07:42 AM
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John Kerry flubbed a joke about George Bush's lack of scholastic knowledge and became the butt of a G.O.P. smear campaign based on a deliberate misinterpretation, but anyone who has paid attention to John Kerry's history, dedication, and actions as a senator and as a consistent patriot can never believe he would insult the troops. Democrats who shrank from Kerry's forceful response succumbed to Republican pressure again, sadly displaying the weakness of which they are often accused. For shame!
Barbara M. Waitz | 11.02.06 01:12 PM
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John Kerry flubbed a joke about George Bush's lack of scholastic knowledge and became the butt of a G.O.P. smear campaign based on a deliberate misinterpretation, but anyone who has paid attention to John Kerry's history, dedication, and actions as a senator and as a consistent patriot can never believe he would insult the troops. Democrats who shrank from Kerry's forceful response succumbed to Republican pressure again, sadly displaying the weakness of which they are often accused. For shame!
Barbara M. Waitz | 11.02.06 01:12 PM
|
John Kerry flubbed a joke about George Bush's lack of scholastic knowledge and became the butt of a G.O.P. smear campaign based on a deliberate misinterpretation, but anyone who has paid attention to John Kerry's history, dedication, and actions as a senator and as a consistent patriot can never believe he would insult the troops. Democrats who shrank from Kerry's forceful response succumbed to Republican pressure again, sadly displaying the weakness of which they are often accused. For shame!
Barbara M. Waitz | 11.02.06 01:13 PM
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