Listening to Kerry, one might think he got stuck in Vietnam because he’s dumb, and got his foot stuck in his mouth because he’s even dumber. But…

This is the title of a commentary, here, dated 8 June 2005, in which I lampooned the truly stunning revelation that the seemingly-dumb George Bush graduated with a better GPA from Yale University than the seemingly-smart John Kerry. But, notwithstanding his inferior grades, I felt then, as I do now, that Kerry was far more qualified than Bush to be president of the United States.

Unfortunately, Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign revealed his political Achilles heel: He’s a good man, but a lousy politician. And, nothing dramatized this point more than watching the otherwise honorable Kerry dissemble on the most important issue of his career: Namely, the now notorious occasion when he could not figure out whether political conviction led him to vote for the war in Iraq or whether political expediency misled him to claim he “voted for it before he voted against it”.

Now he would have us believe that he was trying to make a joke about Bush when he said the following on Monday night about the troops serving in Iraq:

Lawyers are fond of uttering the Latin phrase res ipsa loquitur to argue that – no matter what a person says – the fact of his negligence is clear for all to see (i.e. “the thing speaks for itself”). In this case, no matter Kerry’s subsequent explanation(s), it was clear – in writing and on video – to see why many people found his remark upsetting.

I submit, however, that people were upset, not because his remark was so offensive. Rather, they were upset because, though true, it was so politically incorrect.

On the other hand, I understand why Kerry was so defensive. And, regrettably, it had nothing to do with defending the truth of his remark. Instead, he reacted hysterically in a vain attempt to prevent the Republicans from exploiting his words for partisan political gain – against HIM…again.

But here’s what a smart politician would have done:

Admit that the joke was, not “botched”, but simply in poor taste. Apologise to anyone who may have been offended. Then remind people of his military bona fides (a dumb but decorated war veteran) and ridicule Republican critics who have never served.

As it happens, Kerry did a masterful job of ridiculing Bush, his political guru Karl Rove and US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld during a televised news conference yesterday. Unfortunately, all of this was undermined because he began this opportunistic conference by declaring – with contrived and fatuous bravado – that “I apologize to no one….”

He then insulted everyone’s intelligence by asserting that his remark about uneducated kids getting stuck in Iraq constituted nothing more than a “botched joke…about the president and the president’s people, not the troops”. An assertion which, of course, is about as credible as claiming that he voted for the war in Iraq before he voted against it.

Meanwhile, one of the few things Democrats and Republicans in Washington agree on is that Sen John McCain (R-AZ) is the most non-partisan and respected politician in America. Therefore, his take on Kerry’s remark should be instructive:

Senator Kerry owes an apology to the many thousands of Americans serving in Iraq, who answered their country’s call because they are patriots and not because of any deficiencies in their education….

They all deserve our respect and deepest gratitude for their service. The suggestion that only the
least educated Americans would agree to serve in the military and fight in Iraq, is 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.

That said, here’s the “But…”:

The self-evident truth is that Kerry’s remark about uneducated kids getting stuck in the military is no joke. Instead, it is a sad fact of life for many poor (especially Black and Hispanic) kids in America. And everyone knows it!

NOTE: Listening to Kerry yesterday, one might also think that next week’s pivotal elections are all about him (and Bush). And, if you think I’m being too harsh on Kerry, here’s a little inside Washington gossip for you:

His fellow Democrats are livid because they think Kerry is just grandstanding for his own political gain; i.e., trying to show Party leaders that he really can stand up to Bush & Co to compensate for his failure to do so in 2004.

But most Democratic operatives now scoff at Kerry the way their Republican counterparts scoff at useful idiots like Rev Pat Robinson. Moreover, Democrats hoping to wrest control of Congress from Republicans next week regard his pissing match with the White House as the kiss of death, and wish he’d just shut up and go away! Indeed, here’s how John King of CNN quoted one Democratic congressman’s regard for Kerry:

I guess Kerry wasn’t content blowing 2004, now he wants to blow 2006, too.

ENDNOTE: Mostly uneducated kids are dying in record numbers fighting a losing war in Iraq while the politicians who sent them there (including Kerry and McCain) are spewing moral indignation in a war of words back home….

Only in America folks!

John Kerry