One last pre-election thought, as I'm sitting in a boarding area for my first ever flight overseas:
I'm holding to my prediction of two weeks ago: Republicans hold both houses of Congress in surprise results. I think it's going to happen.
Why?
Because I've already voted, so there up 1 - 0. We'll see what happens on Tuesday.
It will be more than interesting to see how the elections are covered in Europe.
More when I return...
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Thursday, November 02, 2006
So, Who's Stupid Now?
Okay, I'll moderate my tone from yesterday's post on John Kerry's gaffe which appeared to be an insult to the intelligence of U.S. troops.
I've watched the video of his statement a couple of more times. I'm willing to accept his statement that he didn't mean to insult the troops, just to call the President stupid. Like that's any better.
So, why did all of us interpret it as slamming the troops? First, because the language of what he actually said versus what he meant to say strongly implies the insult to the troops, especially given Kerry's track record of seeming to disparage our military. Second, because the nuance of his Bush-is-stupid joke was too nuanced for most of us outside of the left-winger echo chamber. Granted, they talk in Bush-hatred jargon to each other every day. So much so that Kerry thought he could just shorthand it in front of a like-minded partisan crowd.
Bottom line: Kerry, in his elitist/snarky/left-winger manner, is incapable of insulting the President without sounding like he's insulting the military. This is not the first time he's tried and failed. Or the second. Or the third.
Note to Kerry: Senator, about the fourth time you have to stand up in front of a mic and convince everyone that you've been misinterpreted and that you didn't intend to disparage the military - you should learn a lesson. Get some counseling or something.
I've watched the video of his statement a couple of more times. I'm willing to accept his statement that he didn't mean to insult the troops, just to call the President stupid. Like that's any better.
So, why did all of us interpret it as slamming the troops? First, because the language of what he actually said versus what he meant to say strongly implies the insult to the troops, especially given Kerry's track record of seeming to disparage our military. Second, because the nuance of his Bush-is-stupid joke was too nuanced for most of us outside of the left-winger echo chamber. Granted, they talk in Bush-hatred jargon to each other every day. So much so that Kerry thought he could just shorthand it in front of a like-minded partisan crowd.
Bottom line: Kerry, in his elitist/snarky/left-winger manner, is incapable of insulting the President without sounding like he's insulting the military. This is not the first time he's tried and failed. Or the second. Or the third.
Note to Kerry: Senator, about the fourth time you have to stand up in front of a mic and convince everyone that you've been misinterpreted and that you didn't intend to disparage the military - you should learn a lesson. Get some counseling or something.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Kerry Sinks Dems
Thanks, John Kerry, for being you.
Just one week out from a critical mid-term election with huge consequences, Monsieur Kerry steps out of obscurity to reclaim attention and unintentionally sink his party's chances for victory.
Oh, John. You just can't help being yourself. I know you try to hide it your disdain for our military. Not well, mind you. But you pretend just the same. Most of the time your handlers and sycophants keep you under control. But every now and then you say what you really feel. And it's always a stunner.
All the old chestnuts were getting stale. Everybody's already heard you opine on how our troops were rapers and pillagers in Vietnam. Even last year's charge that our troops were breaking into Iraqi houses in the middle of the night and terrorizing Iraqi women and children had worn off.
How about some fresh impugning of our troops? Can we count on you for that. Right near the election would be nice. Take the heat of Rush Limbaugh's stupid and unfortunate mockery of Michael J. Fox last week? Can you help us out with that?
Oh, you can? Thanks. Thank you very much. It will be helpful to remind voters that Democrats loathe the military and can't be trusted with our national defense.
Okay, enough sarcasm. Let's look at John Kerry's disastrous remarks at a campaign stop this week. Addressing students on the topic of education, he said this:
"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. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."
Remarkable. Contemptible. Despicable. And, clearly, a freudian moment where the Senator let fly what he really thinks of our troops.
His spin, when called on it and pressed for an apology, is that it was a botched attempt at a joke and that he was really talking about the President being stupid. Not that that version is any better. It's just as elitist and insulting. But, more than that, it's a lie. The plain words of his text speak for themselves.
Let's go over it line by line. Speaking to students, he said:
"...if you make the most of it" - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...you study hard" - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...if you do your homework: - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...you make an effort to be smart" - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...you can do well" - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...if not, you" - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...get stuck in Iraq" - Now suddenly he's talking about the President?
The plain meaning of his words is that he believes that the military is the last resort of the stupid, and getting sent to Iraq is your lot in life if you're uneducated. Go to any left wing website and you'll find they've been saying that for at least a year. Now, one of their leaders accidentally said it in public, thinking he was talking to a friendly audience.
He got caught dissing the troops, and now he's lying about it.
And the media is playing the clip over and over and over again today trying to decipher the big question: Did the Democrat's 2004 standard bearing really publicly insult our troops, or is he instead just a bungling elitist Bush-hater and failed comedian?
Good question. Keep asking it. All week long. Right up until Tuesday!
Just one week out from a critical mid-term election with huge consequences, Monsieur Kerry steps out of obscurity to reclaim attention and unintentionally sink his party's chances for victory.
Oh, John. You just can't help being yourself. I know you try to hide it your disdain for our military. Not well, mind you. But you pretend just the same. Most of the time your handlers and sycophants keep you under control. But every now and then you say what you really feel. And it's always a stunner.
All the old chestnuts were getting stale. Everybody's already heard you opine on how our troops were rapers and pillagers in Vietnam. Even last year's charge that our troops were breaking into Iraqi houses in the middle of the night and terrorizing Iraqi women and children had worn off.
How about some fresh impugning of our troops? Can we count on you for that. Right near the election would be nice. Take the heat of Rush Limbaugh's stupid and unfortunate mockery of Michael J. Fox last week? Can you help us out with that?
Oh, you can? Thanks. Thank you very much. It will be helpful to remind voters that Democrats loathe the military and can't be trusted with our national defense.
Okay, enough sarcasm. Let's look at John Kerry's disastrous remarks at a campaign stop this week. Addressing students on the topic of education, he said this:
"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. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."
Remarkable. Contemptible. Despicable. And, clearly, a freudian moment where the Senator let fly what he really thinks of our troops.
His spin, when called on it and pressed for an apology, is that it was a botched attempt at a joke and that he was really talking about the President being stupid. Not that that version is any better. It's just as elitist and insulting. But, more than that, it's a lie. The plain words of his text speak for themselves.
Let's go over it line by line. Speaking to students, he said:
"...if you make the most of it" - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...you study hard" - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...if you do your homework: - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...you make an effort to be smart" - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...you can do well" - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...if not, you" - is he talking to the students or about the president?
"...get stuck in Iraq" - Now suddenly he's talking about the President?
The plain meaning of his words is that he believes that the military is the last resort of the stupid, and getting sent to Iraq is your lot in life if you're uneducated. Go to any left wing website and you'll find they've been saying that for at least a year. Now, one of their leaders accidentally said it in public, thinking he was talking to a friendly audience.
He got caught dissing the troops, and now he's lying about it.
And the media is playing the clip over and over and over again today trying to decipher the big question: Did the Democrat's 2004 standard bearing really publicly insult our troops, or is he instead just a bungling elitist Bush-hater and failed comedian?
Good question. Keep asking it. All week long. Right up until Tuesday!
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