Think Progress

Murtha: Kerry Flap ‘Just Distracting From The Real Issue, The War On The Ground’»

Today on MSNBC, Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), a 26-year Marine Corps veteran, talked about the media flap over remarks by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA). Murtha said there is “no question in my mind that John Kerry supports the troops,” and that right-wing attacks on Kerry are “just distracting from the real issue: the war on the ground.” Watch it:

Screenshot

In September, Reps. Murtha and Dave Obey (D-WI) released a report finding that the U.S. Army’s preparedness for war has “eroded to levels not witnessed by our country in decades.” Some key facts:

– As of today, the Army has only one unit in reserve for every unit deployed - a ratio that history shows cannot be sustained for any length of time without serious adverse consequences to the force.

– Of the 16 active-duty, non-deployed combat brigades in the United States managed by the Army’s Forces Command, the vast majority of them are rated at the lowest readiness ratings. These ratings are caused by severe equipment shortages.

– The situation facing the Army Guard and Reserve is comparatively worse. Of all the Guard units not currently mobilized, about four-fifths received the lowest readiness rating.

Digg It!

Full transcript:

COPPEL: What do you think about what John Kerry said yesterday? You know the man. Was this just a gaffe? Should he have apologized? Should he have fought back? What should he have done?

MURTHA: Well, Andrea, it was a mistake, an unfortunate mistake, but that’s just distracting from the real issue, the war on the ground. That’s the thing we have to worry about. You know, he’s got to handle this himself. But most of the Democrats voted against this war in the first place, yet they all support the troops. There is no question in my mind that John Kerry supports the troops. All the Democrats voted for the defense bill except for a very few, so that’s just a distraction. The war on the ground is the thing that worries me, and has worried me for the last year and a half, and there’s no alternative but to redeploy our troops. Our troops have become occupiers, our troops are caught in the middle of a civil war, even though nobody wants to admit there’s a civil war. Those are the things that effect where I — I have been all over the country, and let me tell you something. People want us out of Iraq. Now, they don’t immediately want us out of Iraq, but they want a timetable where we can say, ok, redeploy the troops. Don’t desert Iraq, but redeploy the troops. Even the Iraqis are saying the same thing. They want us out of there.

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124 Responses to “Murtha: Kerry Flap ‘Just Distracting From The Real Issue, The War On The Ground’”


  1. nym@alias.net Says:

    this is good stuff.

    republicans round robin, grasp at last straws about dem comments, and move the election focus back to the failed iraq bloodbath.

    now the dems have iraq focus again. bush is screwed, republicans are screwed.

    republicans are suckers, you guys ate it up, and gave the media focus back to the important issues.

    now the dem onslaught begins.

    hahahaha


  2. Grand+Moff+Texan Says:

    RED ALERT!!! Time to attack Murtha, trolls.

    It’s easy: all you have to do is switch from pretending to give a shit about the troops to attacking YET ANOTHER veteran.

    That will be easy for you, since you belive nothing.
    .


  3. pgl Says:

    Add to this the fact that we have abandoned a captured American soldier.


  4. oldtree Says:

    this is the best the criminals can do folks, it is all they have.
    next week, they will have but their genitalia in hand


  5. RayFromGA Says:

    Somebody tell this old man that if he REALLY cares about the troops then put on your uniform and help out. All this talking means nothing!


  6. Ben Says:

    This is what TP does. You guys are getting your asses handed to you so TP posts another thread.

    TP can’t handle it and nor can you dumbasses.

    Here are more dems calling out Kerry:

    North Carolina Democrats “absolutely disassociate ourselves from any criticism of our troops, misunderstood or otherwise,” said state party chairman Jerry Meek.

    Speaking to military families in New York, Sen. Hillary Clinton called Kerry’s comments Monday “inappropriate.”

    “Whatever the intent, Senator Kerry was wrong to say what he said,” Tennessee Democratic Senate hopeful Rep. Harold Ford Jr. said. “He needs to apologize to our troops”

    ROTFL…….hey start another thread…..ROTFL


  7. Pissed+Off Says:

    Why should I believe what Murtha says?

    GW and his gang truely know what is an insult to our troops. GW was AWOL from Air force reserve, Cheney dogged the draft and Rumsfeld flew planes in Korea before jet engines were used in military fighters.

    As you can see this bunch is more qualified to decide what is an insult to our troops than Murtha who served this country in uniform for 26 years and Kerry who is a decorated war veteran.

    (It was so difficult writing this with a straight face; I now go to ROTFL)


  8. nym@alias.net Says:

    #4 - please post a link about the abondoned American soldier


  9. Republicans are the fear and smear party Says:

    The Republicans are in their last throes, if you will.


  10. Ed+Deevy Says:

    If the Dems are smart they will make John Murtha their point man with the media over the next few days.


  11. TheToonGuy Says:

    And the trolls go back to saying “Oh yeah?” because this is all just a game to them. They don’t care about the troops, they just care about scoring points with their schoolyard chums. How low can you go, trolls?


  12. DRxJ Says:

    This is what TP does. You guys are getting your asses handed to you so TP posts another thread.
    Comment by Ben — November 1, 2006 @ 12:34 pm

    And the award for the most asinine post, goes to… Ben, The Great Imitator!
    Yes, this is what TP does. It posts threads!
    Genius, I tell ya, genius


  13. Grand+Moff+Texan Says:

    “absolutely disassociate ourselves from any criticism of our troops, misunderstood or otherwise,”

    “Whatever the intent, Senator Kerry was wrong to say what he said,”

    In other words, they accept Kerry’s explanation and agree (with Kerry) that no one should say what he didn’t say.

    Thanks for the good news, troll.
    .


  14. Roger_Roger Says:

    We could move past this horrible comment if Kerry would man up and apoligize to the troops. Sadly, he hasn’t done that yet. His “apoligy” on MSNBC wasn’t to the troops, thus it doesn’t count.


  15. dlet Says:

    Somebody tell this old man that if he REALLY cares about the troops then put on your uniform and help out. All this talking means nothing!

    Comment by RayFromGA

    Don’t worry with bush using the military for his own amusement they will have to up the recruiting age soon to the point where he might be able to re-up. Wanna bet he would go before any Repub congressman?


  16. Gregor Samsa Says:

    TP can’t handle it and nor can you dumbasses.
    Comment by Ben — November 1, 2006 @ 12:34 pm

    And you obviously cannot handle more than on thread per day.

    I will let you in on a little secret: Posting multiple threads on a daily basis is what ThinkProgress does all the time.

    Try to keep up.


  17. Joe Sixpack Says:

    Somebody tell this old man that if he REALLY cares about the troops then put on your uniform and help out. All this talking means nothing!
    Comment by RayFromGA

    I think the old man has earned his right to say his mind about this stuff, pal. Maybe you ought to think putting on YOUR uniform and start leading the way. You know: the first rule of a military leader is to set the example. After all, like you say, all this talking and posting means nothing.


  18. TheToonGuy Says:

    Hey Roger, has Rush apologized yet? Ann Coulter? As they say in the schoolyard, “you first.”


  19. Karim Says:

    Thank you Representative Murtha for speaking truth to power.


  20. ForTruth Says:

    The Kerry thing was all a plan hatched by Democratic strategists. Watch and weep.


  21. Ben Says:

    Hey Georgy dumbass Porgy….it’s the same topic dumbass.


  22. crickett Says:

    Wanna hear something cool? This morning on the CNN.com page there was a big picture of Kerry, and underneath it mentioned that Kerry had botched a joke “about soldiers in Iraq.” I wrote in and pointed out that that was misleading, and that it is clear from the transcript that the botched joke was “about” Bush. I just checked and they had changed it.

    I know, I know… There is a fallacy called post hoc ergo propter hoc that I am committing here, but I just love the idea that a consumer of their product might have had some influence over what they say.


  23. Goebbels Says:

    I guess if North Korea decides to invade the south now, they won’t have to worry at all about US reinforcements, especially if Iran makes threatening noises in the Persian Gulf at the same time given how overstretched the US military is. Thank you, George, for putting us in this situation!


  24. goose1 Says:

    When did Bush applogize for his WMD jokes (not over here under desk)?


  25. bobcat_grad Says:

    The Kerry thing was all a plan hatched by Democratic strategists. Watch and weep.

    You’ve intrigued me. Tell me more.

    Honestly, I could almost see that. Kerry ’slips’ and makes bad comment. There is plenty of evidence that he didn’t intend to say it. He gets tons of media attention. He then gets ample opportunity to go on various shows and point out the failures of Bush, and their last-ditch, lame attempt to shift the spotlight on Kerry… a guy not even running for anything this time.


  26. Wayne Says:

    The Repugs trying to trash Kerry are really trying to distract from their own record, with legislation already passed they have cut $24.7 billion from veterans’ medical care, disability compensation and other benefits. This includes death benefits to families of soldiers that die from combat.

    The Repugs support the troops?

    Yeah, right…… Bush*t.


  27. Jason+M.+Hendler Says:

    Murtha is right that it IS distracting, and will continue to be so, until Kerry makes the apology that I composed on the other thread. Harold Ford is demanding an apology, and Hill’reh is calling the statement inappropriate.

    Christmas has come early, thanks to John Kerry.


  28. Joe Sixpack Says:

    You guys are getting your asses handed to you so TP posts another thread.
    Comment by Ben

    Getting our asses handed to us, huh? Sorry, asswipe, but I’m thinking we won’t be seeing your lame-brained here on the morning of November 8th while you reacess just how the rightwing Rethug Party got their asses handed to them.


  29. Joe Sixpack Says:

    Christmas has come early, thanks to John Kerry.
    Comment by Jason+M.+Hendler

    And you too, huh, dipshit?


  30. paul Says:

    It would probably not be that difficult to pull the troops out of Iraq. But wouldn’t it be better to pursue victory and insure the rights and freedoms of the newly created democracy, then handing terrorists a victory that they can build on to attack the freedoms and liberties of others around the world. Is it really the best policy to do the easiest thing?


  31. Peejay3306 Says:

    #18 I 2nd that idea. Msgt P. Houston (retired)


  32. SouthwestBob Says:

    So Kerry’s actions resulted in how many soldiers being killed? GWB’s actions resulted in how many soldiers being killed? The repubs do not want their failures discussed, nor are they willing to take any responsiblity for them. Instead, let’s make a big deal our of what someone in the other party says, that will keep the voters focused on the real issues not on our failures! Too bad we’ve seen this dog and pony show before….voters are tired of grade school antics from the cheerleader prez who thinks he’s a royal ruler.


  33. Jason+M.+Hendler Says:

    #29, Joe,

    I will definitely be here - come rain or shine ….


  34. DieNowForPeace Says:

    Frankly, there’s nothing insulting about what Kerry said.

    We ARE stuck in Iraq.

    Our troops ARE stuck in Iraq (just ask anyone in the National Guard).

    Even those who are DYING to enlist and go to Iraq WILL get stuck there, willingly or not.

    If you drop out of college to join the Armed Forces, you’ll get stuck in Iraq too.

    But the truth is like a burr in the saddle, isn’t it?


  35. Ben Says:

    Joe go back to your Jerry Springer shows. You’ve always been a dumbass on here and you don’t seem to be getting any smarter.

    ROTFL……CRAZY DRUNK DUMBASS


  36. bobcat_grad Says:

    Critical thinking is a lost art for hardline Republicans, methinks.


  37. Sharon Cox Says:

    We love you Murtha….

    Did bush apolagoze for allowing 9/11, Iraq, Katrina,Lebanon and 700,000 dead for his power and profit….Since when are mere word’s more important then lives..Not in my book…Blessings


  38. Gregor Samsa Says:

    Hey Georgy dumbass Porgy….it’s the same topic dumbass.
    Comment by Ben — November 1, 2006 @ 12:52 pm

    “Georgy Porgy”? My five year old uses insults like this one.

    Another secret for you: ThinkProgress also post multiple threads on the same topic all the time.

    You should focus on knowing when to stop digging.


  39. SpudgeBoy Says:

    For all the right wing trolls who think Kerrys remark was off color. This just shows that you have no military experience. When I was in the US Army, I was uneducated and so were 85% of the other enlisted soldiers were uneducated. The “soldiers” that were eductaed were called commissioned officers and told the enlisted soldiers and non-commisioned officers what to do.

    That is how it works and that is fact. anybody that argues that I am wrong has not served in the military.


  40. Novermber+7 Says:

    We are ALL stuck in Iraq
    We as the people of the United States in the year 2006 do not need to be enmeshed in an illegal war in Iraq. It affects each and every one of us. The attention of the US should be focussed on much more important issues that affect us all, like the decline of living standards for the average US citizen, US trade competitiveness, the 40 Million + without health insurance, global warming, poverty, education, etc. etc.


  41. Peejay3306 Says:

    Don’t you just like how soldiers like myself go out and risk their lives SO TROLLS LIKE THIS CAN POLLUTE THE EARTH WITH THEIR BS RHETORIC. How can you say you support the troops and then DISRESPECT HONORABLY DISCHARGED VETERANS? Does it mean when our boys come back from Iraq and say that it is BS….that you can disrespect them as you have disrespected John Murtha and John Kerry. YOU DON’T RESPECT ANYTHING…… I served in the first Gulf War and you disrespect me. So don’t hand me this gobly gook you support the troops….you have no clue what this means. And to think this is what I fought for IDIOTS LIKE YOU. I think you would love to see me in my grave for your so called Noble Cause and they said Hitler and the Nazis were bad…now I know why!!!


  42. Ben Says:

    Georgy you have a 5 year old? Who did you rape?


  43. Swordsbane Says:

    Jeeze guys. Just because the story has the word Kerry in it, does not mean it’s about the joke. It was about how we’re distracting ourselves with Kerrys remark. So what are you all doing?? Distracting yourselves with Kerry’s remark… Oh.. wait… that is on topic… Never mind… Continue… I’ll see you all later when you have something interesting to say.


  44. Joe Sixpack Says:

    #29, Joe, I will definitely be here - come rain or shine ….
    Comment by Jason+M.+Hendler

    Good. Better count on rain, my man.

    Nancy Palosi, Leader of the House. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?


  45. Foley's 12" Ruler Says:

    #34 Jason

    Bring your umbrella and your rubber booties.


  46. Peejay3306 Says:

    Joe go back to your Jerry Springer shows. You’ve always been a dumbass on here and you don’t seem to be getting any smarter.

    ROTFL……CRAZY DRUNK DUMBASS

    Comment by Ben — November 1, 2006 @ 1:07 pm

    Yeah, I can see you support the troops and respect them. You are such a hypocrite!!


  47. RealScientist Says:

    Somebody tell this old man that if he REALLY cares about the troops then put on your uniform and help out. All this talking means nothing!

    Comment by RayFromGA — November 1, 2006 @ 12:34 pm

    I nominate this for stupidest post of the day. Maybe even stupidest post of the week. And that takes some doing around here.


  48. Peejay3306 Says:

    SPUDGEBOY…..RIGHT ON….I WAS ENLISTED TOO!! Right on target…..and it shows who knows the real deal and who are talking out of the BUTT!! Question: are you out now….if not what is your ETS??


  49. SpudgeBoy Says:

    Georgy you have a 5 year old? Who did you rape?

    Comment by Ben — November 1, 2006 @ 1:13 pm

    A little Mark Foley projection?

    Won’t work here.

    Desperation makes you people look so silly.


  50. Gregor Samsa Says:

    Georgy you have a 5 year old? Who did you rape?
    Comment by Ben — November 1, 2006 @ 1:13 pm

    Please, Ben. Stop projecting.

    Not everybody has your violent tendencies.

    How long have you been out of jail?


  51. DRxJ Says:

    Georgy you have a 5 year old? Who did you rape?

    Comment by Ben — November 1, 2006 @ 1:13 pm

    please tell me this was a namejacker


  52. SpudgeBoy Says:

    Peejay3306,

    No, I am an old fart now. Well, not that old. I served in Desert Storm. You know like back when the republican president knew it would be stupid to go into Bahgdad?


  53. Peejay3306 Says:

    SPUDGEBOY….I would be very interested in your opinion having also served in the military (specifically the Army). I served from 1987 - 1994 and did one tour in Kuwait in the first Gulf War. I have been trying to tell this audience all morning that the military is a two tiered system….the enlisted and the officers and that the educational levels of the two are miles apart. I will ignore all posts….as I am really interested in hearing your opinion. Thanks PJ


  54. Peejay3306 Says:

    SPUDGEBOY….I would be very interested in your opinion having also served in the military (specifically the Army). I served from 1987 - 1994 and did one tour in Kuwait in the first Gulf War. I have been trying to tell this audience all morning that the military is a two tiered system….the enlisted and the officers and that the educational levels of the two are miles apart. I will ignore all posts….as I am really interested in hearing your opinion. Thanks PJ


  55. Briseadh na Faire Says:

    For some reason this post was deleted, so I’m trying it again, without the link:

    If you haven’t done so already, see: “Iraq for Sale.”

    Maybe then you’ll understand why we are “staying the course” in Iraq. A couple of thousand years ago a guy took a whip and drove the money-changers out of his house. It’s time we followed His lead and drive the money-changers out of both the House and the Senate!


  56. Bluedog49 Says:

    I don’t want any facts to get in the way of sound conservative arguments, but anyone is free to visit the website of the IAVA (Iraq and Afganistan Veterans of America) where they rate politicians on their committment to the troops. Kerry gets a “B.” Most of the Repubs criticizing Kerry don’t get grades that high. Rick Santorum, for example, gets a “D-”


  57. Peejay3306 Says:

    Kewl….ok I am 43…not young whipper snapper. I served as a 88M @ Ft. Riley and u?


  58. RealScientist Says:

    This is what TP does. You guys are getting your asses handed to you so TP posts another thread.

    TP can’t handle it and nor can you dumbasses.

    Comment by Ben — November 1, 2006 @ 12:34 pm

    The lack of self-awareness exhibited by this post borders on pathological. Ben, when you post here you are in a free fire zone, and surrounded by the enemy.


  59. paul Says:

    Think about what Kerry says he was trying to say. If you work hard, study, get a good education, you’ll be successful. If you don’t, you’ll end up (getting us) stuck in Iraq.

    Seeing that Bush outperformed Kerry with a better GPA at Yale, what would Kerry imply about a Kerry Presidency?


  60. Joe Sixpack Says:

    This just shows that you have no military experience. When I was in the US Army, I was uneducated and so were 85% of the other enlisted soldiers were uneducated. That is how it works and that is fact. anybody that argues that I am wrong has not served in the military.
    Comment by SpudgeBoy

    Great post, Spudge. Let the trolls eat cake and other stuff. Didn’t you say you were at Ft. Sill at one time? Anyway, you are are right. I was poor and uneducated and used the military to earn a BA. Kerry’s point was not about if you are a bonehead, you end up in Iraq instead of getting a good education, and you and I both know what he ment. Still, by accident and without meaning to, he was closer to our point than what he intended.


  61. Democrat Soldier Says:

    It’s just too bad that the right-whiner trolls are so much more interested in Sen. Kerry’s remarks and want to “sut & run” from Sen. Allen calling black people “monkeys”.


  62. TerrytheTurtle Says:

    Georgy you have a 5 year old? Who did you rape?

    Comment by Ben — November 1, 2006 @ 1:13 pm

    Ben, you are a foul-mouthed scumbag.


  63. MakesYaThink Says:

    Ahh isn’t it wonderful to be in a country divided?

    Fighting over who said what? Just like little F’ing 9 year olds.

    Meanwhile the real issue at hand has been all but forgotten.

    It’s the constitution you idiots.

    For a country that has the power to print it’s own money, why do we allow “the banks” to do it for us? So we can pay them interest?

    Because those behind the power on both sides know as long as they keep us fighting each other, they’ll rob us and our children blind, until we’re all poor.

    We are all slaves, we didn’t use to be. Look up the Federal Reserve, who runs it, as an American it’s your duty to live by the constitution. We all have been sold out.

    1776-1913 our country was fine without the Federal Reserve.

    THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRAT THING
    THIS IS NOT A REPUBLICAN THING

    Every cent of taxes we pay, only pays the interest on the money they loaned us, after of course they took all the gold in Fort Knox.

    JESUS CHRIST FOLKS STOP THE PETTY BICKERING.

    REMEMBER:

    WE THE PEOPLE give power to the govt.. Not the Govt gives power to us.

    Think any president or congress has control? You are fooled again.

    FOLLOW THE MONEY TRAILS!


  64. skippy Says:

    as skippy said, for the publicans’ outrage to be valid, they have to concede the point that the men and women in uniform are indeed “stuck” in iraq.

    .

    .


  65. SpudgeBoy Says:

    Joe Sixpack,

    I trained at Fort Sill, OK, but was assigned to Fort Riley. KS, for permanent duty.

    4/5 Field Artillery Fort Riley, KS 1st Infantry Division Mechanized
    Big Red One Ooshaw!


  66. Peejay3306 Says:

    How can you compare GW’s Grades, when the man says things like “evil doer” “The Google” “The Internets” “The Decider”…..people with an education, such as myself, cringe when of President says such garbage. I think the only reason GW had decent grades is that daddy paid someone off or gave money to the Alumni Assoc., because he certainly doesn’t demonstrate his higher education when he opens his mouth!!!


  67. Al Says:

    The troll posts here have convinced me. I have been left no alternative. I must vote a straight democratic ticket. So, I am off to early voting. Keep up the good work.
    Turdles


  68. Peejay3306 Says:

    SPUDGE….I was at Ft. Riley at the 541st Maintenance Battalion. I was in the 24th Transportation Co. Got my degree at K-State after I got out. We could have crossed in the morning running PT up the hill.


  69. Peejay3306 Says:

    Spudge…when were you at Ft. Riley????


  70. Peejay3306 Says:

    Spudge…when were you at Ft. Riley????


  71. Bluedog49 Says:

    Paul, a Bush cultist, wants us to know that Bush is smarter than Kerry. Ok, Paul, I think we’ve got it. On another subject, Paul, can you explain why it is that veterans of Iraq and Afganistan consistently rate Dems higher than Repubs in the area of supporting the troops?


  72. Joe Sixpack Says:

    Joe go back to your Jerry Springer shows. You’ve always been a dumbass on here and you don’t seem to be getting any smarter.
    Comment by Ben

    You are right of course. Really. But I’m working ongetting smarter every day.

    Speaking of dumbasses, how did your mama come up with a lame name like Jason? Was she pissed off that day, or what?


  73. Fools+on+the+Hill Says:

    I see the repugs have their swift-boat running for the final days of campaigning. They offer nothing but smear and fear and created the helluva mess in Iraq, based on dead-wrong intelligence.


  74. tom+baker Says:

    Peejay - Thanks for your post. Sometimes the trolls need to be reminded that there are real soldiers in real uniforms who share some of the views of the majority of posters here. Guys like Ben and Jason and Paul all like to pretend that no one in the military participates in this, and that folks like myself have no idea what real members of the military think about our “government” and its “policies”. I’ve seen a number of trolls get their asses handed to them by real vets and real active duty members, and nothing is more satisfying to a civilian like me.

    What I’d really like to see is those guys squared off with Pat Tillman’s brother, who was a Ranger, and is smarter than your average troll by about 80 iq points.


  75. SpudgeBoy Says:

    Peejay3306,

    That was way back in 1990-1994.

    So, you went and got your degree in Manhattan? I used to party there all the time. Take the college girls away from the college guys. Take the college guys money at pool. Good times.


  76. Bluedog49 Says:

    I suggest everyone go to this site: http://capwiz.com/iava/dbq/officials and check out your representative and senator’s grade from Iraq and Afganistan war veterans on supporting the troops.


  77. NoMoreRepublicanTrash Says:

    Shouldn’t BUSH be apologizing to the troops? Who sent to the troops to fight a fictional war on terror? Was it Kerry who sent the troops to Iraq, or was it BUSH. Let’s be clear here: Kerry made a comment, stupid or otherwise, but no one died or had their lives and the lives of their families ruined because of it. BUSH, on the other hand, lied to the citizens of the United States and the world about WMDs in Iraq, and since that calculated lie, the world has been in turmoil, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been slaughtered, and thousands of U.S. troops have been slaughtered or maimed. So who exactly should be apologizing to the troops? I SAY BUSH AND EVERY SINGLE PSEUDO-CHRISTIAN AND REPUBLICAN SHOULD BE APOLOGIZING FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. I will give the Republicans one thing, they are great finger pointers, when they ought to instead be looking in the mirror. VOTE THEM OUT NOW.


  78. nym@alias.net Says:

    bush needs to apologize to the troops, americas, and the world for that WMD joke.


  79. Zimzone Says:

    TROLLS FOR BUSH:
    Will lie for food.


  80. Happy+Guy Says:

    No, your distracting from the subject you fat ugly pig. Kerry is a stinking Democrat who does not care about the troop or the safety of America. He is just showing the left’s true colors.

    ROTFL - This is going to hurt you guys - ROTFL


  81. SpudgeBoy Says:

    No, your distracting from the subject you fat ugly pig. Kerry is a stinking Democrat who does not care about the troop or the safety of America. He is just showing the left’s true colors.

    ROTFL - This is going to hurt you guys - ROTFL

    Comment by Happy+Guy — November 1, 2006 @ 1:57 pm

    Which branch did you serve in again?


  82. Juan+C Says:

    Seeing that Bush outperformed Kerry with a better GPA at Yale, what would Kerry imply about a Kerry Presidency?
    Comment by paul

    That GPA score shows everytime Bush opens his mouth. Really.

    Now, I dont get it, Ben, Ex, paul, and all people here mad about Kerry´s comments. Bush lied about Iraq, 9/11 and WMD´s. Almost 3,000 of your boys are dead, lets say 500,000 iraqis civilians are dead. For a lie. (Well, for oil and to threat China, but that you wont heard from your “free” press). Kerry´s make a true, verifiable comment that kills nobody, threats nobody and he should apologize. So if you tell the truth you apologize, you lie and you are celebrated? What have we done to raise people like you?


  83. nullnvoid Says:

    most of the democrats voted against the war???


  84. Bluedog49 Says:

    I suggested to Happy Guy that he go to the IAVA site and see how veterans actually rate politicians on their voting records and Happy Guy’s response was: No, your distracting from the subject you fat ugly pig. Kerry is a stinking Democrat who does not care about the troop or the safety of America. He is just showing the left’s true colors.”

    OK, Happy Guy, let me lead you by the nose here:

    Kerry: B
    Pelosi: B+
    Dennis Hastert: F
    Rick Santorum: D-
    Boehner: C

    Veterans of the Iraq and Afganistan war are rating congresspeople on their actual voting records, but evidently Happy Guy doesn’t care what actual veterans think.


  85. Peejay3306 Says:

    TO: SPUDGE Oh Aggieville….spent my time there too. Got my Bachelor’s at K-State and my Master’s at KU. You never partied in Junction City….LOL!! I met my husband in AIT at Ft. Dix. We married before permanent duty station assignment….he went to Ft. Benning and I went to Ft. Riley. We finally got joint domicile and he came to Ft. Riley. I had my beautiful son at Irwin Army Hospital at Ft. Riley. My son will be 18 in January and I so worry that they will draft into this terrible war. If it comes to it……I will leave my country, before I lose my only son for a lie. I think that is what really upsets me about these people that make some of these posts in here is that they would take my son’s life for A LIE!! My son’s blood would be spilled for these idiot to spew the lies that they spew. They think this is some game….but what they fail to realize is that they are supporting the destruction of many lives and many familes. I will give my son the opportunity to have children, even if it means I must find some other place to call home. It’s too bad that all these trolls in here HAVE NO HEART, HAVE NO EMPATHY AND THINKS THIS IS JUST SOME STRATEGIC GAME….THAT THEY ARE WINNING (HOW PATHETIC).


  86. Bluedog49 Says:

    Happy Guy: “No, your distracting from the subject you fat ugly pig.”

    I’m sorry everyone. I just had to re-post that response to an argument. It’s just too funny.


  87. Bluedog49 Says:

    Happy Guy, I’m going to pass along your response to Paul Reickhoff. I’m sure he will be interested to know how red-blooded Bush supporters react to their eye-opening report on the voting records of our representatives and senators with respect to supporting the troops.


  88. SpudgeBoy Says:

    Peejay3306,

    Oh I partied in Junction City alright. Strip clubs as far as the eye can see. Setup just for young military guys to waste their checks on. They got a bunch of my money. : )


  89. Bluedog49 Says:

    I’m “distracting from the subject” of whether John Kerry supports the troops by pointing out his voting record on supporting the troops. Hmmmmm.


  90. paul Says:

    #84. If veterans rate Democrats so highly, why do Democrats consistently try to disenfrancise military votes by trying to block absentee ballots from servicemen and women from being counted?


  91. TSop Says:

    The Dems should bring up this - remember the Recruiting Scandals?

    http://www.cbsnews.com/ stories/ 2005/ 05/ 02/ eveningnews/ main692497.shtml


  92. s Says:

    Look In The Mirror For Apologies Mr. Bush

    by Steve Soto
    Several comments on the GOP’s manufactured outrage over Kerry’s remarks.

    First, if you can’t talk about Iraq and your candidates don’t want you to appear in competitive districts because you are a liability to them, then Bush and his Mini-Me John McCain obviously needed something to change the narrative for several news cycles. And if there is one thing this White House is better at than anything else, it is avoiding responsibility for its negligence and attacking others even at the expense of talking up the positive. But if the White House and the GOP agree to nationalize the final week of the campaign onto Democratic turf on Iraq, they are playing into the Democrats’ hands at a time when GOP candidates were trying to walk away from both Iraq and Bush’s record.

    Second, there is a lot on teeth-gnashing in the center-left blogosphere today about the distancing that several Democrats and Democratic candidates have done from Kerry over the last 24 hours, with several of these candidates like Harold Ford, Jr. and Jon Tester calling for Kerry to apologize. Stop the disappointment. These candidates are trying to win races against a GOP media and attack machine a week before the election. Let them decide what is necessary and appropriate in their own races without anyone on the outside demanding that these candidates fumble the ball this close to the goal line through adherence to ideological litmus tests. The immediate goal is to elect more Democrats to establish a check and balance on this administration, not to let the other side and the media encourage the Democrats into a party-purity circular firing squad a week before the election.

    As long as the White House is demanding apologies, let’s all get in the spirit. Mr. Bush, you should apologize for making a joke about not finding WMDs, as thousands die in Iraq for your lies. But why stop there?

    Mr. Bush, apologize to the families of those lost on September 11th for your abdication of responsibility in the summer of 2001, and specifically for your “you’ve covered your ass now” response in ignoring the August 6th, 2001 PDB.

    Mr. Bush, apologize for letting Osama Bin Laden escape at Tora Bora in December 2001, and for encouraging the Pakistanis to back away from Al Qaeda and the Taliban in September in Waziristan.

    Mr. Bush, apologize to our troops in Afghanistan for abandoning the mission in that country to divert resources to Iraq, and for Donald Rumsfeld specifically refusing to provide resources for a heroin eradication program in that country that has led to a flourishing of financing for the Taliban.

    Mr. Bush, apologize to our troops for sending them into harm’s way through a campaign of lies and public disinformation, and then joking about it as the soldiers died for your mendacity.

    Mr. Bush, apologize to our troops for using them in a war that had nothing to do with those who attacked us on 9/11, and for knowing you were lying about this at the time.

    Mr. Bush, apologize to the troops for not sending enough of them to secure the country, for providing them with inadequate and substandard equipment, food, and logistical support that has endangered them every day they are there. You should apologize to the troops for not having a Plan B to deal with occupying the country after Donald Rumsfeld didn’t get his way by installing Ahmad Chalabi as our toady. While you are at it, apologize to the troops for not securing the weapons caches inside Iraq and for letting thousands of weapons fall into the hands of those who are killing our troops now.

    Mr. Bush, apologize to the troops for not changing strategy from “stay the course” when it could have mattered years ago, thereby ensuring that our troops are fighting and dying needlessly for your pigheadedness.

    Mr. Bush, apologize to the troops for their inadequate veterans’ benefits, why their families have to go on food stamps, why their families have to send them flak jackets, and why you don’t attend the funerals of those killed in action.

    And while you are at it, you should apologize to the troops for being so cavalier with their lives with the “bring them on”, “Mission Accomplished”, and other rhetorical nonsense. It sure seems easy for you to question the commitment and patriotism of others when neither you, your five-deferments vice president, your peacetime flight instructor Defense Secretary, and your combat-avoiding press spokesman have ever served their country in combat.

    Mr. Bush, someone like you, who DQ’d from being a stateside pilot after running to Alabama to avoid Vietnam is in no position to ask anyone else to apologize to our troops for anything.

    Any apologies begin and end with you.


  93. Mattew Says:

    A flash movie about dead soldiers and lies.

    deadforalie


  94. Joe Sixpack Says:

    your distracting from the subject you fat ugly pig. Kerry is a stinking Democrat who does not care about the troop or the safety of America. He is just showing the left’s true colors.
    Comment by Happy+Guy

    Happy Guy sounds pretty unhappy.

    Guess he just saw the latest polls. In one, the AP-AOL News telephone poll of 2,000 adults, 970 of whom are likely voters, was conducted by Ipsos from Oct. 20-25. In it, 56 percent of likely voters said they would vote to send a Democrat to the House and 37 percent said they would vote Republican.

    I mean, how unhappy can happy get?

    Here is something that might cheer you up, Happy: start thinking of a new congress with DEMOCRATIC House Speaker: either Nancy Pelosi or John Murtha if he runs for her job as he said! See? It can always get worse for you! Much worse, so cheer up.


  95. SpudgeBoy Says:

    #84. If veterans rate Democrats so highly, why do Democrats consistently try to disenfrancise military votes by trying to block absentee ballots from servicemen and women from being counted?

    Comment by paul — November 1, 2006 @ 2:20 pm

    Nice way of trying to blame the democrats for something republicans do.


  96. Solitaire Says:

    distraction. nothing but distraction. i don’t think it will work. the gop doesn’t need distractions (even though they evidently think they do) because they are sliding downhill very very fast and distraction will not stop them from going splat. but if they want to talk about iraq, i think the dems can accommodate them in that.


  97. Democrat Soldier Says:

    #90 - Because they don’t.

    Your comment is nothing but a canard by the right-whiners who are trying any spin they can to cover up their own inability to properly fund armor for our troops and their vehicles.

    I guess tax breaks for rich people are more important for Republicans that fully fuding body armor for our troops!!!


  98. Solitaire Says:

    I can’t wait for Murtha or Pelosi to take charge of the House. Maybe they can stop these foolish thugs from destroying our country.


  99. NoMoreRepublicanTrash Says:

    #90 — actually, it is the Republicans who have made voting more difficult for the troops. No doubt your post was a typo.


  100. Wayne Says:

    #92

    add to the list that Bush needs to apologize for signing the bills that cut $24.7 billion from veterans’ medical care, disability compensation and other benefits, including death benefits to families of soldiers that die from combat.

    Just one of the trolls try to defend the cutting of veterans benefits, while they are pouring their blood on the ground in Iraq.
    But they ignore facts while harping on the talking points about Kerry

    Repugs are not supporting the troops, the cuts prove that.


  101. Bluedog49 Says:

    Paul: “If veterans rate Democrats so highly, why do Democrats consistently try to disenfrancise military votes by trying to block absentee ballots from servicemen and women from being counted?”

    They don’t. That’s a GOP smear. It stems from the fact that Dems ALLOWED a bunch of illegal overseas votes to be counted after complaining that some of the votes looked like fraud and didn’t meet standards during the Florida recount in 2000.

    Again, Paul, it’s not “if they rate Dems highly,” they DO rate Dems higher than Repubs on their support of the troops. It’s all right there at Operation Truth. You’re still trying to make intellectual arguments instead of just looking at the facts. Or, as Steven Colbert said describing the Bush 2004 campaign, “Never mind the facts, listen to the words…”


  102. NoMoreRepublicanTrash Says:

    A question to HappyGay: Is it more important to you and those like you for the Republicans to WIN, or is world peace more important? The two do not go hand in hand. Please enlighten us.


  103. Bluedog49 Says:

    Happy Gay, who’s your congressperson. Let’s go see if he supports the troops with his votes as opposed to his words.


  104. unitynow Says:

    This attempt by the GOP to “distract voters” from the singular issue of this midtern is futile already….They have nothing they can say which is positive in ANY way, shape, or form about what they’ve done for 6 years so all they can do is try to spin and mock the words of another….

    The last time I looked John Kerry was not our President, or is he?? Perhaps they fear him so much because he commands more respect than they collectively do these days? So much of what he said during the debates has come to fruition….he’s beginning to look more informed and intelligent every day, isn’t he?

    When the GOP reduce themselves to mocking another, twisting truth during precious time which SHOULD be spent uplifting those around them instead of defiling others, the net result will be absolutely and completely NEGATIVE. It’s the law of the universe…..one reaps what they sow. What you put out there, you get back….and so on.

    I suspect that they’ll all get theirs when the leadership changes and we may for the first time see ex-administration officials spending time in jumpsuits.


  105. ForTruth Says:

    Republicans believe world peace is impossible, they like to repeat historically bad mistakes.


  106. ForTruth Says:

    Gay Guy,

    You like whirled peas?


  107. paul Says:

    At what point in history was there world peace. (Liberal fantasy world peace doesn’t count).


  108. BigCynic.com Says:

    Call me old-fashioned, but an oilman sending our troops to invade and occupy an oil-rich country is a huge insult to our troops. He’s using our military as if it’s private security for ExxonMobile.


  109. Sharon Cox Says:

    Great post’s progressives, #92- s that was outstanding, Thank You!…Every one that can, please go buy some food and send it to our troop’s along with note’s of encouragement and thanking them for their service….Right or wrong they are stuck their and many are dieing..

    Think Progress, how about a thread with all the names of our lost troop’s on it….Open some eye’s….CNN had a short clip today of fallen soldiers that was well done……Blessings


  110. Happy+Guy Says:

    Yes, Murtha is a fat ugly pig. You lefties like to say that about Rush (#1 Rated, rub it in) so I decided to say it about Murtha. He is a Fat, Ugly, Pig. The topic is “should John Kerry apologize“. But you lefties keep changing the subject.

    Answer - YES HE SHOULD (even Hillary said so)

    ROTFL, ROTFL, ROTFL, ROTFL, ROTFL, ROTFL!


  111. big+papa Says:

    This is worse than pathetic. I was so fed up I emailed the DNC, Kerry and Barack Obama at ussentate.com an idea for a commercial rebutting Repulsivescum Party Bush/Rove spin denigrating Kerry, Murtha, and other Democrats’ military related images. The commercial goes like this:

    Dark nightime skies are interrupted with the silhouette of a C-130 military plane being peppered with anti-aircraft fire. Inside U.S. paratroopers are hooking up to stag lines ready to jump. The jump Sergeant begins to call out names. “Murtha” the sarge bellows. “Here sir” a soldier answers then jumps. “Cleland”, Sergeant shouts! “Here sarge” a soldier answers then jumps. “Kerry”, Sergeant screams. “Aye aye sir” a soldier responds then jumps. “Cheney,” the sergeant shouts….silence except for hum of aircraft engines and explosions from anti-aircraft fire…”Dick Cheney,”the sarge repeats …silence aircraft hum explosions…”Bush,”.sarge calls out..silence…hum of engines explosions…”George W. Bush”… silence…

    scene fades to black and caption:

    “Who honors their service?”

    Hey Judd,

    …maybe you can use your new found celebrity to get this on air…

    …pronto…


  112. Bluedog49 Says:

    Paul: “At what point in history was there world peace.”

    Answer: At some point before the onset of organized religion.

    Happy Gay, Kerry has already apologized. Now, since you think he has shown a shameful lack of support for the troops, lets move on to a factual discussion of voting records and how our elected representatives support the troops with their votes and not their mouths. Iraq and Afganistan Veterans of America (IAVA) has the data on that. Why don’t you go check it out. Kerry gets an “A.” Dennis Hastert gets an “F.” Democrats, it turns out according to this non-partisan group of veterans, have a better record of supporting the troops than Repubs. Amazing, huh?


  113. paul Says:

    I’m no fan of organized religion, but there were wars and murders before religion. I’ll swear to it on a stack of bibles.


  114. NoMoreRepublicanTrash Says:

    Yes, Murtha is a fat ugly pig. You lefties like to say that about Rush (#1 Rated, rub it in) so I decided to say it about Murtha. He is a Fat, Ugly, Pig. The topic is “should John Kerry apologize“. But you lefties keep changing the subject.

    Answer - YES HE SHOULD (even Hillary said so)

    ROTFL, ROTFL, ROTFL, ROTFL, ROTFL, ROTFL!

    Comment by Happy+Guy — November 1, 2006 @ 4:05 pm

    HappyGay: Let’s see: John Murtha, decorated soldier who fought for the United States and to this day serves his country both admirably and bravely; and one of the few who have stood up fearlessly speaking against the Bush administration. And Rush Limbaugh, a drug-addled, hateful stooge who offers absolutely nothing positive to the discourse, save aping the Republican party approved talking points. Both do indeed have weight issues. But pound for pound Limbaugh is the pig. Your boastful stance on Limbaugh’s ratings points to the speciousness of your argument. Since when to ratings points trump service to our country? Keep talking, HappyGay, we’re all ROTFL each time you put fingers to keyboard to post your nonsense. ROTFL!


  115. Uncle_Ho Says:

    HappyGuy; Murtha served over 30 years in the Marines, fought and decorated in Vietnam. Rush Limpdick hid behind a deferment for a cyst on his ass which did NOT stop others from serving, I know, as a corpsman during Vietnam, I personally changed the bandages of GIs with anal cysts. It’s Limpdick and his supporters that are disgusting cruel(think of Michael J. Fox) fascist pigs.


  116. Jim+Hudson Says:

    The Republicans have nothing.


  117. JPV Says:

    Murtha is dead right. These distractions, like what Kerry said, or Limbaugh’s resent gaffs, are just that… distractions from the real issues. I’m sorry to say it, but most of the people that post messages on this forum are complete suckers. You guys fall for this BS every time.

    The real issue is this: HOW DO WE FIX THE PROBLEM IN IRAQ SO THAT WE CAN GET OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

    This should be what drives the public discourse. Not a game of “he said, she said” caused by an idiot like Kerry sticking his foot in his mouth.


  118. JPV Says:

    As en example, the post regarding Kerry’s idiocy has garnered 362 comments.

    This one 116.

    C’mon people, do you want to discuss politics or just gossip about meaningless BS.

    Get real already!


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