I came across a couple of columns this morning commenting on election endgame strategies with general disapproval. First up, Sheila Suess Kennedy, writing in the Indianapolis Star notes that the Republicans are going back to the homophobia well one more time. Energized by the New Jersey ruling that audaciously held that “denying commited same-sex couples the financial and social benefits given their married heterosexual counterparts bears no substantial relationship to a legitimate government purpose,” we have Republicans hyperventilating about the mortal peril this represents to not only heterosexual marriages but the very American way of life. Conveniently forgotten are lesser issues about troops dying in Iraq to no real purpose, the resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, the profiteering of military contractors, the refusal of Congress to implement the the recommendations of the 9/11 commission, warrantless wiretaps of American citizens, the death of habeas corpus, etc. etc.
Meanwhile, specific to Indianapolis and on the other side of the political fence, Abdul sees gamesmanship in the Indy City County Council’s decision to investigate whether Carl Brizzi, Republican candidate for Marion County Prosecutor, misled the Council about jail overcrowding this summer. The subject of the investigation may be worthy, but the timing is suspicious. A week before the election, the Council gets interested about jail overcrowding. Perhaps they were, like Capt. Renault in Casablanca, “shocked, shocked” to find a jail overcrowding problem in Indianapolis. Abdul righteously demands to be plied with Brazilian strippers, good scotch whiskey, and a box of cigars and chocolate if he is expected to be manipulated in this fashion.
For my part, the only last minute antics that have gotten me even briefly agitated are the folks getting worked up about Kerry’s stumbling attempt at humor and the media that enables them. The only way you could say that John “Oh, did I ever mention I served in Viet Nam” Kerry thinks all soldiers are stupid is if you are horribly, horribly ignorant or a liar. And yet, people expressing that view were given hour after hour of cable news time. Liberal media, indeed.
At the end of the day, I’m mildly annoyed that my vote and Abdul’s vote and Sheila Suess Kennedy’s vote are all counted equally with the votes of those who are poorly informed enough that they can be swayed by last minute theatrics and campaign advertisements. I’m happy enough with a system where I can be outvoted. I only wish that the votes were better informed.
Kerry is one of the reasons that The Democrats cannot win elections any more…
The Democrats need to get rid of John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, and their cronies…
They just do not stand for mainstream America…
Mike Sylvester
That may or may not be the case. But what I believe is undeniable is that no honest person who knows a little about John Kerry believes that John Kerry meant to say that he thinks American soldiers are stupid. Citizens should come down like a ton of lead on media outlets who spend time entertaining this notion. Liberal media, indeed.
I must be stupid as well…
I took Kerry’s comments to mean that he thinks American soldiers are stupid when I read them…
Mike Sylvester
You’re clearly not stupid, Mike. You may not be aware of all of the facts; though obviously I don’t know what you do or do not know. If you are aware of all the facts, my question is how? How could you know about Kerry practically fellating soldiers any time he makes a political speech, know about the part of the speech leading up to the “joke” where Kerry bags on Bush’s lack of education and intellectual curiosity, know the content of Kerry’s prepared remarks said “get us stuck in Iraq”, read “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.” and then honestly conclude that Kerry thinks the troops are stupid? How can that happen?
I’m not blaming you, Mike. You’re a guy with a lot to do in real life; so you flip on the TV or radio or whatever and just hear the quoted words, “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;” and perhaps if you aren’t aware of Kerry’s almost obsessive praising of the military and the troops, you conclude that Kerry said something confusing if not offensive.
I am, however, blaming news outlets who are paid to investigate and report who couldn’t possibly be doing their job and still be ignorant of the facts I cited above. I am also blaming the professional politicians and their lackeys who were undoubtedly aware of those facts and deliberately feigned ignorance so they could use the troops as a political football. And I’m blaming the talking head shows who are more interested in selling soap than in presenting viewers with informed debate.
I’ve got no great love of John Kerry. But there is no way you can have listened to what he has said about the military in the past, have heard respect for our soldiers, and think he suddenly believes that soldiers are stupid.
These bastards are ruining our country with this horseshit. McCain, in particular, knows better and should be ashamed of himself.
Keith Olbermann’s commentary perhaps puts it better than I have:
The whole thing is certainly worth reading or listening to.
But there is no way you can have listened to what he has said about the military in the past, have heard respect for our soldiers, and think he suddenly believes that soldiers are stupid.
If you think that he is just giving praise that is not heartfelt, then you can totally think that. Maybe the “swiftboat” guys just did a masterfull PR job, but I don’t think he was ever a real soldier. I don’t think Bush was either, mind you.
I do think that Kerry and many others feel that the only way most people end up in the armed forces is if they had no where else to turn. It isn’t intended as an insult, it is to support them in a twisted way. They feel that most of them got in without ever expecting to have to be sent to fight, and that is one of the major reasons to bring them home. They “just can’t do any better”.
The context was unmistakable: Texas; the state of denial; stuck in Iraq. No interpretation required.
Ok, maybe I am stupid as well, but I do think some interpretation was required. Even after reading the full backstory, Kerry’s intended joke didn’t come off that way to me.
Maybe it is just a matter of perspective on Kerry. If you think he is a fairly honorable person, they you would assume he is talking about Bush. If you think he is fairly dishonorable, then you assume he is talking about the troops.
Well, o.k. Let’s assume you think Kerry’s completely full of shit. Heartfelt or not, you know that his speeches have been littered with complimentary sentiments expressed toward the troops. Why on earth would he suddenly start saying the troops are stupid? What could he possibly have to gain from executing a 180 degree turn from his normal praise the troops rhetoric?
Who cares about what Kerry said. What is sad is that voters in a lot of places are given very little from the media on the candidates. The internet is making things better but we still have a long way to go.
I thought that I would also point out that Sheila has posted on her column on bilerico.com. She expanded on what she said in the Star column, so if you liked the column you’ll like her post as well.
Kerry made a joke. It was construed, by some, as being in poor taste. Chances are, however, his audience did have a bit of a chuckle when they heard it. I know I did.
But what it really boils down to here is that what John Kerry says DOESN’T REALLY MATTER! The man isn’t running for any kind of office! The only reason there’s such a furor is because Kerry is not a Republican. With less than a week to go until elections, anything anyone who is not a Republican says that can even remotely be interpreted as unpatriotic or otherwise generally threatening is up for scrutinous media overkill. Anything the Reps can do to take the focus away from their blatant stupidity and sleaze is welcome, and the media more than eagerly obliges.
Reading the comments as delivered by Kerry, there could be some confusion about the meaning if you were inclined to think–however improbably–that Kerry has disrespect for the troops. However, reading the text of his intended remarks, as provided to the press prior to the remarks being made, it becomes clear that he was talking about the president and not the troops. So all the “confusion”, whether real or feigned for political gain, can end now.
P.S. I was an infantry Staff Sergeant in the Army Reserves with active duty service during the last war with Iraq. I buy Kerry’s explanation. I still haven’t heard a good explanation from the President about why he thought it was funny to make a video of himself looking for WMD under his sofa and behind his desk. I’m sure it’s just because by now everything the President does makes me want to puke, but I just don’t get that brand of humor where he yukks it up about the intelligence that got 2800 Americans killed and thousands more maimed. And that was a set piece, a carefully written and choreographed “comedy” bit–not a flubbed one-liner. It’s funny what causes indignation among the chattering classes and what doesn’t.
Holy “Values Voter”!
Pastor Ted Haggard, leader of the New Life megachurch of Colorado Springs that is the spiritual epicenter of the evangelical movement, weekly advisor to President Bush on social issues, gay-marriage opponent, married father of five, and president of the 30 million member National Association of Evangelicals, has resigned following reports of an alleged three year sexual relationship with a male prostitute. He has denied the allegations, prior to resigning his presidency. Tough timing too, just days before the election and all…
Hypocrisy will be the death of the current political situation. For the last few years, the electorate has been tolerant of this phenomenon where the loudest critic is in fact the most guilty. Where the Republican class of ’94 with its braying against corruption, big government, and deficit spending has in fact engaged in some pretty phenomenal amounts of corruption, exploded the size of the government, and spent without check or balance to the tune of the largest deficits in history. The last few elections have featured Republican draft-dodgers and AWOL’ers winning elections by questioning the patriotism of war heroes and wartime amputees. The air has been thick–and the politics sick–with hypocrisy. Somehow that all failed to move the electorate–probably because it had nothing to do with sex. Then the Republican point-man for pedophilia prevention turned out to be a big ‘ol predatory perv while we paid him, and people started to take notice. Another Republican choking his mistress caused some grumblings. But now, one of the evangelico-religio-polical kingmakers who is spearheading the war on gay marriage is accused of lying down with another man in a biblical sense, and is (un)courageously gettin’ the hell out of Dodge. Is this all enough hypocrisy to move the electorate this time? What if the Republican gay-baiters all (or mostly) turn out to be gay? Hell, the head of the RNC, Ken Mehlman–who helped devise the GOP strategy–is gay. Their house-reporter of choice Jeff Gannon was a male prostitute. I could go on. The Republican congressman Ed Schrock, who championed the discriminatory “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was gay, and promiscously so. Is Karl Rove himself part of the self-loathing Gay Republican Mafia? Will the electorate be happy to vote as the Republicans say, and not as they do? What do “values voters” do when the people they’ve elevated to high office turn out to revel in all the distasteful activities those voters abhor? Will they stay home? Will they (gasp!) vote Democratic? Will they pull the R lever in spite of the hypocrisy?
Sorry for the rant. I was just in a mood. Watching so many of my oppositions’ glass houses shatter is such a sight to behold. So close to an election, it makes me giddy.
Oh–and John Kerry said something a few days ago. We must not forget that.
What’s really ludicrous is that Kerry’s trying to dismiss the whole thing as a “joke”, and the lemmings are buying it. Even if he hadn’t supposedly mispoken, where’s the freakin joke? (provoke laughter, amusement, trifling, facetious)
Now he’s joining the rest of the Democrat “leaders” (Pelosi, Reid, Kennedy) who are hiding for the final weeks before the election so they don’t do any more damage.
The “joke” was “Bush is stupid, that’s why the country is stuck in Iraq.” Admittedly, not very funny.
I’m disappointed to see self-styled independents and libertarians so
overcome with bile and venom for Democratic politicians that they will
willingly play along with a Republican propaganda campaign, and leave
the insights of a contributor like T utterly unremarked on.
If the Libertarian Party is ever going to stand for anything more than a
thin mask that religious fundmentalists, social authoritarians, and
corporate welfare addicts hold in front of themselves to hoodwink the
voting public, it needs rank-and-file members who aren’t willing to suspend
their ability to think critically when it’s a “conservative”‘s ox getting
gored.
(posting from Sofia, Bulgaria — see ya at the Hamilton County polls on
Tuesday :) )
Realclearpolitics has a great website for tracking polls as we enter the last 96 hours of the campaigns. I am going up to see a high school buddy who lives in Lewisburg, O. (close to Richmond), tomorrow, it will be interesting to get his take on the races in Ohio. I am going to make a trek to Greenville to get some Maid-Rites while I’m up there.
Branden, you’re kidding, right? My Libertarian
Party ‘a mask for religious fundmentalists, social authoritarians, and corporate welfare addicts’? We’re the very antithesis. The generalization is *way* off the mark. If you mean to so describe a particular Libertarian, please do that rather than incorrectly stick it to all of us.
If anything, I’m disappointed in Kerry, a non-candidate who should stand aside so his fellow candidates can take the limelight, for making a rookie mistake that is energizing Republicans. I very much want the Dems to take both the US & Indiana House majorities back, and it will tick me off no end if Kerry’s fumbled attempt at a jab at the President backfires.
I’ll say this as a candidate myself- when in the public eye, you best be careful about the things you say. Kerry knows this, of course, which is what is maddening to me. The opposition will pounce at the first opportunity. Honest mistakes are not easily forgiven. Ask Dan Quayle about spelling
potato’. Indeed, it’s the only thing I remember him for.
As for T’s comments- what else can you say but, ‘yep’?
The punch line of a politician’s joke makes a perfect sound bite. Sen. Kerry, as an experienced politician, crafts his speeches so that sympathetic editors will pick out the good sounding sound bites for the news services. He has no one to blame but himself when the hostile camp picks up on a line which, when taken out of context, can be made to sound bad. The Senator should be an irrelevancy this fall, but he played into the Republicans’ (desperate) hands. In the end I think all it will cost the Democrats is tempo, but in a chess game tempo can be all important.
Speaking of Republicans, I received in the mail yesterday (3 November) a mailing from the Indiana Republican Party with Osama’s face gracing the cover and the caption:
“He thinks one more attack might break our will.
“He thinks we aren’t tough enough to stick it out . . .”
Gee, Osama has double dog dared me to vote Republican.
The Indiana GOP ought to get real. The flyer, if you read the finer print, has to do with the Congressional elections, but the Indiana GOP obviously thinks that this logic should spread all the way down the ticket. What does bin Laden have to do with our State elections?
In Washington the RNC is telling its Congressional candidates to run on local issues. In Indiana the Republicans are running away from local issues (as evidenced by this flyer and the recent initiative by state legislative leaders on illegal immigration, a federal issue if ever there was one). There is a certain irony in a political party telling us we need to “tough it out” when the federal branch of the party wants to “localize” the elections and the state branch wants to “nationalize” them. I guess “toughing it out” is for us, not them.
The Republicans this fall just don’t want to talk about their record. Can’t say I blame them. Now, where were they, oh yes, Sen. Kerry. . .
Mike Kole,
I won’t argue in Kerry’s defense; while I believe he’d have been less of a disaster of a president than Bush, that doesn’t set the bar very high. As one member of the commentariat noted back in 2004, our two main choices for the presidency were a rich white Yale Skull-and-Bones man…and a rich white Yale Skull-and-Bones man. That said, the differences between the men are as real as their similarities — which is one reason I suppose it’s news when Kerry makes a verbal gaffe, and it isn’t when Bush does.
But regarding the LP, you seem to have focused on the power groups I identified and overlooked the “mask” part. I’m not saying the LP sets out to enable the worst excesses of the Republican Party — it just turns out that way because the LP lets itself get used.
Why do I say the LP *lets* itself get used as a mask by the GOP? Because the LP mistake equal denigration of Democrats and Republicans as a stance that is neutral to political outcomes — but that cannot be the case when one of the two major parties has a lock on the White House, the Congress, and is a hair’s breadth from ensuring a generation of continued domination of the Supreme Court.
Of *course* the GOP differs from the LP in many substantial policy areas. That’s a crucial aspect of my point. Republicans go to the Cato Institute for ideas at least as often as they try to inflame racial prejudice and style themselves as the preferred politcal party of Jesus Christ.
The LP I grew up in would “have to agree” with the Republicans that the worst ballot you can cast is one for a Democrat.
But look at the effect this belief has. To the group the LP has most historically wanted to appeal to (Goldwater conservatives disillusioned by the modern GOP), it constrains the LP to serve as little more than a spoiler line on the ballot that can deliver a GOP seat to the Democrat instead.
This might make sense if the threat of such deprivation gave the LP an effective bargaining chip to keep the GOP in check, by actually living up to the Libertarian rhetoric they steal from you.
But it didn’t work out that way. The power structure that the GOP built up in Washington D.C. reached such heights that conservative pundits spoke — as recently as 2005 — of a “permanent majority”.
If the Republican’ hammerlock on federal power is broken, it won’t be by the Libertarian Party, or even particularly the Democratic Party. It will have been defeated by its own excesses.
Consider the consequences if this truly comes to pass over the next couple of election cycles. The decline and fall of the GOP will be associated in voter’s minds, not just with race-baiting and God-mongering, but with talk of “limited government”, “free trade”, and “lower taxes”.
These are LP values, no? I would think your party would want to get the hell out of the crumble zone of the collapsing GOP edifice. This is *the* critical time to be differentiating yourselves from Republicans.
And part of that means not participating in the ritual kicking of Democratic politicans when the Limbaugh/Hannity/O’Reilly talking points with the stage directions make the rounds. Of course, it was Mike Sylvester who did this, not you…but you asked. :)
Anyway, Bulgaria was a blast. The people there were unbelievably nice, and it was really something to get behind the Iron Curtain that was so mythologized in my Reagan-era youth. I only met one person who really seemed to miss the old days. Among the people I was with (computer industry professionals), ensuring that they can get out from under the thumb of the *new* boss, this one from the West (Microsoft) is the order of the day. The enthusiasm was palpable. But I guess this is material for my own long-neglected blog…