With regard to Hastert's remark: The soldiers in Iraq aren't protecting the U.S. Iraq was no threat to the States and in fact, served as a regional counterbalance to Iran. Not anymore. The troops in Iraq aren't even protecting the Iraqis very effectively

If Kerry was referring to Bush in his getting stuck in Iraq statements then he implies that Bush is not very smart, didn't take advantage of his education, and that anyone else who did not exceed Bush's educational efforts would also be stuck in Iraq. Hmmmm? Didn't Bush have higher scores and grades at the same college that Kerry attended? Guess Kerry would not have been a very good choice for president then either. C'mon John, just apologize and then sit down and shut up.

I apologize to ALL Military Branches for the ignorance of John Kerry and his warped way of thinking. We are AMERICANS First before Republicans or Democrats. There are young men and women serving our country who have done more in their short lifetime than Kerry will every think about doing, and I for one appreciate everything they have done to help keep America the LAND OF THE FREE so that idiots like Kerry can blast them.

Why is it necessary to link our distaste and distrust of the administration with our loyalty and support for our troops? I wholeheartedly support the men and women who are sacrificing their homes, families and lives for our country. However, I condemn those politicians that put them in harms way with lies and deceptions. I am a registered Republican but it will be a cold day in hell before I vote for another right wing fanatic.

We are all "...stuck in Iraq" because of Bush and Cheney. I don't see the problem with Kerry's remark?

Kerry needs to think before he speaks(!) albiet if you have read about the armed forces, 'they' have dumbed down the entrance exams for the military so they could get more people to serve in Irag and avoid bringing back the draft. this is NOT the way our military should be built up but then, look who's at the 'head of the class'. this is NOT to disparage our men and women in uniform; these americans deserve our utmost respect.

I have a nephew in Iraq . He has a high IQ . He served with the armed forces and now works with them as a civilian . He is willing to give his life for us ( including those that think of him as less than good enough .)

Well, everyone that I know that is in the service is either poor, or needs the money. How many rich kids enlist?

I apologize to ALL Military Branches for the ignorance of John Kerry and his warped way of thinking. We are AMERICANS First before Republicans or Democrats. There are young men and women serving our country who have done more in their short lifetime than Kerry will every think about doing, and I for one appreciate everything they have done to help keep America the LAND OF THE FREE so that idiots like Kerry can blast them.

I apologize to ALL Military Branches for the ignorance of John Kerry and his warped way of thinking. We are AMERICANS First before Republicans or Democrats. There are young men and women serving our country who have done more in their short lifetime than Kerry will ever think about doing, and I for one appreciate everything they have done to help keep America the LAND OF THE FREE so that idiots like Kerry can blast them.

Not everyone that enlists in the military is poor OR needs the money. There are plenty of high school graduates that WANT to serve OUR COUNTRY. My Brother served and he is neither poor NOR needs the money -- he just felt the NEED TO SERVE. He is an honorable Father, Brother, Son and respected citizen. We also lost a FINE Marine from our Community who wanted to be a Marine since he was a little boy. How does that fit in with your definition of being poor or needing money? It doesn't, you just don't realize that there are some fine people in this country who aren't waiting for a hand out, who aren't interested in the drugs, prostitution, hollywood fakes or anything else that isn't right. Maybe they were brought up by fine parents who taught them respect, honor and loyalty.

Jenell, How was Saddam Hussein going to be able to make America unfree? He had no way to conquer the U.S. And how are the various Iraqi clans, factions, and militias going to make America unfree? They can't occupy the U.S. Iraq has nothing to do with American freedoms. Please clarify what you mean.

Jenell, I understand that there are people in the military who want to serve. They are in the minority. The majority of the military is made up of people who are struggling. There is a reason that the military recruiters target areas where there is a lack of job opportunities. It's not because they want to offer these people a better life. They need someone to serve and they know they have a better chance with someone who is poor and uneducated. I would never question their patriotism, but I think you should also remember that Kerry served in a war and when you "really look" at what he said and what he clarified afterward, he was talking about the president. Someone who doesn't know what it means to reassess a situation or admit when they've made mistakes. I highly doubt that anyone who has served in the military during a time of war, would question the patriotism of a fellow service member. Let's be realistic.

Jenell Ross from Springer NM: Your brother was one of the lucky ones. Most enlistees don't have the luxury of choice.

How many young people have joined the military because they cannot find jobs?I have one in my family and so do my friends and neighbors.Once the recruiters promise them all the money,education and promise them they will not go to Iraq they are sucked in.Bush and Cheney are a couple of cowards that never served.

As a two (2) term vet., of the Vietnam War and watching McNamara 100.000 enter the Army, John Kerry is absolutely correct. The 100.000 program was an attempt to avoid having to draft children of influencial citizens of this country. Remember Muhamid Ali,the boxer, he was initially rejected from military service and was later reclassified so that he could be drafted. Why is there no discussion of a draft. If there was a draft, then all of you as well as the politicians would be reluctant to commit your children and love ones to war. It is a fact of life that less well off and less educated young people see the service as a way to gain an education. I was one of those people and ended up in Vietnam. I was lucky and aAfter 10 years in the Army I was able to complete my undergraduate degree and after military service, I was able to earn a law degree. Also, please recall that there was not any real opposition to the Vietnam war until the lottery system caused the Selective Service System to be operated in a fair and impartial manner, removing from the Selective Service Sytem, the curruption by those with the ability to influence local decisions as to whether their children would be drafted. I speak from personal experience. I am still angry at people like a lot you. You see I am also a Black person whom was in in Vietnam at the height of the Civil Rights movement, reading in letters about the beatings of Black people for their asking for the right to be a citizen of this Country while at the same time,I was told that I was in Vietnam to help the Vietnamese gain their freedom. Some of these same people who support the agenda of the Bush Administration, are the same type of people that would do everything they could to deny me rights that I was entitled to at birth and more so because I have fought and bled for this country. Enough of these false attacks, see them as they are people and see how the attacks are being used. The people clamoring for an apology seek nothing but advantage, they care nothing about the poor GI only their own attempt to hold on to power. If they believed in what they and their supporters believed, before the war, then why did they not wait for the UN to act. Simple, they did not want the UN to act.

To be politically correct, Kerry might - It was a slip and like all slip it carries a part of truth: most of the young mens stuck in Irak didn't wanna study hard or came from poor families... and are either black or hispanish...and when they come back home they are even not medically properly treated or respected. Republicans should stop their Hypocrisie and scaring and smearing tactics...including J.McCain.

Having watched and read many of Kerry's speeches, I think his explanation that it was a joke and he flubbed the punch line is probably true. He was aiming at Bush and shot himself in the foot. I don't believe for a second that at any public appearance (whether he had a prepared speech or not) he would state the equivalent of "If you don't get an education, you'll have to join the military." That's just not his style...he was from a priviledged family and CHOSE to serve during Vietnam. He HAS acknowledged the fact that the sons of the priviledged class avoided military service in the days of the draft. He DOES acknowledge that all of our soldiers are disproportionately middle class and below and that it isn't fair for fat cats in Washington to start an unnecessary war for our soldiers to fight in. But to imply that our military is made up of people who didn't get a good education? You gotta be kiddin' me. If you watched Kerry in any of the Democratic Primary debates or Presidential debates, you'll remeber that he frequently flubbed a joke or misplaced a word in a way that muddied his meaning but absolutely did not disparage our soldiers. His tendency to misspeak is really something he should work on. It's hard to get excited about voting for a goof who can't talk straight. But at least he can pronounce nuclear.

So much hate promluagated in this country, by our party leaders. No wonder the average American feels so down n out- our leaders- both sides- preach hate and fear mongering. Bring back a draft..LOL..what a joke..the unwilling would flee to other shores. Of course, those poor folks who do serve, according to most on this blog, cannot afford to flee so they would be drafted! Hey- did Clinton serve?? What type of deferment did he get?

Kerry spoke the truth. It's too bad he didn't say it two years ago. It's high time poor kids quit dying protecting the "interests" of rich Americans - which is accomplished through the military.

Mitch, your spelling may be off a bit, promulgated (to make known or put into action) in this country? I guess I'm one of those poor uneducated type vets, needed to look it up. I thought the point made of the draft was to avoid unnecessary war since the politicians would be less likely to wage ware when it involves their own children or influential supporters. Clinton??? Sounds like the same old tactic, to redirect attention rather than address present conditions. We've got some real issues going on right now let's focus on them.

Kerry's comment is reflective of his own experience with the Vietnam war. At the time, a large number of individuals who were eligible for the draft, such as Cheney, claimed a deferment as a college or graduate student. This was a source of resentment among poor and working class men who could not afford college.

Kerry also said that he had just got back from Texas, the state Bush once lived in. That now he was living in the state of Denial. He did flub the next joke. Kerry, who served his country, did not belittle our brave soldiers in Iraq. He has never done that. Bush belittles them every day by his policies that will not produce a victory, for all the braveness of the soldiers. And McCain, has to kiss Bush's behind so he will be in good standing with the "base" because he so wants to be president. How he kisses up to Bush is beyond me. After what was done to McCain in the Carolinas in the presidential primaries by the Bush campaign, McCain would have done well to keep his distance from Bush. But he didn't and he still doesn't. McCain should be ashamed for bashing Kerry. Anybody who listens to Kerry's speech, knows what he meant - the Bush didn't apply himself when he went to school and got us in this mess in Iraq because he doesn't think straight. Some people will feign hurt, knowing full well what Kerry meant. Others will believe what the Republicans say, no matter what.

Way to go McGriff. People seem to forget that while Iraq has a hundred KIA's a month, VietNam had a hundred KIA's a week. It was a bigger sausage grinder than this one. In this war, the Civilians are going at it eight different ways. You almost get killed by accident. Oh well, we got somebody! Seems like we're just in the way. In VietNam, we were the Cowboy with the Bulls-eye on his back. Trust me, the VietCong and the VietNam Peoples Army were a bunch of tough cookies and organized tough cookies, at that. We had five hundred thousand men, they had seven hundred thousand. Any GI with footprints in that place in time, can say anything he wants about war and warriors, good or bad. Anybody who doesn't have footprints in that place in time, doesn't have the right to criticize him.

Kerry was right on point jennell and i don't think Kerry needs anyone to apologize for him. you need to look at the riftraft in the big house and apologize for them for the garbage that has been put on the American people in and out of the military.

DISTRACTING FROM THE REAL ISSUES by distorting the words of a real patriot. Let's stop playing into the Republican distortions, trying to dumb down Americans to hold on to power... It is up to the unelected Americans to stop believing or perpetuating lies, fear mongering and the ugliness of political machinery. Time to redefine what we as a people are willing to support... no more character assasinations... Let's demand debate on the issues that truly effect the people. Please.

Mitch, we all know Clinton didn't serve. We also all know that Clinton didn't start any wars. Big difference. In my opinion, any veteran who has served in a war has every right to say what they want - it is this right they fought to protect. Senators Kerry and Mc Cain have earned this right.

Interesting to see the comments posted here. I truly believe Kerry had no intention of insulting the troops--it's completely obvious that he botched the punch line and was taking a stab at Bush, so I don't even want to hear it from Republicans claiming he should apologize. None of us are that stupid, but what a reflection of what they must think of the average American, that they think we ARE that stupid. That being said, Kerry's remarks have sparked a discussion that we've pushed under the carpet for fear of touching an issue that is way too sensitive--that of class inequality in the military. And let's not even mention race...our underlying and still unresolved tensions would come to a boiling point!!

The threat from Iraq was indirect. No, the US wasn't in danger of a direct military threat. But not all threats are direct. If you train, pay, equip, or motivate others, you are culpable for that person's actions, to at least some extent. Hussein was noted as paying the surviving family members of suicide bombers large sums of cash, motivating them to go blow themselves up in Israel. It was only a matter of time before suicide bombers spread beyond Israel, Germany, Spain, and Britain. They would end up here if left unchecked. Hussein wouldn't take up a rifle and lead troops in a turnabout of D-Day...but that doesn't mean he was not a threat at all. Just a different kind. If person A hires a hitman to kill person B, does that mean A is not a threat to B, simply because A will not be pulling the trigger personally?

Why hasn't the White House apologized to McCain for the Swift Boat smears? Why hasn't Hastert and the GOP apologized for their Pedophile Enabling? etc.etc.etc. Why? Because they can't. Liars' Poker, people. Liars Poker.

I've heard the name Kerry at least 20 times in the last fifteen minutes. This is not a newsbreaking issue. Let it go.

Atticus money can buy anything an education and a way out of fighting for this country. If you check out bush's work history he failed in almost anything he did unless dady bush saved his butt. So I wouldn't go there

I didn't get the joke guess i'm gonna be packing for IRAQ

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