speaking straight about apologies from people who can't speak straight
Yes, he's done it again: the inspiration for my start into blogging has gone out and made a nuisance of himself. And yes, I feel it is time for me to venture into the comment pool with both feet.
Sen. Kerry's infamous gaffe on Monday (where he said to a sympathetic audience "You know, education -- if you make the most of it, you study hard and 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") finally drew an almost-honest response of contrition from the foot-swallowing mouthpiece of the Democratic National Party. From his website:
As a combat veteran, I want to make it clear to anyone in uniform and to their loved ones: my poorly stated joke at a rally was not about, and never intended to refer to any troop.
I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended.
It is clear the Republican Party would rather talk about anything but their failed security policy. I don’t want my verbal slip to be a diversion from the real issues. I will continue to fight for a change of course to provide real security for our country, and a winning strategy for our troops.
As a person who may know a thing or two about the mind of the people who serve in uniform to protect this country, I make the following observations about Kerry's statement: a) it IS an apology. As for the quality of an apology. . .well, it's not the most contrite I've ever seen someone act, but I'm not picky. To me, far more important is the second point I'll write about: this statement shows just how unbelievably inept that man is at doing anything anymore that requires the ability to act admirably.
WE, the public, did not misinterpret his words. He can argue until the cows come how that what he INTENDED TO SAY was very different, but that doesn't matter. WHAT HE SAID --which is the point of this entire exercise--has not been misinterpreted, and his statement arguing the opposite is wrong. Call it intentionally deceptive, call it deflecting blame, or even be generous and say that it's yet another case of the words coming out just ever-so-slightly incorrectly--whatever, it doesn't matter. The bottom line is that yesterday, after 48 hours to carefully craft his message to not just the servicemembers in Iraq and around the globe, but also to the entire American people, and after taking due consideration to the fact that he'd better not make the statement vocally in front of a live audience lest he screw something up (again), he comes forth and produces a ground-breaking statement that is totally wrong, almost from the starting syllable. I could've written a better statement for him with both arms tied behind my back and a six-pack worth of Coors in my belly.
Amazing. Truly amazing. This guy was one state away from being our President during a time of war? Frightening!
Whatever happened to the guy that seemed so at-ease--or at the very least, likeable--when he conceded the Presidential election a few years ago?
You can't tell me that the echo chamber doesn't have victims. Kerry was never the best political operator out there, granted--but at least he wasn't the worst. After the last 3 days, I don't know that you can necessarily say that anymore.
Sen. Kerry's infamous gaffe on Monday (where he said to a sympathetic audience "You know, education -- if you make the most of it, you study hard and 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") finally drew an almost-honest response of contrition from the foot-swallowing mouthpiece of the Democratic National Party. From his website:
As a combat veteran, I want to make it clear to anyone in uniform and to their loved ones: my poorly stated joke at a rally was not about, and never intended to refer to any troop.
I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended.
It is clear the Republican Party would rather talk about anything but their failed security policy. I don’t want my verbal slip to be a diversion from the real issues. I will continue to fight for a change of course to provide real security for our country, and a winning strategy for our troops.
As a person who may know a thing or two about the mind of the people who serve in uniform to protect this country, I make the following observations about Kerry's statement: a) it IS an apology. As for the quality of an apology. . .well, it's not the most contrite I've ever seen someone act, but I'm not picky. To me, far more important is the second point I'll write about: this statement shows just how unbelievably inept that man is at doing anything anymore that requires the ability to act admirably.
WE, the public, did not misinterpret his words. He can argue until the cows come how that what he INTENDED TO SAY was very different, but that doesn't matter. WHAT HE SAID --which is the point of this entire exercise--has not been misinterpreted, and his statement arguing the opposite is wrong. Call it intentionally deceptive, call it deflecting blame, or even be generous and say that it's yet another case of the words coming out just ever-so-slightly incorrectly--whatever, it doesn't matter. The bottom line is that yesterday, after 48 hours to carefully craft his message to not just the servicemembers in Iraq and around the globe, but also to the entire American people, and after taking due consideration to the fact that he'd better not make the statement vocally in front of a live audience lest he screw something up (again), he comes forth and produces a ground-breaking statement that is totally wrong, almost from the starting syllable. I could've written a better statement for him with both arms tied behind my back and a six-pack worth of Coors in my belly.
Amazing. Truly amazing. This guy was one state away from being our President during a time of war? Frightening!
Whatever happened to the guy that seemed so at-ease--or at the very least, likeable--when he conceded the Presidential election a few years ago?
You can't tell me that the echo chamber doesn't have victims. Kerry was never the best political operator out there, granted--but at least he wasn't the worst. After the last 3 days, I don't know that you can necessarily say that anymore.
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