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John Kerry's Joke a Big Mistake
// Republicans Take Offense on Behalf of American Soldiers
On Wednesday Democratic Senator John Kerry apologized to American soldiers for a "botched joke." During a speech in California at the beginning of the month, in support of his party on the eve of the congressional elections, Mr. Kerry warned students that they are at risk of turning up in Iraq if they slack in their studies. The dig was aimed at George Bush, but the American president managed instead to profit off his opponent's incautious remark by accusing Senator Kerry of insulting the American army.
During a speech on Monday in front of students at a California university, US Senator John Kerry exhorted the young people to study hard and seemed to imply that unsuccessful students run the risk of "getting stuck in Iraq." Mr. Kerry's words, which would have undoubtedly been met with understanding in Russia, caused a ruckus in the United States.
Thanks to the efforts of Republicans desperate to avert a likely victory for the Democrats on November 7, the Democratic senator's speech was immediately presented as an attack on an American army that is fighting heroically in Iraq against international terrorism. A few hours after Mr. Kerry's speech in California, the Republican National Committee put a video clip on its web site calling for Mr. Kerry to apologize. "Our soldiers are waiting," read the caption. Vice president Dick Cheney also zealously criticized Senator Kerry: "John Kerry needs to understand that people serving in Iraq are not there because they didn't do their homework," he said. "Volunteers are the best people in our country. They are smart, patriotic, well-educated, and committed to their task. They are the heroes and the pride of the United States."
The American president himself did not miss the chance to make use of the misstep by his former rival for the presidency, whose hopes were frustrated in the 2004 election. "The men and women who serve in our all-volunteer Armed Forces are plenty smart and are serving because they are patriots – and Senator Kerry owes them an apology" said Mr. Bush.
The senator, caught off guard, initially tried to justify himself. "I am truly sorry that my words were misinterpreted. I did not mean to say anything bad about our people in uniform," he explained, adding that when he was talking about the people who have gotten America "stuck in Iraq," he was referring to President Bush and his administration. An aide to the senator explained later that if Mr. Kerry had read his prepared speech to the end, where the name of the president was written in black and white, no one could have had doubts that the dig was really aimed at George Bush, not at American troops.
Several of the senator's fellow Democrats also came to his defense. One of them remarked that the head of the White House has committed worse verbal gaffes more than once. During a pre-election speech not long ago, the top Republican, reproaching his opponents for insufficient zeal in the interests of national security, said that "a vote for the Democrats is a vote for victory for the terrorists." Then, of course, none of the Democrats even tried to confront Mr. Bush with what would have been entirely justified indignation. Yesterday, however, several Democrats did note that it is really the president himself who needs to apologize for what his Iraq campaign has led to.
Nevertheless, the defense from his colleagues and his own self-justification for his "botched joke" proved to be unconvincing for Mr. Kerry's opponents. "The joke wasn't funny to me, and it was even less funny to our soldiers," snapped George Bush. Even many of his fellow Democrats hurried to distance themselves from him, including 2008 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, a Democratic senator. Public outcry even forced Senator Kerry to cancel planned appearances in three states. On Wednesday Mr. Kerry, under pressures from his colleagues, apologized for his incautious words. "Senator Kerry's apologies to the soldiers for his offensive comments were late in coming, but it was still the right thing to do," responded the White House.
Natalia Portyakova
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 03, 2006
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