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(CBS) It stuns me that some people seem to believe that Kerry's remark was aimed at our troops, when it's clear as day that this was just another cheap shot at President Bush. Kerry is a populist and this is what he does. He goes around the country and exploit people's discontent about the war in Irak. He is nothing but a pathetic politician wannabe president and he shows it every day. However, what Republican media machine is doing now sickens me even more then Kerry. They even surpassed Democrats in their efforts with Foley's story by completely twisting the truth and deliberately misinterpreting Kerry's message. Now they are going to try and keep it on front pages until the voting is done and it matters no more. It's a shame. Our politicians should be better then radical islamic clerics who employ the same methods in misguiding people and recruiting them for their jihad, the best example being the latest scandal about Pop's remarks about their religion. Why does politics have to be such a filthy business? C'mon people, open your eyes, don't let media and politicians play you like some role-play strategy game. Don't let them think for you. Use your own heads deciding how you are going to vote Nov. 7.
-- Vlad From Massachusetts

Kerry never makes a mistake, just ask him! He will get a pass from the media on his statement. It is democrats like Kerry and Rangle who have no substance, so they just call their critics names. Rangle is rediculous, it is very sad that these men are leaders of anything.
Mel From South Carolina

Two points --
1 -- IF John Kerry was commenting on George Bush intelligence and education, he is really in denial. John Kerry -- as came out after his military records were released has a lower IQ than Bush -- and worse grades at Yale, where Bush's best grades were obtained in courses like Anthropology and philosophy and Kerry's were in Political Science. Also, if you follow the logic of Kerry's attempted (presumed) joke, he would be saying that a failed education creates one being elected governor of Texas and then President of the United States...and then one gets stuck in Iraq -- an extremely convoluted and inconceivability line of thought, and pretty dumb!
2 -- -In any case, the people he owes an apology to ise troops, and all military people and families. Even accepting that it was a bungled joke, the fact is he hurt a whole lot of people. He needs to take responsibility for that hurt, even if unintended. We all have "misspoke", but if it hurt anyone, the decent thing most people would do is apologize for that hurt (due to the "bungle"). If Kerry was more of a person and less of a political animal, he would have immediately said he misspoke and apologized for the inadvertent hurt caused by his gaff. The time for Kerry to do this with any genuineness has now come and gone...more signs that he is far less intelligent than he like people to believe.
-- John From Washington D.C.

It isn't surprising that Republicans are trying to distort Kerry's "lack of education" comment which referred to George Bush. They blindly parroted Bush's lies about all the weapons of mass destruction that George would find in Iraq "sooner or later," they blindly parroted George's lies about how happy the Muslim Iraqis would be to have a Western occupation force running their state, they blindly parroted Bush's malarkey about how he would not tolerate "nuclear (sic) states," but now that North Korea and Iran have the WMD that Iraq never had, Republicans blindly parrot whatever incomprehensible babbling excuses that Bush has fabricated this week -- and proudly claim that "benchmarks" are not a "timetable." Barf bags all around as another parrot chorus begins. No, an educated president would not be stuck in Iraq as are Bush and the GOP.
-- Bill

I am the daughter of a retired Colonel in the Air Force, the wife of a retired NCO in the Army, and the proud mother of 2 sons in the Air Force who are proudly serving their country. All four of these men are highly intelligent and educated individuals who chose to serve in the military to defend the freedoms that we hold so dear. Sen. Kerry brings dishonor to his position and to his political party with the remarks he made. This has nothing to do with being democratic or republican. It has everything to do with respect for your country and compassion for your fellow countrymen. Wake up Sen. Kerry before another atrocity like 9/11 hits again. You owe our service men and women an apology big time. My mother always said if you can't say something nice, it better to not say anything at all. It's a very good practice and one you should consider.
-- Carol From Florida

Too many people are jumping to the gun on just what the Senator Implied about his comments on education in America. I for one thought he was saying that without a good education, one winds up in Iraq because there are no real good job options if you do not get a good education. That could be via military or by civilian contract options. Point is not to assume something and be wrong on that assumption. Let's have the Senator clarify his comments rather than get nasty with hatred and vile. America needs to grow up and quit reacting to two second sound bites that really tell us nothing.
-- Jerry

People have got to lighten up and not jump to conclusions! Jeez. If you parse the sentence carefully, you will see that Kerry was, in his weirdly circuituous reasoning, obliquely referencing the President and not anyone in the US Army--that Kerry meant the *President's* lack of work ethics and lack of smarts that made him 'stuck in Iraq', policy-wise speaking. The problem is that Kerry's brain is moving too fast for his mouth, but not fast enough that he can step outside of his body to hear how the sentence he's trying to say would sound to other people. So to Kerry: either slow your mind a little bit or speed it up a little bit, you seem to be out of sync.
-- Anonymous

If Bush and Cheney had studied hard and done their homework, we would not have gotten stuck in Iraq! What more needs to be said?
-- Gerald From Austin, TX

Senator Kerry does not need to apologize for anything. The invasion and occupation of Iraq is worse than a useless cause; it is a harmful cause. This action has caused international relations to spiral downward wordwide and has created even more enemies for the United States, leaving us more vulnerable than we were before the invasion.
I wish to respond to some of the negative remarks about Senator Kerry. He honorably served in the active military during the Vietnam War. Mr. Bush weaseled out of the active military and showed up for weekend warrior duty-- when he felt like it. And by the way, if it's OK for Bush to get his money from his daddy-waddy, why isn't it OK for Kerry to get money from his spouse?
-- Judy From Bozeman, Montana

I have listened to all of the pundits attempt to spin Senator Kerry's remarks as a cut against President Bush. I'm sorry, no logically-thinking human being could do so. His remarks are demeaning to all those who are currently serving and he needed to apologize. By not doing so immediately, he demeans our servicemen and women. I have two nephews who have served in Iraq. Neither are "dumb"". Rather, both are college graduates. I have friends whose sons could have attended nearly any college in Maryland but chose to serve. Senator Kerry only proved his arrogance by not apologizing and he validated the choice of Americans two years ago.
-- Jeffrey From California

He should apologize and stop telling us what he said. We heard what he said. We're not stupid.
-- Frank

I think Senator Kerry is right on. The people who are upset are those that the Republican propagandists have succeeded in convincing that the Senator was saying the troops are stupid. This is not what he said. He was implying that President Bush didn't do his homework and therefore got us into a mess in Iraq. What is really troubling is how this non-issue will become a media football, diverting the American public away from the mess in Iraq, the manifold GOP Congressional ethics scandals, and the incompetence of the Bush administration regarding things like Hurricane Katrina. Better the media were concentrating on the fact that the Iraqi police killed an American serviceman ( as reported in the Washington Post yesterday), and that this is being covered up so as not to make the Maliki government look bad. To sum it up -- the Kerry flap is typical Rovian nonsense that the mass media is only to happy to facilitate.
-- Shannon

Kerry was wrong for saying that and need to say he is sorry. No amount of spin will work. He was wrong and it is not the first time he did it. He did the same thing when he came home from Vietnam. The man has issues.
-- Cliff

Shame on you John Heinz Kerry. You're an embarrassment to this country and an insult to the honorable people that serve in the armed forces. To think that you came that close to becoming Commander in Chief is nothing less than horrifying. It's now very clear that the best man won the last election.
-- Emily From Michigan

Just like Mel Gibson's recent drunken tirade, this is what the Senator really believes...
-- Anonymous

I believe that he is absolutely right in criticizing the Administration's incompetent attack Iraq and in bumbling, handling of that war to the detriment of the War on Terror. His criticism was not directed toward the troops serving in Iraq but toward the Administration, namely the President, Vice President and Secretary of Defense. They are the parties that should be apologizing to the troops and to the American people.
-- Art

Senator Kerry has a reputation for turning on the military. He did it in Viet Nam, and he's doing it now. If he truly cared about American Troops then he would be very critical of his own wording with regards to jokes involving the military. And, since he continues to make blunder after blunder, one does have to say….is that what he really thinks about our men and women in uniform? But, more importantly, why is he even considered for any leadership position in America. That's the million dollar question. I guess voters in Massachusetts are pretty shallow folks. How sadL
--Terry From Bakersfield, CA

The Pentagon reports that volunteers for the Army are disproportionately poor, and disproportionately black, and that they say that they chose to join because of an inability to afford, or get into, college, and a lack of local career options for someone without a degree. This is not an insult to anyone, it is a simple fact. For Mr. Kerry to point this out is not an insult to our troops, it's an observation of the fact that George Bush's America is leaving our children with the belief that they have no better options in life than to sign up to go to Iraq, even though they'd rather go to college. Only the mouthpieces of the Republican party could find a way to practically, if not literally, slander Mr. Kerry by construing these simple, indisputable facts as an insult to our troops. As his constituent, my only comment about Mr. Kerry's remarks is that I wish he had been as blunt during his presidential campaign as he was today.
-- Tom From Somerville, MA

I thank the gods for Senator Kerry. Every time the Republican Party is taking the heat for some media-driven complaint, along comes Mr. "I Can't Be Blamed for Any of My Goofs" to repeatedly insult the average American and remind us why we can't trust the current elitist Democratic party. If he had any guts he would have performed his duty appropriately back in Vietnam. But as usual, he gets on his high horse and tosses insults to those not born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Typical that he always points out that his opinion of war is our poor guys versus their poor guys. He just has no clue what patriotism is - - - or why true democracy takes commitment and sacrifice to achieve. If it can't be bought, he doesn't know how to attain it. Lucky he has the Heinz fortune to keep him in chips. Can we please vote to send him to Iraq! I for one am sick of him. He's a privileged idiot who is too self-centered to realize he should apologize to our current servicemen as well as veterans - - - many times over.
-- Anonymous

Senator Kerry is a political scum bag. Does anyone think that he would be a Senator with out the Heinz fortune behind him? He could have kept his big mouth shut and perhaps and bought his next term, now I don't know. I am a Vietnam war veteran and I am appalled at this mans audacity to say the things he has said about our military and the non-support of our troops. So he is against the Iraq war(for now at least)depending on which way the wind shifts, that's his right, but it's not his right to as an American, and as an American Senator not to support my grandson who is fighting in Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division. That man should be doing everything he can to help our troops, instead he insults them. Put a dress on him and we have another Jane Fonda undermining our troops and giving aid to our enemy, where does he think the next battle will be if we don't fight them in Afghanistan, or Iraq. The man is stupid or his political run is more important than the life of a soldier.
-- Daniel

Anyone who is dumb enough to spend one day in Iraq under the orders of George Bush, well what can you say, It is a no brainier, Bush gives the orders stays home and sips wine and eat caviar and the boys in Iraq put their life on the line. The War is illegal, unwinable and immoral throw your rifle in a ditch and go home. Kerry's right go to school enjoy life let the politicians put their life on the line. If you don't well you can be a dead hero or a live hero but either way that lasts about a week and people forget, it's your life and your choice.
-- John

What else would you expect from a sleeze like Kerry?
-- Bob

Okay, so Sen. Kerry should have worded his comments in a different way. But the fact is, many of our 18- to 21-year-olds join the military because they don't want to go to college the usual way. The recruiters tell them about the great education they can get by joining the armed services. Make no mistake, the armed services is not a giant vocational college. What the recruiter should say is: "You are joining the military to kill or be killed, to be scarred by the horrors of combat or being held as a POW." Also, many of these young people join because the mid-level skilled jobs that used to be available in this country are no longer an option.
-- Holly From California

Mr. Kerry's remark makes me embarrassed to be a Democrat. Every man and woman who has served our country in Iraq should be honored for their efforts. Kerry does not represent the mainstream of Democrats who would thank our troops everyday if they could. Besides, Mr. Kerry is just plain wrong when he says you end up in Iraq if you don't do well in school. I happen to know absolutely brilliant, successful students who have chosen to take leadership roles in the military. I just hope the Democratic leadership comes out strong and hard, distancing themselves from this kind of insulting, disparaging rhetoric aimed at the people who least deserve it. I just hope this was a mere faux pas and American voters do not believe John Kerry is the Democratic spokesman. I am ashamed to say I voted for John Kerry and ashamed that he has a national voice for the Party I believe in. John Kerry, zip your lip and keep it that way.
-- Jeff From Great Neck, NY

Reading the whole speech it is obviously taken out of context. But what is almost funny is the fact that Kerry is calling Bush a stupid idiot - in that Bush did not learn his critical thinking skills and history of the Middle East in college and was not able to implement an overall winning war strategy because of this ignorance. And then thinking that Bush does not really understand he is the target of Kerry's remark. Well that explains Bush in general. Duh. Dense. Doesn't get it!
-- David

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