John Kerry apologized today for his “botched joke” today. All that fuss because he left out the word “us” from his planned speech:
“I can’t overstress the importance of a great education. Do you know where you end up if you don’t study, if you aren’t smart, if you’re intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq.”
That was the planned statement, and he’s said it many times in previous speeches. This time, however, he botched it.
U.S. Newswire reports that Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid released the following statement on House Majority Leader John Boehner’s decision to blame the troops for Republican failures in Iraq.
“John Boehner ought to be ashamed. He’s blaming our troops for failures in Iraq. If he wants to cast blame, he can start by looking in the mirror because he and his Congressional Republican colleagues have rubberstamped the Bush Administration’s failed policy for nearly four years. Our troops in Iraq have performed bravely. It’s political leaders like Congressman Boehner and Donald Rumsfeld, who have failed. I expect President Bush and Congressional Republicans, who demanded John Kerry apologize, hold their own party’s majority leader to a much higher standard. There’s no spinning his disparaging comments. He made them. He needs to apologize.”
The remarks?
House Majority Leader John Boehner: Wolf, I understand that, but let’s not blame what’s happening in Iraq on Rumsfeld.
Wolf Blitzer: But he’s in charge of the military.
House Majority Leader John Boehner: But the fact is the generals on the ground are in charge and he works closely with them and the president.
Boehner should be House Majority Leader for a few more days. After that, well, let’s see what happens Tuesday.
In the meantime, since Republicans are always poised to “Swift boat” Democrats for every grammatical error, let’s not forget the education president, father of No Child Left Behind, and enjoy these priceless gems from U.S. Commander in Chief, the POTUS himself, George W. Bush:
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”
George Bush at signing of defense appropriations bill, August 5, 2004
“I mean, if you’ve ever been a governor of a state, you understand the vast potential of broadband technology, you understand how hard it is to make sure that physics, for example, is taught in every classroom in the state. It’s difficult to do. It’s, like, cost-prohibitive.”
Washington, D.C., June 24, 2004
“I’m honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein.”
Washington, D.C., May 25, 2004
“The illiteracy level of our children are appalling.”
Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2004
And, perhaps the greatest testimony to his presidency:
“I’m the master of low expectations.”
Aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003
What a country.