[Myrtle]

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He came accross like a the snobbish Yalie that he is talking about the poor slobs who have to go to Iraq. It also reminds people of how he accused American troops in Vietnam of routine attrocities.

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He very well might be a snob, but isn't it more important to determine whether he's a truthfull snob?

As far as atrocities in Vietnam? I guess you'd have to define the word 'routine' to further discuss that subject?

.....there were many.

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There was truth in his joke that people with no other oportunities wound up in Iraq, but it seemed like it betrayed a snobbish attitude. Obviously, you don't tell an audience of college students to study hard or you will wind up in Iraq.

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They told stories that at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Ghengis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war and the normal and very particular ravaging which is done by the applied bombing power of this country.

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This was his testimony before the Foreign Relations Commitee 35 years ago. It may well have been accurate. You can see how the Republicans could make the argument that he is in the habit of insulting the troops.

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I know that it's a matter of both opinion and interpretation, but I do believe that by ommitting the word 'us' in his delevery, Kerry opened the door for his own skewering.

As far as the "Republicans making an argument....."?

I'm sorry, no insult intended here, but that's just a bunch of crap and stretching the truth to the extreme.

Twisting, turning, omitting, misrepresenting and taking out of context Kerry's remarks in front of the FRC is neither an excuse or justification for doing so. Especially, IMO, if it was done intentionally for a partisan political gain, which is how I see it.

FWIW, I was part of VVAW at the time, and can tell you that Kerry was not beloved by all of us. Should you doubt my statement, I can probably scan a copy of my dog-eared VVAW membership card and post it, as I still have it.

My biggest problem with this whole issue is what I perceive to be be the focus that is afforded more to the messenger than the message.

You would think that after all of these centuries, civilizations would have learned by now.

In these divisive and polarized times, it appears to be going the other way......a very sad statement.