Gawd, this just won’t die. 

OK, I want to address the Seattle Post Intelligencer’s defense of Sen John Kerry and the representation they, and now he, are making about the military.

First a recap to the folks asleep the last week.  This stemmed from what Kerry claims was a botched joke. 

Education…if you make the most of it and 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.

He says he meant to say "get us stuck in Iraq", an obvious jab at Bush.  Others disagree, and accuse him of making a deliberate slam on the military.

The Seattle PI said in an editorial Thursday that both are correct:

Was Kerry making fun of the president, or warning students against the pitfalls awaiting the undereducated in general?

It doesn’t matter. Kerry was right either way.

Kerry wasn’t saying — regardless of the Republican spin — that our troops are stupid.

Well, sadly, yes that is exactly what he said if you read his statement literally.

I said I was done, I know.  But this was too funny…

I think the issue is essentially dead.  We have heard all the apology we will get, I wager.

I would be more satisfied were it not for two things.

First, it has to do with his assertion this was a joke.  I can buy that as being plausible, and the initial reports seemed very reasonable.  But his later explanations seem to keep getting more and more elaborate, which as most parents know, is a sign your kid is lying, as they embellish the story to make it more believable.  So far we have hear 4 slightly different variations.

The other reason is the apology itself.  Let’s deconstruct it.

Statement of Senator John Kerry

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.

OK, here he does take some responsibility.

I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform,

From his website:

Statement of Senator John Kerry

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.

Sigh.  You could have just made the damn apology, why editorialize it?

Typical.

But the apology is done, so let’s see where this goes now.

More at Breitbart:

Kerry Apologizes for Remark About Troops

To be fair, Hillary may be seeing this as a way to school one of her potential challengers for the 2008 ticket.  But even a broken watch is right twice a day, and in this case she is too.

Sen. Clinton visits Kingston, says Kerry should apologize

Sen. Hillary Clinton, speaking at a Kingston campaign stop this morning, joined the chorus of Democrats criticizing Sen. John Kerry for what the former presidential candidate has called a joke gone awry.

“What Sen. Kerry said was inappropriate,” she said.

Even she get’s it.

Asked if Kerry should apologize, President Bush and other members of both parties have said, Clinton said “I heard he said he was sorry.

So he says, yet no one has really heard it.

Clinton tried to deflect attention from the controversy by saying “elections are about the future,” and “we don’t have to be re-fighting the 2004 election, as much as President Bush would like that.

Of course, she wants to make it fade too…..

Also at Michelle Malkin

From Thinkprogress, we hear Kerry talking about this this morning on Imus. (see the video)

He says he apologized for the botched joke, but I really don’t hear an apology for the people offended.

It is a start, but in my opinion, not enough.

(by the way, there are many clips from Imus ruinnign around, all contradicting each other.  Hopefully someone will post the whole thing)

UPDATE-  Kerry has the whole transcript up on his site here.  He twices claims he has apologized.

LSU asks WHERE?  WHEN?  So far I have not found anything but redirecting the issue with counter attacks.

Here is a partial transcript:

IMUS: It was my inclination to try to defend you in this, and I said, I think I know what he meant, I mean it’s clear what he meant. But I had to acknowledge in my conversation with Charles that that’s not what you said.

KERRY: Of course it isn’t what I said. I left out one word, I left out the word us. They got us stuck. Instead of that, I said they got stuck. And they’re taking advantage of it. And here’s what’s wrong.

John, still think that the the troops have confidence you support them?  I don’t think they are buying the "botched joke" excuse.

John?  Show some friggin humility and apologize.  Geeez!

Click on picture for High Rez version.

(from drudge)

Hot Air provides a better quality picture.

Previously:

• The fallout grows: Some Dems line up against Kerry 
• Kerry sees 1st fallout as Iowa Democrat cancels Kerry event 
• Max Cleland defends John Kerry; Bill Frist joins call for apology 
• Was the Kerry “faux pas” just a botched joke? If so, then why won’t he just apologize 
• John Kerry has a meltdown, and issue a non apoology Updated 
• John Kerry suffers foot and mouth disease 

Others continuing the coverage:

Hot Air, Blue Crab, ALF, Captain Ed, Say Anything, Riehl World, QandO, Time, Hugh Hewitt, Right Wing, Iowa Voice, Anchoress, Sister Toldjah, Stop the ACLU, Chez Diva, Michelle Malkin, Big Dog; Woman Honor Thyself, Right Wing Nuthouse; Tammy Bruce, Flopping Aces, Squiggler, LGF

The first tangible fallout has hit as an Iowa Congressional candidate Brucy Braley cancels a campaign event.

Iowa candidate asks Kerry to cancel campaign visit

DES MOINES, Iowa A Democratic Congressional candidate from Iowa is canceling a campaign event later this week with Senator John Kerry.

Brucy Braley says Kerry’s recent comments about the Iraq war were inappropriate.

Braley is running against Republican Mike Whalen in Iowa’s First District congressional race. It’s a contest considered to be one of the most competitive House races in the country.

Braley’s decision to distance himself from Kerry came as a furor grew from comments Kerry made about the Iraq War during a campaign stop in California on Monday.

Kerry said if you make the most of your education, you "can do well." The Democrat went on to say that is you don’t, (quote) "you get stuck in Iraq."

The remarks prompted sharp criticism from some Republicans, including President Bush and Arizona Senator John McCain.

Kerry refused to apologize.

This article asks "Did Kerry Hand Republicans a November gift?"  Even the Democrats seem to think so-

Shocker….Max Cleland defends John "I Apologize to no one" Kerry.

Statement of Max Cleland on John Kerry’s Response to GOP Attacks

"I think people will remember John Kerry’s press conference today as the moment we Democrats stopped once and forever accepting the disgraceful smears of Republicans. John Kerry showed our Party how to fight back with the truth.

“John Kerry is a patriot who has fought tooth and nail for veterans ever since he came home from Vietnam. He has stood with his brothers in arms unlike this Administration which exploits our troops to make a political point and divide America.

“John Kerry should apologize to no one for his criticism of the President and his broken policy in Iraq. George Bush is the one who owes our troops an apology. This is text book Republican campaign tactics.

“Everybody knows it’s not working this time around. If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize the more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they’ve got a partisan political agenda and that’s the bottom line. We’re not going to take it any more."