Kerry may not be wrong after all - Recruiting: Whatever It Takes?

[Mass]

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news&id=4721556

Recruiting: Whatever It Takes?
WABC

(New York-WABC, Nov. 2, 2006) -
We know the military is stretched thin.
That's why all those reservists are serving in Iraq.

Still.

That's why the Pentagon isn't letting them come home.

Still.

And so we wondered exactly how the military is going about recruiting young people. At a time of war, we know that recruiting is hard, and we figured there'd be some exaggeration.

But what the Eyewitness News Investigators discovered doesn't come close to exaggeration. It's just plain lies and deceit.

Consider these comments by recruiters, captured on our undercover camera:

"We're not at war, war ended a long time ago."

"The news never said war; they're not lying now; they never said war."

"I would say the likelihood of you going to Iraq is slim to none."

And here's an exchange between a student and a recruiter:

"STUDENT: Aren't people still being shipped out? RECRUITER: Naw, they bringing people back. STUDENT: Nobody is going out to Iraq anymore? RECRUITER: Naw, we bringing people back."

So while those who are promoting the war have this week jumped all over the gaffe by Sen. John Kerry, tonight we get back to the real issues. Why are these recruiters lying? Are they under orders to recruit at any cost? Is this the military's equivalent of a police ticket blitz?

And what kind of people believe these recruiters, who are offering young people jobs? With all due respect to the men and women who are facing death in Iraq -- is it because some of them -- SOME OF THEM, NOT ALL -- don't have a good education and don't have good job prospects?

I am open to that argument.

Just for the record: 105 Americans were killed in Iraq last month, the deadliest month in nearly two years.

...

[beachmom]

1. The joke was about Bush, Mass.

It was not about the troops. Good article, though.

[Mass]

2. Yes, I know.

This story is not a joke. It is about how recruiters take advantage of kids. And this is a story that has been repeated again and again. A serious story.

[beachmom]

4. I know I'm going all technical on you, but

I just think the mantra is that the botched joke was a Bush joke. Period. Talking about the troops at all, even if it's serious and about serious issues, and somehow associating it with Kerry's joke doesn't help the message we want to get out.

[JI7]

5. but Kerry's own website has an article that talks of what mass posted about

i'm not sure it is all that bad.

because it IS reality. i think people already know he wouldn't say that about the soldiers as Kerry himself was one also.

this is one thing Republicans DON'T want to talk about .

[Mass]

6. I know, but many of the articles that were positive about Kerry were partly positive

because of that aspect. I know this is not what Kerry meant, but it also shows that what he said is not offensive to the troops either. I do not think this is a problem.

In fact, there were many way to spin that, in addition of the truth. I am mad because the Dems decided to spin it the worse way possible, by implying Kerry was wrong or said something wrong, rather than using it to attack.

[karynnj]

9. I don't like that it is referenced in an article about the troops

Like Beachmom says, Kerry's words were about Bush - he was obviously tired and he misspoke. He's human. He told the truth, explained what he intended to say and why he said it.

But the content of the article shows that the Bush administration is on a personal level lying these kids into war. That disrespects them far more than words ever could. Also, as the Seattle Times and other media have said, IF you take it about the troops - it doesn't insult them and it's true. The only culpable people are those that intentionally distorted it. How is worse than Hillary's plantation comment.

[kerrygoddess]

10. It's well know

in SoCal that the recruiters harp on the underpriveleged kids who don't do well in school - that's why I brought it up on the Dem Daily. LAUSD has a high drop out rate and very high minority population. There have been several OP/ED that have pointed this out, including the one in the Seattle PI that is posted on JK.com -

"And wars, including this one, are often fought by those less privileged -- albeit no less smart -- than the sons and daughters of those who lead us into them." - http://www.johnkerry.com/news/articles/newsarticle.html?id=80

[wisteria]

12. Farinheit 9/11, all the proof you want is in that recuriting segment. n/t

[JI7]

3. wasn't there an article not too long ago by a parent

who was surprised that their kid was going to Iraq. he said when they signed up they were made to think it was about advancing their career at home and wont go overseas or to war.

[Mass]

7. An example on why I do not trust Schumer.

They tried everything except standing behind Kerry. And now Schumer spends his time answering questions about Kerry rather than pushing back on Bush.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/2006/11/what_did_schume.html

What did Schumer tell Kerry?

Posted by Jill Zuckman at 3:00 pm CST

Democrats tried everything possible to tamp down the brouhaha sparked by Sen. John Kerry's inept and insulting joke regarding education and the troops in Iraq. First, they put out talking points saying that Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee for president, is irrelevant to the midterm elections. That didn't work.

Then, they badgered Kerry to retreat and admit defeat. He did, apologizing Wednesday and stepping off the campaign trail.

Asked Thursday about the contretemps, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said he spoke to Kerry several times in the last couple of days, leaving the contents of their conversations to reporters' imaginations.

"Look, Sen. Kerry has apologized. He has said he's not going to say anything else and neither am I,'' said Schumer.

[beachmom]

8. I totally agree. They blew it. Idiots. nt

[wisteria]

11. Why is this writer repeating the lies about Kerry's remarks?

Was this done at the insistence of Schumer, (who, by the way, I don't trust at all)? "Inept and insulting" remarks about education and the troops? Why wouldn't he set the record straight on that alone?
It almost seems like a set up piece to reinforce the idea that somehow Kerry is the terrible one here and not the victim.
My guess is he follows the money, no matter where it comes from. He is my idea of a slimy pol.

[Mass]

13. The writer is often negative to Kerry. The point I wanted to emphasize is that

they spend more time talking about Kerry than pushing back on Bush, and largely because they did not stand for him. Had they said that Kerry was misunderstood, then attack Bush, I am sure the questions would have stopped a long time ago.

Schumer has been afraid to make waves during all this cycle. This was one of Feingold's major complaints, and I am sure that many others think the same way.

[wisteria]

14. say no more, DLC strategy and influence n/t