USA: The row over Democrat Senator John Kerry's controversial joke about Iraq continues to rumble on

Democratic Senator John Kerry apologized on Wednesday (November 1) for a "botched joke" that had drawn fire from President George W. Bush and dominated debate in the last days of a bitter fight for control of Congress. Kerry said his remarks about Iraq troops to a college crowd in California were aimed at Bush, not the military, and canceled campaign appearances on behalf of Democratic candidates to avoid becoming a bigger distraction. Polls ahead of Tuesday's congressional elections show Democrats are poised to win power in the House of Representatives for the first time since 1994 and could threaten Republican control of the Senate. Kerry told the students that if they studied hard they could do well, but if they didn't "you get stuck in Iraq." His office said he neglected to add the punch line: "Just ask President Bush." Kerry defended his remarks saying " This was directed at the people who didn't do their homework, didn't listen to history, didn't listen to their own advice, and they owe the American people an apology." Kerry made his comments on the "Imus in the Morning" radio show on MSNBC. Bush and his Republican party were eager to switch the campaign debate from the war in Iraq and questions about Bush's leadership, seized on the remarks as an illustration of why Democrats should not be trusted with national security. Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean is dismissing Kerry's comment as a "blooper." Dean's comments came during a radio interview in Vermont on Wednesday. Dean argued that the President, not Kerry, was the issue during the campaign. "Kerry made a blooper. Bloopers happen. To my knowledge he apologized on the Imus show this morning. I think we want to focus on the President's intemperate rhetoric in saying that a vote for a democrat is a vote to help the terrorists win. It is untrue and it's exactly the reason that President Bush is a failed President." A series of Reuters/Zogby polls released on Wednesday showed Democrats leading in 12 of 15 key House districts polled. Democrats are favored in several other races not polled. Another three dozen House races are considered competitive. Voter disillusionment with the Iraq war, Bush's leadership and the Republican-led Congress have fueled the Democratic surge this year. Republicans rushed to change the topic and draw attention to the comments by Kerry. "The senator's suggestion that the men and women of our military are somehow uneducated is insulting and it is shameful," Bush told a campaign rally in Georgia on Tuesday. Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran who lost the 2004 presidential race to Bush after his military record was questioned, reacted angrily to the Republican attacks and initially refused to apologize. White House spokesman Tony Snow said Kerry's failure to do so on Tuesday was the reason it blew up into a broader debate. " There was an insult delivered to troops, whether it was intended or not, the way you clean the slate is say I didn't mean to say it. I'm sorry" Snow told reporters.

ITN Source | November 2, 2006

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