As Glenn points out, Kerry is surrounded by people who are totally incompetent. Secret Service men knock him down on the ski slopes, and speech writers always take his ideas and twist them into something incomprehensible. The NY Times has Kerry’s explanation for his reported ownership of a Chinese assault rifle:
Senator John Kerry’s campaign said yesterday that Mr. Kerry did not own a Chinese assault rifle, as he was quoted as saying in Outdoor Life magazine, but a single-bolt-action military rifle, blaming aides who filled out the magazine’s questionnaire on his behalf for the error.
Some will point to Kerry’s response as blaming others for his failings. I see it as incompetence in creating a staff that functions.
Just because his staff is incompetent does not mean that he blames others for his shortcomings and mistakes. For example, the first pitch at Fenway that he bounced in the dirt? Blamed it on the National Guard member just back from Iraq who was serving as the catcher (and this after he pre-empted the guy, who was supposed to be the one throwing out the first pitch). Another example, the ski slope incident with the SOB Secret Service guy. He goes on Letterman, and does he make fun of himself? No, he tries to make fun of the President. Who does he blame “Lambert” Field on? Or talking about Buckeye football in Michigan? Or crawling around in the mud with his trusty double barrell 12 guage to hunt deer? The guy is a complete phoney. More importantly, however, is he has no sense of humor, at least about his own shortcomings. That, of course, is a typical liberal trait. Did you ever hear Al Franken laugh at himself? Or Barbara Streisand? Or Susan Sarandon? Or any of those noted liberals who like to make fun of the President? People relate to self-deprecating humor, and that concept is foreign to Kerry.
Comment by John Adams at The Commons — September 27, 2004 @ 2:53 pm
See…I told you some people would point to Kerry’s response as blaming others for his failings!
Bush would think “Dubya” was a good nickname. Kerry would use his Chinese assault rifle to threaten anyone who tried to call him by a nickname.
Comment by Bunker — September 27, 2004 @ 3:55 pm
Kerry’s vanity is extraordinary even among politicians. The man genuinely believes that he has earned the presidency, and that he cannot be wrong. But if he cannot be wrong, someone else must be found to take the blame for each of his many missteps.
I pity whoever he chooses to blame for his inevitable landslide defeat in November.
Comment by Francis W. Porretto — September 27, 2004 @ 4:17 pm
What I found funny about the staff screw up, this weekend the times and others have been talking about his hands on operations in the campaign. So which is it hands on or staff screw ups. I just can’t believe I live in a state where he is winning by almost 18 points.
Comment by wayne — September 27, 2004 @ 11:16 pm