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| Kerry under fire for Iraq 'joke' | Kerry under fire for Iraq 'joke' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Former Democratic US presidential candidate John Kerry is facing angry criticism for comments made to students about the war in Iraq. | Former Democratic US presidential candidate John Kerry is facing angry criticism for comments made to students about the war in Iraq. |
| On Tuesday the White House demanded he apologise for saying failed students could get "stuck in Iraq" as soldiers. | On Tuesday the White House demanded he apologise for saying failed students could get "stuck in Iraq" as soldiers. |
| But Mr Kerry refused, saying the target of his "botched joke" was Mr Bush's "broken policy" and not US troops. | But Mr Kerry refused, saying the target of his "botched joke" was Mr Bush's "broken policy" and not US troops. |
| The war of words comes just days ahead of US mid-term elections, which could hinge on the issue of the war in Iraq. | The war of words comes just days ahead of US mid-term elections, which could hinge on the issue of the war in Iraq. |
| Mr Kerry, speaking to a group of California university students on Monday, said: "You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well." | Mr Kerry, speaking to a group of California university students on Monday, said: "You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well." |
| It disgusts me that a bunch of these Republican hacks who've never worn the uniform of our country are willing to lie about those who did John Kerry US mid-terms blog: Kerry row New media, new war | It disgusts me that a bunch of these Republican hacks who've never worn the uniform of our country are willing to lie about those who did John Kerry US mid-terms blog: Kerry row New media, new war |
| He added: "If you don't you get stuck in Iraq." | He added: "If you don't you get stuck in Iraq." |
| The BBC's James Coomarasamy, in Washington, says the White House seized on the comments to attack the decorated Vietnam War veteran and by extension his party. | The BBC's James Coomarasamy, in Washington, says the White House seized on the comments to attack the decorated Vietnam War veteran and by extension his party. |
| On the campaign trail in Georgia, President George W Bush described the comments as "insulting and shameful" and called on his former rival to apologise to servicemen and women. | On the campaign trail in Georgia, President George W Bush described the comments as "insulting and shameful" and called on his former rival to apologise to servicemen and women. |
| "The members of the United States military are plenty smart and they are plenty brave and the senator from Massachusetts owes them an apology," Mr Bush said. | |
| Mr Kerry refused, saying that the comments were merely a badly delivered joke intended to be a criticism of Mr Bush's "botched war". | Mr Kerry refused, saying that the comments were merely a badly delivered joke intended to be a criticism of Mr Bush's "botched war". |
| He said Republicans were refusing to debate real issues of foreign policy. | He said Republicans were refusing to debate real issues of foreign policy. |
| "It disgusts me that a bunch of these Republican hacks who've never worn the uniform of our country are willing to lie about those who did," he said. | "It disgusts me that a bunch of these Republican hacks who've never worn the uniform of our country are willing to lie about those who did," he said. |