Kerry runs afoul of GOP desperation

Poor John Kerry. During the presidential campaign he was constantly dumped on for being too meek, and now that he speaks his mind the Republicans are swarming him with their customary feigned outrage.

The offense:

The Massachusetts senator, who is considering another presidential run in 2008, had opened his speech [Monday] at Pasadena City College with several one-liners, joking at one point that Bush had lived in Texas but now "lives in a state of denial."

Then he 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. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

Quiz time! Was Kerry's remark:

A. A cutting remark on the tendency of wars to consume the poor and minorities?
B. A jab at the current administration for their spotless record of avoiding service?
C. An intentional insult aimed at everyone who's ever served in the military?

It's been going back and forth since the remarks were delivered yesterday, with Tony Snow, John Boehner and even the increasingly shameless JohnMcCain taking shots at Kerry-- and Kerry refusing to apologize, particularly to the "stuffed shirt White House mouthpiece."

Although the most extensive coverage of the dust-up is provided by Fox News, they couldn't resist tacking on a headline that deliberately distorts Kerry's quip-- and tortures the language: "Kerry's Reloads in Dogfight Over Snipe at Troops in Iraq."

I'd love to know if they have some sort of Bureau of Ideological Purity that writes that stuff.