The First Botched Joke was the 2004 Campaign.

Quote:  “Senator Kerry not only owes an apology to those who are serving, but also to the families of those who’ve given their lives in this.”  White House Press Secretary Tony Snow.

Figure of Speech: apodioxis (a-po-dee-OX-sis), the “you should apologize” figure.  From the Greek, meaning “chasing away.”

In his quest to lose another election, John Kerry managed to insult our troops and look like a snob at the same time.  “You know, education — if you make the most of it, you study hard and you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well,” he told students at Pasadena City College in California.  “If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”

He later called it a “botched joke” against Bush.  So add the charge of lousy  joke teller on top of arrogant fool.

The Republicans, screwing up their faces to mask their delight, are calling on Kerry to apologize while hoping he doesn’t.  They’re using an apodioxis, a figure that makes the opponent seem like an outsider.  Use it as an effective character attack when you want to avoid dealing with the future.

Kerry, of course, refuses to apologize.  He must be on the Republican payroll.

Snappy Answer:   “We’ll apologize for him.  Now, about Iraq…”

Update on Wednesday, November 1, 2006 at 05:28PM by Figaro

Well, he apologized, sort of, on Imus. Even better, he said he was going back to Washington. Thank you, Senator.

 Fig.