Botched Joke?

During a Democratic campaign rally at Pasadena City College on Monday, Senator John Kerry told a group of California students:

“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 .”

Kerry claims he botched a joke meant to be about the president and the president’s people, not the troops.

Here are some of your comments:

E-mail No. 1

John Kerry should remember Abraham Lincoln’s words: "You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time." John Kerry is a traitor and hopefully finished in politics.

Ed, Viet Vet, U.S. Army 1969

E-mail No. 2

Just thinking about the comments of John Kerry and suddenly, Trent Lott ’s comments came to mind. Lott’s comments were less offensive in my opinion and still he was forced to step down from a leadership role.

Danny, AL

E-mail No. 3

Bush, the C-student and future president, short-changed himself on his education, and he got us stuck in Iraq. I got it. Why don’t you?

Helen, AZ

E-mail No. 4

Perhaps Senator Kerry should fire his speech writer and get a fourth grader to write for him! Obviously Kerry didn’t learn to read or keep his place on the page during his years at Yale.

C, LA

E-mail No. 5

This is the same John Kerry that testified before Congress in 1972, providing statements that were replayed at the Hanoi Hilton. He has always had a disdain for the armed forces, and Monday’s comments were no different.

Al, MA

E-mail No. 6

John Kerry is living proof that you cannot teach intelligence. Apologies will NOT be accepted.

Gold Star Parents, ME

E-mail No. 7

The President did lower the education standards for people to enlist in the army.

Corey, FOX News Viewer

E-mail No. 8

My son will be deploying in January. He volunteered. He has two Master’s degrees.

Janet, MO

E-mail No. 9

I’m a college-educated 25 year old, trained by 2 branches of the Armed Forces and I’m working on going back to Iraq as we speak. Kerry’s still bitter and he’s losing it!

Clint, OK Army National Guard

E-mail No. 10

He misspoke (has Bush never done that?) I can name thousands where Bush has misspoken. Why do you dwell on this one thing?

Andrew, GA

E-mail No. 11

I am outraged at not only John Kerry’s statement but also his flat refusal to apologize! My son is in the ROTC program at the University of Kentucky and he is doing very well academically. Becoming an officer in the United States military is a goal that he is persuing, not from a weakness (lack of education or monetarily) but out of a desire to serve his country. His view of serving in the military is an “honor” not a second choice.

Vicky, OH

E-mail No. 12

Kerry’s comments are a personal affront to each of these enlisted young people, whether active duty, guard, or reserve. These young enlisted men and women are sacrificing themselves and their families to give this blabbering fool a right to speak.

Steve, VA

E-mail No. 13

Too late for an apology — resign! What he did was worse than Foley. His blunder cost lives

Claud, TX

E-mail No. 14

I am so mad at Kerry. I am a mother of four sons that have served in the Air Force and Army. I am so proud of all our sons. Kerry is just still angry about losing to our great president, G.W. Bush.

Rebecca, TX

E-mail No. 15

Kerry is right. Most of the military couldn’t afford to go to college unless they went in the military. Most of them are poor because of the economy. The military is the only job they can get.

D, FL

E-mail No. 16

The choice I made was to finish school and become an Officer in the Army. I could have easily quit school and became a liberal in California. John Kerry did not botch a joke, he accidentally said out loud what all liberals really think of our military.

A, (conservative) Dem. and Army Reservist

E-mail No. 17

President Bush is the one who owes us an apology. I am the wife of a soldier in Iraq, and while I think John Kerry is an idiot, I get what he was saying. President Bush did not do his homework on Iraq and that is why we are stuck there. I would much rather have an apology from Bush for all the lies he has told and for his failed plan in Iraq.

Jenn, RI

E-mail No. 18

Apologize. No way. He should resign. If I lived in Mass. I would be starting the petition to get him out.

Lina, MN

Finally, glad to hear that the Web link to quick Halloween costumes was helpful to those of you who are parents. As FOX News fan Diana writes: "If I didn’t already love FOX News this would be the turning point. Thanks for thinking of your viewers as moms and dads who sometimes struggle with time for our kids. I’m a hero at home!"

As always, thank you so much for all of your e-mails, you can always e-mail me at e.d.hill@foxnews.com or check out my website www.hillfriends.com

E.D. Hill anchors 'FOX News Live' weekdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET. Send your comments to e.d.hill@foxnews.com