- Context: During a campaign rally in 2006, then-Senator John Kerry tried to make a joke about education and the Bush administration’s handling of the Iraq War.
- What 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.”
- The Gaffe: Kerry’s comment was widely interpreted as an insult to U.S. troops, suggesting that only uneducated people end up serving in Iraq. While Kerry claimed he was attempting to make a dig at President George W. Bush’s foreign policy, the comment came off as demeaning to military service members.
- Public Reaction: The backlash was swift and fierce, with many veterans and military families expressing outrage. Kerry’s political opponents used the gaffe to paint him as out of touch with the military, and the incident marred his reputation for years.