Kerry’s base knew exactly what he was saying. They know very well that it was not a joke about President Bush, as Kerry is now (laughably) trying to claim. Here’s a post applauding Kerry’s slam at the military, at The Democratic Daily: All Star Rally Gives Phil Angelides A Boost.

Cortney Fielding staff writer for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune (and the Pasadena Star News) reports that “while the students showed proper enthusiasm for Angelides by waving his signs and wooing and booing at the right places, the energy in the room clearly belonged to Kerry.”

He took the stage to roaring applause and left it only to be mobbed by students and reporters.

Kerry charmed the crowd with tales of surfing at Mission Beach and got laughs for a series of one-liners, including telling the crowd he had just returned from Texas, “Where the president used to live - now he lives in a state of denial.”

Kerry then told the students that if they were able to navigate the education system, they could get comfortable jobs - “If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq,” he said to a mixture of laughter and gasps.

Talk about speaking the stark truth to students who want more out of life. The education system in California is a mess, especially in L.A. County. Each day I pick my daughter up at school I see the recruiters leaving, smiling because they have snagged another kid who’s trapped by the system and sees no future other than enlisting. It shouldn’t be like this. A 50% drop out rate is unacceptable. What is the bottom line for these kids, a job at McDonald’s or Iraq. Kudos to Kerry for delivering a wake up call to the young voters at the rally (wingnuts are all wet on their claims).

UPDATE at 11/1/06 8:07:07 am:

The anti-military attitudes of the left are standing today in stark relief. Contrary to the claim made by this blogger, there are no drop-outs in the US military; a high school degree is required to enlist.

UPDATE at 11/1/06 8:20:12 am:

More information about the high quality of America’s military:

Who Are the Recruits? The Demographic Characteristics of U.S. Military Enlistment, 2003—2005. (Hat tip: Just_a_Grunt.)

Service demographics offer snapshot of force. (Hat tip: David Simon.)

Academic Education

— 49.2 percent of officers have advanced or professional degrees; 39.4 percent have master’s degrees, 8.5 percent have professional degrees and 1.3 percent have doctorate degrees.

— 22.8 percent of company grade officers have advanced degrees; 16.5 percent have master’s degrees, 5.9 percent have professional degrees and 0.3 percent have doctorate degrees.

— 85.4 percent of field grade officers have advanced degrees; 70.7 percent have master’s degrees, 12.1 percent have professional degrees and 2.5 percent have doctorate degrees.

— 99.9 percent of the enlisted force have at least a high school education; 73.3 percent have some semester hours toward a college degree; 16.2 percent have an associate’s degree or equivalent semester hours; 4.7 percent have a bachelor’s degree; 0.7 percent have a master’s degree and .01 percent have a professional or doctorate degree.