HOME /  Kerryisms :  The senator's caveats and curlicues.

Kerryism of the Day

The senator's caveats and curlicues.

By |Posted Thursday, July 22, 2004, at 11:47 AM

What did he say?
What did he say?

(For instructions on how to read a Kerryism, click here.)

Question: Sen. Kerry, your campaign and you were demanding to know whether President Bush had read this National Intelligence Estimate before committing to go to war with Iraq, and it turns out that your staff admitted that you didn't read it either. 

Kerry:  I've seen several National Intelligence Estimates. 1 2 3 4

—Imus in the Morning, July 15, 2004

[1] I don't know what they're referring to.

[2] I'm not sure what they're referring to.

[3] I've seen a number of National Intelligence Estimates

Advertisement

[4] over the course of my Senate career

Verbatim:

I've seen several National Intelligence Estimates. I don't know what they're referring to. I'm not sure what they're referring to. I've seen, over the course of my Senate career, a number of National Intelligence Estimates.

Got a Kerryism? Send it to kerryisms@slate.com.

MYSLATE
MySlate is a new tool that lets you track your favorite parts of Slate. You can follow authors and sections, track comment threads you're interested in, and more.
SLATE'S MOST VIRAL

Will Saletan covers science, technology, and politics for Slate and says a lot of things that get him in trouble.

Photograph of John Kerry by Luke Frazza/Agence France-Presse.