"If a young fellow has an option of having a decent career, or joining the Army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life that he would not be in Iraq," Mr. Rangel, a Democrat representing Manhattan and Queens, said on "Fox News Sunday."

"If there's anyone who believes these youngsters want to fight, as the Pentagon and some generals have said, you can just forget about it. No bright young individual wants to fight just because of a bonus and just because of educational benefits. And most all of them come from communities of very, very high unemployment," the congressman said.

HotAir.com has video. Now, maybe what Rangel meant to say was, "If a young fellow has an option of having a decent career, or joining the Army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life that he would not be in Iraq. Just ask President Bush." That's every bit as funny as the joke Kerry claimed to have been telling.

Or maybe these guys just have genuine contempt for the American military and for the troops they claim to support. Which seems more likely to you?

* The haughty, French-looking Massachusetts Democrat, who failed to make the most of his education and as a result got stuck in Vietnam, albeit for only 120 days (though he has the hat to this day), and who promised 666 days ago to release his military records.