Kerry blasts Limbaugh over ‘phony soldiers’ remark

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) on Thursday demanded an apology from conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, who called soldiers who oppose the Iraq war “phony.”

“This disgusting attack from Rush Limbaugh, cheerleader for the chicken-hawk wing of the far right, is an insult to American troops,” Kerry said. “Mr. Limbaugh owes an apology to everyone who has ever worn the uniform of our country, and an apology to the families of every soldier buried in Arlington National Cemetery.”

Speaking on Wednesday with a listener who said he used to be in the Army, Limbaugh described veterans who call for withdrawal of troops from Iraq as “phony soldiers.”

Limbaugh’s remark prompted criticism from anti-war groups and liberals. Media Matters, a liberal media watchdog, and Americans Against Escalation In Iraq (AAEI), a pressure group of Iraq veterans who oppose the war, lashed out at Limbaugh.

It is the latest in the rhetorical battle between supporters and opponents of the war. Conservatives harshly criticized Democrats who refused to condemn the “General Betray Us” advertisement, paid for by MoveOn.Org, which ran earlier this month in The New York Times.