Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on April 6, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
George Bush’s critics rightly roasted him for his tortured syntax and waterboarded grammar, and used it to make the claim that the graduate of both Harvard and Yale was an idiot. Well, perhaps, but I don’t recall him ever claiming that Austrian was a language. It takes a highly-esteemed intellect, it seems, to miss the fact that Austrians mainly speak German:
It was also interesting to see that political interaction in Europe is not that different from the United States Senate. There’s a lot of — I don’t know what the term is in Austrian — wheeling and dealing — and, you know, people are pursuing their interests, and everybody has their own particular issues and their own particular politics.
Austrians speak German primarily — and I’m sure some Austrians speak languages ranging from Albanian to Swahili, being an intelligent and cultured people. However, none of the speak Austrian, because it doesn’t exist.
I got a deluge of e-mails on this, so thanks to all who sent the tip. Other bloggers on this Obamateurism:
Update: LGF claims they have a clip of Bush bowing to Abdullah, but he’s actually bending down to receive a medal from the Saudi king. Bush is much taller than Abdullah, which would have made it impossible for Abdullah to get the medal around his neck otherwise. We can question whether Bush should have accepted a medal from the Saudis, but he wasn’t greeting Abdullah with a bow.
Got an Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at [email protected] with the quote and the link to the Obamateurism. I’ll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I’ll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.
Illustrations by Chris Muir of Day by Day. Be sure to read the adventures of Sam, Zed, Damon, and Jan every day!
Update: Removed the references to French and Italian. One tourist site mentioned them, but the CIA factbook doesn’t, and I’ll take them as definitive.
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You wonder how Obama every finished college. He keeps showing off a total lack of knowledge on subjects that a well educated high school student should know (I guess he was “road kill” for the teachers union).
duff65 on April 6, 2009 at 3:12 PM
I’m sure our Governator can clarify this for us.
/sarc
FontanaConservative on April 6, 2009 at 3:13 PM
I’ve wondered the same thing. How about “Affirmative Action”? That could account for some of his rise to power. Unfortunately for us the Peter Principle has failed when we needed it most.
kanda on April 6, 2009 at 3:15 PM
I’ve wondered the same thing. How about “Affirmative Action”? That could account for some of his rise to power. Unfortunately for us the Peter Principle has failed when we needed it most.
kanda on April 6, 2009 at 3:15 PM
You are quite correct. Obama has totally exceeded his.
duff65 on April 6, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Take a deep breath and re-read every one of my posts carefully. Apply some reading comprehension to my writing. There you will find what you seek. Unfortunately you were too wound up in trying to prove a worthless point to recognize it. I will say an extra prayer for you tonight. I will ask the lord to provide you with the gift of reading comprehension. It will benefit you in the long run. Go in peace…live long and prosper.
kanda on April 6, 2009 at 3:21 PM
CJ’s having a field day banning people for daring to suggest that claiming Bush bowed when he didn’t is a lie. Never dreamed that out of dKos, HuffPo, and LGF, I’d be banned on LGF first. Good gravy.
OneGyT on April 6, 2009 at 3:26 PM
ha ha..I see from your url that your opinion was formed before the lord created the heavens and the earth. ha ha. Therefore it is preordained that you have projected your situation onto others. I shall pray for a full and complete recovery for you. Let us pray.
kanda on April 6, 2009 at 3:26 PM
I am sorry to hear that. It is one thing to ban someone for uncivilized behavior. To do it because they do not share your view is unamerican and just plain wrong. It is the liberal way and we must remain steadfast in protecting the right of free speech. We must not allow the fairness doctrine to be passed in any shape or form. Once they shut u out of the media we will have lost our country for good.
kanda on April 6, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Still, I made it clear that I see what he’s doing as lying. So it isn’t so much the ban itself that bugs me as the fact that he was being dishonest in the first place that led to it. If I moderated a blog I might (it’s not a definite) ban someone for calling me a liar, but I couldn’t believe he’d be so disingenuous. Still didn’t expect to be banned though.
OneGyT on April 6, 2009 at 3:40 PM
I have and I don’t agree with you.
You seem to be saying that conservatives lost because we didn’t make substantive arguments, while liberals won because they did.
Seems to me we made more than they did. Seems to me, the Democrats won because with the aid of the media and professional clowns such as Jon Stewart, they turned the Republicans into either a curse word or a punch line.
So unless you want to make the case that the left put together sounder and more detailed cases for their warmed over neo-commie policies and painfully weak candidates than we did (which they didn’t), you have to concede that their sweep of Congress and the Whiate House was largely due to their successful name-calling and smear campaign.
And if you still want to make the case that the left had better arguments, then are you really conservative at all?
NoDonkey on April 6, 2009 at 3:44 PM
kanda on April 6, 2009 at 3:30 PM
I understand. I guess if it’s your blog and you want to use absolute power to silence your critics thats your choice. I’ll tell you this. I won’t read his blog ever again for do this to you or anyone else.
kanda on April 6, 2009 at 4:01 PM
OneGyT on April 6, 2009 at 3:40 PM
Hey, I got banned a couple of days ago (after being a member for probably five years) because I never commented and yet had the temerity to upding or downding comments that I agreed or disagreed with, respectively. Something is definitely rotten lately at LGF.
kroshka on April 6, 2009 at 4:07 PM
From nodonkey
Okay.
If I left that impression then I was unclear. I and saying today now…we didn’t are not substantive arguments. In fact we are getting hung up on BS stuff like this thread and the real issues are being ignored.
We lost for a number of reasons the most important of which is our candidate was a bad choice. John McCain was not true conservative and was too liberal. The public could not differentiate between him and Obama. Obama lied but he came off looking better than MCCain to a lot of fence sitters. The media was biased in favor of Obama and that helped him tremendously to get his message out. I think if we had a better candidate we could have overcome the media bias.
No it was just the opposite they didn’t make any case for their positions. They were automatically accepted. Obama ran a brilliant campaign. He can’t govern but he sure can campaign. Our problem is McCain had no clear position on major issues either. His stunt of suspending his canpaign to go to washington was…well it was stupid. He took a risk and blew it bigtime. He was just not conservative enough and yet somehow still barely lost the election.
I never made any case for the left. I abhor everything they stand for. I do respect their ability to out poll us thought. I admire their ability to put the wool over the eyes of the american people. I love the arrogance they dispaly even now in this major economic crisis. I know it will eventually lead to thier downfall from power. Until themn we must to our values and rekindle our faith in conservatism. What I see here is conservitives imitating the left by expressing blind hatred for Obama. What fools.
I want you to live up to your name here and be nodonkey!!!
kanda on April 6, 2009 at 4:15 PM
I feel the best we all can do is diesregard LGF completely. No hits to that blog. Nothing at all. Just ignore them. More will follow I’m sure.
kanda on April 6, 2009 at 4:19 PM
I apologize my spelling is horrible today. I think it is something to do with the fingers and the keyboard. ;)
kanda on April 6, 2009 at 4:20 PM
I haven’t been to LGF in a while. They seem to be on some kind of weird blog direction lately, whether slamming intelligent design or playing music.
itsspideyman on April 6, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Wow, that’s ridiculous. Sounds reasonable, kanda.
But what I was saying about my ban reason is that it’s one thing to disagree with someone but another to call them a liar, as I did. I’m not backing down from calling him one, I’m just saying I can see that distinction and that might be why he banned me and a few others in that thread and not certain ones who called him out without explicitly calling out his dishonesty. I don’t know if I’m making sense. :P Well, doesn’t really matter I suppose.
OneGyT on April 6, 2009 at 4:35 PM
I don’t. I see us enjoying an arrogant guy who has been continually portrayed as being perfect, getting his well-deserved comuppance.
There aren’t any elections anytime soon. Besides, we’re not going to win any elections in the Hot Air threads.
McCain wasn’t the best candidate, granted. However, there wasn’t a candidate in the field who had a chance against the Democrats.
The media and the Democrats would have destroyed any candidate the Republicans offered last fall. If you don’t like McCain, you should be glad he ran last fall because any candidate would have been ripped apart, just look at what they did to Sarah Palin.
NoDonkey on April 6, 2009 at 4:36 PM
In order to have won, what you keep asserting has to be proven correct. None of the name calling or the innuendo about your state of sobriety means that is true that Austrian is a language. Therefore, you have not won.
The Lord you keep holding up in front of your illogic is the Way, the Truth and the Light. Perhaps it is a different lord to whom you pledge your allegiance.
baldilocks on April 6, 2009 at 4:43 PM
I have.
You seem to confuse “language” with “dialect”.
They’re not the same.
Not only that, but you seem to not understand the concept of “multitasking.”
That is, that we can take some time here to ridicule the “golden tongued orator” AND make arguments on “substantive” topics.
Again, though, since Obama RAN on a platform of hope, change and being the greatest orator since Aristotle…
…ridiculing his gaffes is an important and necessary function.
Religious_Zealot on April 6, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Exactly and do we want to remain silent when he mangles his words, so he can run on that AGAIN in 2012?
Because let’s face it, other than pretty talking and being a minority, there isn’t a whole lot in Bammy’s bag of tricks.
NoDonkey on April 6, 2009 at 4:57 PM
Exactly right. And since the Left made hay for 8 years with the previous President’s verbal gaffes, as well as doing the same thing to John McCain all during last year’s campaign, payback’s a getalife.
In fact. Zsa Zsa’s blog went nuts over McCain’s gaffes.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/10/mccain-gaffes-a-tough-wee_n_106290.html
Del Dolemonte on April 6, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Exactly.
When the campaign for 2012 starts up and Obama’s camp starts talking about his oratory skills and his “knowledge” of world events…
…we can bring up, among other things, his inability to understand that Austrians speak German.
Religious_Zealot on April 6, 2009 at 5:01 PM
This blizzard of words doesn’t hide the fact that you’re still doubling down on the impossible claim that Austrian is a language.
No, there is no Austrian language. It’s German. Yes, there are dialectical differences, but there are dialectical difference between the German spoken in Saxony, Berlin, Bavaria, and the Black Forest. They’re all still German.
You should have gone with the “it’s not that important” defense in the first place. Trying to defend the statement as correct just makes you look foolish.
And who’s blind: the one who insists correctly that the name for the language is German, or the one who insists wrongly hours later that it really is Austrian?
It’s your refusal to face an obvious fact that provides the entertainment here.
tom on April 6, 2009 at 5:07 PM
Correction to kanda:
baldilocks on April 6, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Austrians speak German.
BTW – my ancestors where German.
There, I guess I win. ;)
Religious_Zealot on April 6, 2009 at 5:54 PM
A few of mine were also. :)
baldilocks on April 6, 2009 at 6:37 PM
Does this mean I got ripped off on my English to Austrian dictionary?
hawkeye on April 6, 2009 at 7:04 PM
Push 3 for Austian
QuiQuaeQuod on April 6, 2009 at 7:24 PM
Push 3 for Austrian.
QuiQuaeQuod on April 6, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Unfortunately, yes. But the good news is that you can get some of your money back. Just put it on EBay, and a certain White House resident is certain to make an offer.
Loxodonta on April 6, 2009 at 7:53 PM
Obama was in Strasbourg FRANCE.
He seems to have thought he was in Strasburg, Austria.
Note that these cities aren’t even spelled the same.
So it’s far worse than people think.
PrestoPundit on April 6, 2009 at 8:17 PM
I think we have evidence that somebody let Crazy Joe operate TOTUS for a few minutes.
BobMbx on April 6, 2009 at 8:43 PM
PrestoPundit on April 6, 2009 at 8:17 PM
You are so right. So he managd to insult the French and the Germans that were there(the two cities border each other)
and discover a new language. WTH
Plus what does it say about the fact no one told him what country he is in or he didn’t realize it himself?
Gracelynn on April 6, 2009 at 8:54 PM
Aside from there not being an “Austrian” language, the entire statement is utterly stupid. Someone out there – can you explain it cogently?
Entelechy on April 6, 2009 at 9:19 PM
I will give it a go:
Part 1)
Observing EU politics, Obama was most interested in and excited about an activity with which he has a great deal of experience in Chicago and the US Senate: wheeling and dealing.
This activity is interesting and exciting to Obama because he believes he is very good at it. So, his purpose in mentioning it is not to compliment the EU or the US Senate, but to flatter himself.
L’État c’est Moi.
Part 2)
Not interested in the individual interests or particular issues or politics of anyone else, but realizing he has to acknowledge others to maintain their devotion to him, Obama then mentions everybody else in his typical, meaningless, multi-cultural pablum that he knows his fans will eat up and consider further evidence of his superior charm, oratory skills and intelligence… ahhhh… you know.
_____________________________________________________
I hope that’s cogent enough. And, if anyone believes I am mistaken in any part of my interpretation, please offer your own.
Loxodonta on April 6, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Been there my friend. CJ had a brief moment or two of lucidity following 9/11. It appears now that those deep statist tendencies are re-emerging as time goes on. Used to really enjoy the interaction with folks on that blog, but because of a simple statement in opposition to the vehement anti-creationist positions being espoused on that blog (and maybe because of number of downdings on that subject, my account was also banned. First time that has ever happened to me anywhere. Saw tendencies of CJ’s domineering approach to blog authorship prior to that, but was surprised at the fairly innocuous comment that got my ID banned. [Note to The Race Card: Yes, it’s his blog, he can do as he pleases, but just because it’s your sandbox doesn’t mean that people aren’t going to start ignoring you when you become an overbearing, obnoxious boor]
AZfederalist on April 6, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Me too. Former LGFer but Charles has gone a different way, and it is evidently his way or the highway.
Dasher on April 6, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Thanks Loxodonta – now it makes sense :)
p.s. Parachute at the opera – Europeans think it’s “endearing” because they’re swimming in something viscous. Note the buttons are missed too.
Entelechy on April 7, 2009 at 6:16 AM
Drats! I keep hoping I’m wrong about him, because it’s a bit scary having such a president.
Loxodonta on April 7, 2009 at 7:07 AM
Again, proof that President Obama knows nothing except that which is filtered through his teleprompter-on the wide angle shoot of his uhhhh and ahhh moment notice no prompter present. Unless of course it is in the floor lights, at which I would have to conclude it went blank long enough to capture this gaff.
I am still trying to find all 57 of our States.
MSGTAS on April 7, 2009 at 10:42 AM
As a math/science geek, I fail on epic levels when it comes to knowledge of cultures and geography.
Still, even I knew that Austrian wasn’t a language. I only hope his goofy smile after the comment was to say, “Yeah, I’m joking. I know there’s no such language.”
Reminds me of a good way to cheese off Brits visiting the U.S. Ask him or her how long they’ve been in the country, then say, “Wow! You’re English is so good!”
ynot4tony2 on April 7, 2009 at 11:59 AM
We must all be unfair to Obama. Perhaps he was looking into the future. If we add 7 more states starting with Austria we will indeed have 57. This man is a true visionary. ;>)
kanda on April 7, 2009 at 1:19 PM
I have come to think of Charles @ LGF as paranoid. I too got my account there banned and to my recollection never posted one comment. I simply used the dinging structure he put in place for articles and for posts and one day I couldn’t log in.
But his behavior is explained by something I saw him say once: why would he want to keep people around that want to abuse him while using his software? He has created this atmosphere where, when people disagree even in the mildest ways, he says “they’re coming out of the woodwork tonight” and starts banning. He allows 8-10 people to hammer one person for heterodox views and then publicly berates that person for not answering all charges against them, valid or otherwise. Then they are banned.
So I still go there every once in a while but no longer take the majority of the topics or contributors seriously.
mufsidoon on April 7, 2009 at 7:40 PM
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