Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on April 22, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Once again, we return to the Summit of the Americas, where 34 democracies gathered to discuss issues around the hemisphere. That’s 34 — a number that actually has significant meaning to the US, although clearly that went over the head of our head of state (via HA reader Richard P):
President Obama misnumbered the nations attending the Summit of the Americas here, saying it was 36 when it’s actually 34.
“When you are in a group of 36, it’s more difficult to focus just on the regional issues so this gives me an opportunity to hear more directly about challenges and opportunities in the region,” Obama said.
The slip-up would be easily overlooked except for the setting and the leader of the meeting where the president said it. Obama spoke at the opening of a meeting of Central American leaders here, a sort of side summit to the main one.
Actually, the difference between 34 and 36 is the subject of some controversy at the summit. A few of the 34 represented nations believe there should be 36 nations at the conference, a position which the US disputes. Why? Because the US doesn’t count Cuba as a democracy, and Puerto Rico is an American territory and not an independent nation.
Who wants these two entities represented at the Summit of the Americas and to have 36 nations in the count? Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, who castigated the US for their absence during his 50-minute harangue after Obama’s speech.
Do you think Obama learned to count better after that? Neither do I. Somehow, this seems a lot more significant than Dan Quayle’s “potatoe”, but right along the same lines as Obama’s campaign-trail assertion of having visited 57 or 58 states.
Got an Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at obamaisms@edmorrissey.com 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!
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
So Ortega is in Obama’s thoughts. How comforting.
JohnTant on April 22, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Obama’s gaffes and inexperience makes your job so much easier Ed, you should send him a Thank You note.
milwife88 on April 22, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Who needs details when you’re a Messiah?
bluelightbrigade on April 22, 2009 at 8:15 AM
The most important point he had to make that day was that he wasn’t responsible for the Bay of Pigs. He can’t waste intellectual energy on the math portion.
Everything was just filler in his mind.
It’s all about Barry.
cruadin on April 22, 2009 at 8:16 AM
I miss Bethany and RealVerse. Let’s do a tribute to her!
rightside on April 22, 2009 at 8:18 AM
No let up,on Obama’s NeverEnding Gaffe Tour!
Taking the Baseball analogy,I wonder what the all time
number is,in Presidential Gaffe Screw-Up’s hit record !
canopfor on April 22, 2009 at 8:19 AM
Is Obama an amateur Ortega or is Ortega just a well experienced Obama?
SKYFOX on April 22, 2009 at 8:28 AM
And this isn’t Obama directly, but I love this note from Gibbs:
http://bench.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MDhlYTFkYTllYTUzZWU1MGE2M2QyNWUxMzM5ZDA5YzU=
cs89 on April 22, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Perfect point, Ed!
Obama MEANT 36, counter-American Potus.
Noting again:
Tt takes the neo-Kennedy to remove the Cuban embargo.
maverick muse on April 22, 2009 at 8:31 AM
Ya know,with all these Liberal distractions,which almost seems to have no end,is very DeJevu,of the Clinton distract
ions in which led up to the Attack of the World Trade Ctr!
canopfor on April 22, 2009 at 8:32 AM
More kowtowing, please.
hillbillyjim on April 22, 2009 at 8:33 AM
Exactly.
hillbillyjim on April 22, 2009 at 8:35 AM
Was this on or off the prompter? If it was on than it was likely intentional, which is an entirely separate issue. Being a verbal gaffe is actually the least worst scenario here.
BadgerHawk on April 22, 2009 at 8:37 AM
/slap… Didn’t I just tell you not to pay any attention to the man behind the curtain??? /slap…
doriangrey on April 22, 2009 at 8:38 AM
Who would vote away the economic and security benefits of being part of the United States, especially when you don’t have to pay federal taxes (If I’m not mistaken)?
BadgerHawk on April 22, 2009 at 8:40 AM
Did Obowa mention that he wasn’t yet born when all these countries were founded so he can’t be responsible for anything, but if they want to blame Bush for their problems, feel free?
Bishop on April 22, 2009 at 8:42 AM
And, unless I missed it, you can forget about that iPhone, too. LOL.
Jarhead68 on April 22, 2009 at 8:43 AM
And the next announcement from the Obama administration is that the term counting will now be changed to guesstimating.This will be done to counteract the administrations inability to add, or subtract. 57 states,jobs is 3 letters, billion is a small amount but million is a large amount,36 nations=34 and so forth.I could go on and on and on.
canditaylor68 on April 22, 2009 at 8:45 AM
Some of Obama’s gaffes are due to inexperience and incompetence. Others, like Freudian slips, seem to reveal his true character. This one seems to do that. Obama and Ortega, of like minds.
Loxodonta on April 22, 2009 at 8:46 AM
….Didn’t I just tell you not to pay attention…..
doriangry on April 22,2009 at 8:38PM.
doriangry: For the love of Pete,Obama’s tak’n America
down the PrimRose Path!!
And,the man behind the curtain,i will see to it,
that I flog myself,at the oppurtune time,at least
I gave up Troll Feeding!haha:)
canopfor on April 22, 2009 at 8:47 AM
Can we really say that even Venezuela is a democracy?
Rovin on April 22, 2009 at 8:49 AM
Bush: 36 democracies in the Americas.
Lefties: Bush is a moron who can’t count.
Dear Leader: 36 democracies in the Americas.
Lefties: This is a minor distraction. So he was off by two. Big deal. Besides, Bush is a moron who can’t count.
rbj on April 22, 2009 at 8:50 AM
That’s it buddy… Off to the William Ayer’s Memorial Re-Education and Undesirable Elimination Facility with you…
doriangrey on April 22, 2009 at 8:52 AM
I sooooo need to copyright that…. ;p
doriangrey on April 22, 2009 at 8:55 AM
This was a completely out of nowhere comment.
but I agree.
sigh
ncc770 on April 22, 2009 at 8:55 AM
The country needs a BETTER TOTUS!
SeniorD on April 22, 2009 at 8:59 AM
36 democracies
57 U.S. States
1 community organizer
But who’s counting?
Rovin on April 22, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Along with the member nations, Obama was including ‘Power‘ and ‘Might‘ – what he euphamistically calls his right and left hands.
Onus on April 22, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Off to the Williams Ayers Memorial….
doriangry on April 22,2009 at 8:52AM.
doriangry:
Is that next to Hopey/Changeys Liberal restaurant,
called the Temple of 5 Pillars!
canopfor on April 22, 2009 at 9:11 AM
Please, get this correct…it was 60 states.
He said he has visited 57 prior to this one, and he was advised not to go to Hawaii and Alaska.
right2bright on April 22, 2009 at 9:13 AM
This American would be more than willing to cut Puerto Rico loose from the U.S. — and they can take Geraldo with them when they go!
AZCoyote on April 22, 2009 at 9:14 AM
I lived 23 years in Puerto Rico. They do not pay federal imcome taxes (but do pay payroll taxes for social security and medicare), but they do not receive parity in federal benefits, meaning that everything being the same a U.S. citizen living in Puerto Rico is entitled to less benefits as a one living in the 50 states.
ujorge on April 22, 2009 at 9:15 AM
William Ayer’s Re-Education Memorial Facility for Undesirables and Zeitgeist (training) Zones for Young Soldiers.
Obama’s new WARM and FUZZYS?
canditaylor68 on April 22, 2009 at 9:17 AM
i’ve said this many times. while the average among us wouldn’t know if it were 34 or 36 nations here, we would know much background on all other things American because we were in an American school when we were young.
and do you realize that many immigrants, legal & illegal, are so excited to be here that they know more US History than we do?
kelley in virginia on April 22, 2009 at 9:19 AM
so alot of these immigrants know more of our history. so you have proud immigrants & Americans that know some US history. which is bambi?
kelley in virginia on April 22, 2009 at 9:20 AM
From Wikipedia:
You wanted it? You keep it… and about Geraldo? Sorry, he’s a New Yorker. You get to keep it or cut New York loose too…
ujorge on April 22, 2009 at 9:24 AM
O/T the Chief Financial Officer of Freddie Mac was found dead at his home today, CNN is reporting. Let the Obama/Democrap conspiracy games begin.
eaglewingz08 on April 22, 2009 at 9:26 AM
My condolences and prayers to his family.
eaglewingz08 on April 22, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Not only an empty suit. It needs a good cleaning.
faol on April 22, 2009 at 9:32 AM
Thanks for the info.
BadgerHawk on April 22, 2009 at 9:35 AM
Who is “William Ayer”?
The Monster on April 22, 2009 at 9:35 AM
Maybe Obama was thinking of the lamedvavniks. But I can assume you Danny Ortega isn’t one of themr
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on April 22, 2009 at 9:36 AM
Assure you.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on April 22, 2009 at 9:36 AM
That was assumed.
:)
Shy Guy on April 22, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Ortega is a far more talented version of Obama, but without the affirmative action Harvard and Columbia degrees, and the teleprompter.
Jaibones on April 22, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Grammar monster?
Jaibones on April 22, 2009 at 9:53 AM
… ?
Jaibones on April 22, 2009 at 9:56 AM
How can Americans bear to withstand this anti-American kook is beyond me. I can’t bear him and every day he finds a new way to send me into conniptions.
promachus on April 22, 2009 at 9:59 AM
I caught when it was too late to fix it. I figured everyone in here is smart enough to get the point of it without me fixing and reposting the entire comment. Thanks =)
canditaylor68 on April 22, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Yesterday MS-DNC ran another one of those “grade O’bama” online polls. And once again the most respondents gave him a grade of “F”.
Of course we all know such a poll is meaningless, but I was actually getting panicked e-mails last night from Leftist friends asking me to vote to counteract the evil Rethuglicans who were skewing the results.
Del Dolemonte on April 22, 2009 at 10:15 AM
If you would like to give our illustrious president a grade on his perfomance, now is your chance.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29493093/
As of 9:15 am CDST, 4/22, it was 42% F. :)
teffertoes on April 22, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Looks like Del Dolemonte beat me to it. You can use the linky anyway. :)
teffertoes on April 22, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Sometimes. I know it’s fashionable to say that such things don’t matter, but words really do mean things, and fuzzy language produces fuzzy thinking.
Besides, I think it’s a matter of basic respect to readers to spend a few moments making sure that your meaning is clear, so they don’t collectively spend a lot more time trying to figure out WTF you just said.
The Monster on April 22, 2009 at 10:35 AM
I will try to be more careful next time. I may just wait until after I have had my first cup of coffee to post.=)
canditaylor68 on April 22, 2009 at 10:39 AM
At 9:43 CDST it was 42% F
daesleeper on April 22, 2009 at 10:43 AM
I think this is more significant than the “57 states” gaffe. If I’m being honest with myself, I have to admit that Obama probably knows how many states we have, and “57″ was an error. I’m not sure that “a group of 36″ was completely innocent on Obama’s part.
joe_doufu on April 22, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Fuzzy math. To think that this man wants to spend billions, trillions, or Brazilians of taxpayer money. Whatever.
On thie Earth Day, when we’re supposed to be “green”, somebody should ask His Majesty Barack the First how many trees will die to print all those greenbacks needed for the Second Weimar Republic.
Steve Z on April 22, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Commies of a feather….
jukin on April 22, 2009 at 11:18 AM
I fought the urge to give Obama an F, and gave him a D.
He did get the girls a play-set.
PappaMac on April 22, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Mr. Obama, what capacity is the electric outlet that you are putting in your home?
220, 221, what ever it takes.
carbon_footprint on April 22, 2009 at 12:22 PM
At least Fidel Castro still knows whereof he speaketh…
A repudiation of Obama?
34 Latin American democracies, or 36…doesn’t matter. Bottom line, Obama’s “Love me!” campaign south of the border failed.
coldwarrior on April 22, 2009 at 12:55 PM
I would like to see the bill with his name as the payor. Bet it was not our of his pocket, more likely ours.
I would like to see the one that he has setup at his Chicago home for the girls. What are the chances that there is not one.
The photo op of the girls, all three or four of them, playing on the new swing set would show all those watching just happen to have the same digital camera. Maybe they could work in a picture of the new dog that arrived at the whitehouse the day before he arrived.
Franklyn on April 22, 2009 at 2:37 PM
He was including the frog in his pocket and the mouse in his briefcase.
Army Brat on April 22, 2009 at 3:28 PM
Perhaps Obama is finding it difficult to forget the Leftist “facts” he’s been memorizing all these years?
cackcon on April 22, 2009 at 3:46 PM
34 Latin American democracies, or 36…doesn’t’t matter. Bottom line, Obama’s “Love me!” campaign south of the border failed.
coldwarrior on April 22, 2009 at 12:55 PM
It didn’t work in Europe either, he left the Clydesdale in Washington so the media would focus on him, or did he want some hot Latina time. Either way, he was still dismissed as a B list player.
Where will his world tour take him next? What region of the Earth will he next step on his crank? This is getting extremely embarrassing, I thought the world would now love us?
They are now loving to laugh at us, they know where they’ve failed, and in walks “The One” trying all that they know won’t work, good times…
We’re screwed…
M-14 2go on April 22, 2009 at 7:57 PM