Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:44 am on June 2, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Barack Obama wanted to explain that democracy cannot be imposed externally on nations in an interview with the BBC. The president argued that we had to close Gitmo in order to get countries to adopt democracy, which should be news to both Iraq and Afghanistan, nations that began holding free elections in part because we’d opened Gitmo. But the Obamateurism moment comes in this passage, reported by Breitbart (via HA reader Mark):
“The danger I think is when the United States or any country thinks that we can simply impose these values on another country with a different history and a different culture,” the president told the broadcaster.
But he stressed: “Democracy, rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of religion — those are not simply principles of the West to be hoisted on these countries, but rather what I believe to be universal principles that they can embrace and affirm as part of their national identity.”
Hoisted? Does Obama mean that the US held democracy far above their heads, out of reach? That certainly describes the Left’s contempt for Iraqis during the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, when many prominent critics argued that Arabs weren’t capable of self-government and that the Bush administration should pick a strongman we liked instead.
No, actually, Obama meant foisted. Like many people who want to turn a clever phrase, a lack of wordsmithing talent leaves Obama hoist with his own petard. (Note: the Hamlet quote uses “with”, not “by” as I originally did.)
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!
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college transcripts released yet?
Ris4victory on June 2, 2009 at 8:49 AM
Obama my have hoisted himself on his own petard, but the MFMSM (Mother E’ffing Mainstream Media) will throw themselves upon it to protect the One from being damaged when it goes off…
doriangrey on June 2, 2009 at 8:49 AM
Hey Obambi, you HOIST a flag (well some of us do) you FOIST principles. Stop being such a showoff, you moron.
ctmom on June 2, 2009 at 8:49 AM
Don’t you mean “hoisted”?
If only Obama speaked good like Ed can.
e-pirate on June 2, 2009 at 8:49 AM
No, Ed, you can’t be right.
Just yesterday the Washington Post ran a story that said “Most journalists like Obama; they admire his command of language…”
battleoflepanto1571 on June 2, 2009 at 8:50 AM
where’s TOTUS when you really need him?
D2Boston on June 2, 2009 at 8:51 AM
um, i think he was being sarcastic. just like you were. you didn’t honestly mean to write “speaked good”?
battleoflepanto1571 on June 2, 2009 at 8:52 AM
It’s becoming obvious that the real Obama is a poor public speaker. However, the stunt double did do a remarkable job on the campaign trail.
sherry on June 2, 2009 at 8:52 AM
TOTUS, you rascal you!!!!!!!!!!!!!
battleoflepanto1571 on June 2, 2009 at 8:52 AM
Heh, Obama’s petarded.
loudmouth883 on June 2, 2009 at 8:53 AM
“I want to thank the governments of Canada and Ontario for making this investment in GM alongside the United States,” Obama said. …
Star20 on June 2, 2009 at 8:55 AM
I was quoting Shakespeare, a reference everyone else here seemed to get without any problem.
Reading — it’s FUN-damental!
Ed Morrissey on June 2, 2009 at 8:56 AM
If you’re seriously asking, take a look at this. Uses it the same way as Ed… quoting Hamlet.
Phrase has been around for hundreds of years, and Ed’s apparently much more familiar with Shakespeare than our “articulate” leader.
http://talkwordy.com/2009/03/
cs89 on June 2, 2009 at 8:56 AM
WAY out of his depth.
Unfortunately, BO thinks that nothing is outside of his (and his twerpy inexperienced appointments) capabilities.
We’re living in a world of conflict, and we’re being led by the high school class valedictorian. sheesh
rockbend on June 2, 2009 at 8:56 AM
As doriangrey subtley slipped in, you are hoist on, not “by” your own petard, Ed.
Longhorn Six on June 2, 2009 at 8:57 AM
Shake-who?
loudmouth883 on June 2, 2009 at 8:57 AM
If things keep going like they are then these little mistakes will be the correct version and you will be, by definition, wrong.
All hail the WON.
jukin on June 2, 2009 at 8:59 AM
Articulate!
artist on June 2, 2009 at 8:59 AM
I think that some days, TOTUS just wants to screw with POTUS.
Star20 on June 2, 2009 at 9:01 AM
You owe an apology to all high school valedictorians (I have one here). I’ve never known any to make this kind of mistake, speaking or writing, after the age of 14.
zeebeach on June 2, 2009 at 9:01 AM
If we could only hoist away the debt he’s foisted upon our country….
qestout on June 2, 2009 at 9:02 AM
And who wants to bet that Obama doesn’t actually know what the phrase means? Somehow me thinks he hasn’t a clue what a petard is or what being hoisted upon ones own petard means.
doriangrey on June 2, 2009 at 9:02 AM
My favorite: Obama suggested that the time was right for the average American to buy stock, claiming that the “Profit to Earnings Ratio” was improving.
As though he had to take finance or economics 101 to be a community organizer.
petefrt on June 2, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Just another verbal gaffe from the most eloquent, deepest thinking president America has ever known.
“Breathalyzer” = “inhalator”
“57 states”
Blowing the introduction of his running mate as “the next president of the United States…”
“[Defense Secretary] William Gates”
[The U.S. Constitution written] “20 centuries ago”
Obama can’t be bothered accurately quoting dead white male authors, you should know that.
Captain Scarlet on June 2, 2009 at 9:03 AM
I assumed from your nitpicky post on an Obama word mixup that you were a master of the English language.
Unfortunately, you failed to use the correct form of the verb.
Shakepeare’s “Hoist with his own petard” = ok
“Obama hoisted by his own petard” = ok
Ed’s version: “…leaves Obama hoist by his own petard” = oopsies! Wrong tense of the verb!
e-pirate on June 2, 2009 at 9:03 AM
and the AQ leader says the Won is a Muslim & a black slave. and Pravda says we’re heading to Marxism. and those Chinese terrorists say that bambi is a communist.
and guess what? i knew all of this before 11/4/08.
and i’m just a domestic white Christian redneck pro-gun, pro-military redneck.
kelley in virginia on June 2, 2009 at 9:07 AM
Even after e-pirate looks up the meaning he’s still stupid. LOL.
Socmodfiscon on June 2, 2009 at 9:08 AM
Dang, I gotta move faster. You beat me to it.
Daggett on June 2, 2009 at 9:08 AM
Yeah, lord knows people really have trouble taking to this freedom stuff.
LibTired (KO) on June 2, 2009 at 9:08 AM
He always chooses the right word, just like Archie Bunker.
thomasaur on June 2, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Not when quoting Shakespeare. Besides, isn’t one of Dear Leader’s alleged qualities is that he speak gooder English than that thar dummy, George W. Bush? And yet, he make many slip of tongue.
AS to the substance of the remark, South Korea, Japan, and Germany, in addition to Iraq & Afghanistan, have been holding elections for a long time.
rbj on June 2, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Also, wasn’t this example 974,382 of Obama slamming Bush? (Corrected) “We can’t just go around foisting our democracy (on places like Iraq).”
cs89 on June 2, 2009 at 9:15 AM
Ed Morrissey on June 2, 2009 at 8:56 AM
Good burn.
e-pirate on June 2, 2009 at 9:03 AM
Futile attempt.
Disturb the Universe on June 2, 2009 at 9:15 AM
Obama doesn’t think that they deserve freedom. He wouldn’t want other nations to be free from tyranny, just as he’d like to take our freedoms away.
roux on June 2, 2009 at 9:16 AM
OT (but we are talking about Obamateurisms and the BBC was mentioned)…
Look who’s stepping down…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8079205.stm
I wonder what Savage’s and Wilders’ reaction will be…
Looks like she’s something of the equivalent of a corrupt Obama cabinet appointee…
Upstater85 on June 2, 2009 at 9:17 AM
Wow, that’s a pretty disgusting stance. Obama believes that it is somehow immoral to establish democracy in belligerent nations. It takes a truly, flat-out stupid individual to subscribe to that BS. Setting aside the notion of spreading freedom by establishing governments that answer to their people, one needs look no further than the replacement of extremely belligerent governments in Japan and Germany post-WWII with governments that have been at peace with their neighbors for generations.
Once again, Obama is just plain stupid. There’s no other term that does it justice.
commenter on June 2, 2009 at 9:18 AM
You can’t argue with a relativist. It’s like nailing jello to the wall.
shick on June 2, 2009 at 9:18 AM
My apologies, and congratulations to your Valedictorian!
How about:
We’re living in a world of conflict, and we’re being led by a weaselly high school know-it-all.
rockbend on June 2, 2009 at 9:18 AM
Consider: hoisting might be the act of adding a foundation atop a pillar?
apostic on June 2, 2009 at 9:20 AM
I don’t care to indulge in an orgy of nitpicking over grammar (or typos). I’ve criticized Bush for his apparent inability to present a persuasive argument for his policy or position on issues. But Bush did not seem to project a persona characterized by hubris as The Obama seems to do.
It would be impossible to know what Obama believes about himself but his public persona appears arrogant, self important, self righteous, and prideful of accomplishments that he has not really achieved with his own efforts. He appears to believe himself well educated, and intelligent when he really isn’t. Cunning and sly, but not smart.
Skandia Recluse on June 2, 2009 at 9:21 AM
Stirring oratory.
JammieWearingFool on June 2, 2009 at 9:22 AM
Isn’t corrupt Obama cabinet appointee a bit redundant?
rbj on June 2, 2009 at 9:24 AM
:D Yes.
PEACE!
blatantblue on June 2, 2009 at 9:25 AM
Hoist – foist? Obviously this was a simple malapropism. If your brain was scrambled from constantly twisting your head left to right when reading TOTUS you wouldn’t make any sense either.
Isn’t it enough that he mesmerizes MSM and his fan club with the sound of his melliferous voice?
Barb Dwyer on June 2, 2009 at 9:27 AM
If you knew how to speak English, you’d know Ed’s phrasing was perfectly fine. You *don’t* say “hoisted by his own petard”.
http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxhoistw.html
‘where art thou’ also lost/changed some of its meaning, and yet, it’s still a common phrase in English.
Phoenician on June 2, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Sign on White House website: “WANTED-TELEPROMPTER PROGRAMMERS WITH SPELL-CHECK EXPERIENCE. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION APPLICANTS ONLY NEED APPLY. (SEE JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS FOR GUIDELINES)
Rovin on June 2, 2009 at 9:31 AM
Hmmmm… What about “…just air-raiding villages and
killingfoisting civilians”?apostic on June 2, 2009 at 9:31 AM
To quote the incredibly deep Charlie Brown: I just can’t stand it.
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Too bad ChimpyO ran as the best the black community had to offer. He has put their progress backward by years with his ignorant blathering.
csdeven on June 2, 2009 at 9:34 AM
So free health care and American citizenship are global human rights , but not democracy..
the_nile on June 2, 2009 at 9:36 AM
And hoist is the past participle of hoise, a form I think we should revive.
Tzetzes on June 2, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Obama should know better.
He’s foisting all sorts of things on us.
/2010
bluelightbrigade on June 2, 2009 at 9:43 AM
So did “wherefore are thou”, IMO
bluelightbrigade on June 2, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Sound like the president has read too many of those old “Catherine the Great” rumors
The_Lid on June 2, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Or the irrepressible Popeye:
I’ve had all I can stands! I can’t stands no more!
BigD on June 2, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Our high school valedictorian butchered her speech.
Do we have to apologize to her, also?
bluelightbrigade on June 2, 2009 at 9:48 AM
I guess the play Dear Leader took First Frumpy to wasn’t Hamlet, it probably featured a gay actor hoisted by a trapeze line and had something to do with dangling tea bags.
kirkill on June 2, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Britney’s great-grandpa or something.
jgapinoy on June 2, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Elementary, my dear Watson. The F and H are on opposite sides of G on a computer keyboard. This was a typo by the oratorical genius who enters the Dear
Leader’sReader’s speeches into his Teleprompter.Can’t wait until the One mentions Huckleberry Finn in a speech!
Steve Z on June 2, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Obama: Friends, Americans, Countrymen, bend me your rears. So I can kick them.
Steve Z on June 2, 2009 at 10:00 AM
It’s the pirate in him hoisting democracy as a jolly roger./
By definition, substitute “raised” and you still get Obama’s lack of appreciation for the course of events actually required for the universal affirmation of ideals. Obama sells the line that pretty talk alone would have transformed Hussein’s Iraq into what the Iraqis are making for themselves today. Obama is negating any need for military defense/offense in any nation’s existence. “As part of their national identity”–pretty words, just words to sell sovereign entities into Marxist globalism.
The only universal truth applying to Obama’s governance is that indeed we would be subject to the most coercive abuse of authority imaginable. Target the North Carolina teenage boy with no bomb making evidence in his single parent Christian home who claims stolen identity in self defense; imprison that citizen youth with no access to legal defense or family communications. But concerning the assassin radical Muslim American convert returned from Yemen having already been arrested for a stolen Somali passport, leave him free to roam “under surveillance” with no eyes on him when he murdered our troops outside of our recruitment center.
The pirate captain rules with ruthless terror tactics. Obama is decimating America’s economy, selling us all into absolute bankruptcy, intimidating all Americans who support our nation’s supreme law the Constitution, corrupting our elections, slashing our military, offending our nation’s allies, and coddling our foes with stolen booty from his “spread the wealth” dogma. Nice Guy.
Fortitudine vincimus. By endurance we conquer.
maverick muse on June 2, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Heh, I’ll plug for spinach power.
maverick muse on June 2, 2009 at 10:12 AM
I’m surprised that nobody pointed out the typical Obama Clause in that quote:
In other words, if and when he does exactly what he criticised Bush for, he won’t be “impose[ing] these values on another country with a different history and a different culture”, he’ll simply be upholding “universal principles”.
jic on June 2, 2009 at 10:13 AM
I’m not surprised that Oboingo doesn’t really know what he’s saying. If you actually listen to his speeches, they’re gibberish.
mr.blacksheep on June 2, 2009 at 10:19 AM
An affirmative action education rears its ugly head once again.
Hening on June 2, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Good morning, Hot Ed.
What got me about Obama’s interview with the BBC is that he is so unwilling to impose American values on enemies and potential enemies of the United States, yet he and the rest of the liberal Democrats seem not only willing but anxious to impose their liberal value systems on all Americans.
Loxodonta on June 2, 2009 at 10:26 AM
This was off-prompter, wasn’t it? Next time he goes on the BBC,he’ll have the big-screen set up off-camera.
hawksruleva on June 2, 2009 at 10:37 AM
He’s clearly an intellectual lightweight pretending to be a heavyweight, but it’s all foam padding, like an Ahnold suit (that’s Ahnold in the old buff days, not the aging flabby, governator days).
SKYFOX on June 2, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Obama is forcing his damn values down our throats. The arrogance of this man…
daesleeper on June 2, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Israel is the only place he thinks he can dictate to.
tomas on June 2, 2009 at 11:10 AM
The first thing we do, let’s mock all the e-pirates.
Jim Treacher on June 2, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Even worse – he said “”What you’re now seeing is profit and earning ratios are starting to get to the point where buying stocks is a potentially good deal, if you’ve got a long-term perspective on it.”
Obama, with this statement alone – is inept in all things financial and economic. You pointed out the first flub, but just as important – his ignorance of investing for most Americans by saying “if you’ve got a long term prospect”. Gee genius – I am pretty sure those 40+ year retirement accounts, annuity’s and 30 year CD’s, notes are in fact long term – of which P/E ratio is one of the investing philosophies. Its clear before Bambi makes ridiculous statements like these – he just heard of them in the POTUS cliff notes version from some equally idioic admin lackey AND he knows the majority of the his followers – the young, dead and dumb have no vetting process to understand the difference.
Odie1941 on June 2, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Well, he is the foist black president.
andycanuck on June 2, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Arrr, Jim, me lad, ’tis the black e-spot!
andycanuck on June 2, 2009 at 11:29 AM
In honor of e-pirate I think Ed should start a Dolt-of-the-Day feature.
There are a few posters here who could manage, with little additional effort, to keep it an active addition.
Yoop on June 2, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Oh, ZING!
BigD on June 2, 2009 at 11:32 AM
This is not a smart president.
He still can’t speak, sans Teleprompter, and never will.
Our sunset will be caused by our media’s dereliction.
Schadenfreude on June 2, 2009 at 11:58 AM
Hamlet is better in the original Austrian.
Christien on June 2, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Bingo. Another peek at the daylight between his foreign and domestic policies.
Dee2008 on June 2, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Is the President subject to random drug testing?
Hmmm…. When brain cells collide ya just never know what’s gonna pop out of his mouth.
Army Brat on June 2, 2009 at 4:54 PM
mikeyboss on June 2, 2009 at 7:27 PM
HA!
Captain Scarlet on June 2, 2009 at 8:04 PM
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