Green Room

Obama infuriates Poles with reference to ‘Polish death camp’

posted at 11:23 am on May 30, 2012 by

The smartest man ever to occupy the White House has done it again. During a Medal of Freedom ceremony on Wednesday, President Obama committed the most egregious offense against the nation of Poland since another Democrat, Jimmy Carter, told its people, “I desire the Poles carnally.”

At least Carter could fall back on the excuse that he was addressing the Poles in what turned out to be badly mistranslated Polish. Obama was speaking English. In his prepared remarks honoring World War II hero Jan Karski, he referred to a Nazi prison in Poland as a “Polish death camp.” The gaffe prompted outrage from Polish leaders, including former President and Solidarity founder Lech Walesa, who said the phrasing confuses the villains with their victims. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski demanded an apology for what he called an “outrageous mistake,” adding that “it’s a pity that ignorance and incompetence overshadowed such a momentous ceremony.”

Luckily, the White House has had plenty of practice neutralizing the occasional presidential misstep over the last three and a half years. An administration spokesman immediately rose to the occasion by noting “that the president had visited the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial while in Poland and that he has repeatedly discussed the bravery of Poles during World War II.” They could have added that Obama’s uncle liberated Auschwitz. Oh, wait….

OK, so maybe history isn’t Obama’s strong suit (which would also explain his references to the U.S. as the country that “built the Intercontinental Railroad” and “invented the automobile”). Everyone knows his forte is constitutional law. It’s not like you’d ever hear him accuse the U.S. Supreme Court of “judicial activism” or dismiss the high court as “an unelected group of people [who] would somehow overturn a duly constituted and passed law.”

Look, maybe the president is just tired after campaigning non-stop for the last five years. That would explain his reference—twice in one week—to his “sons,” of which at last count he still has zero. He does have two daughters, Malia and Sasha, and he knows their ages (more or less), not to mention his own birthday (less).

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Excellent HP

cmsinaz on May 30, 2012 at 11:54 AM

After three and a half years of these incidents, we’re left with two options. 1)Valerie Jarrett is dumber than a box of rocks. Or 2)Somebody in the State Department really, really doesn’t like the TOTUS.

catsandbooks on May 30, 2012 at 12:10 PM

Perhaps the Dixie Chicks could do a concert in Poland and apologize for us electing Mr. Obama as president.

MessesWithTexas on May 30, 2012 at 12:22 PM

The White House said the president misspoke. A better word would be misread. I’m sure some young telepromter writer is now out of a job.

Marcola on May 30, 2012 at 12:45 PM

That would explain his reference—twice in one week—to his “sons,” of which at last count he still has zero.

Well, one – if you count Trayvon. I think Obama does.

Marcola on May 30, 2012 at 12:47 PM

Somebody in the State Department really, really doesn’t like the TOTUS.
catsandbooks on May 30, 2012 at 12:10 PM

First name rhymes with Billary.

Marcola on May 30, 2012 at 12:49 PM

does anybody else get the feeling that we have a total idiot in the WH? left on his own, he is dangerous to his own re-election (e.g. referring to that Rex N pack of lies in a fund-raiser last week).

as an aside, help us here Howard…does the WH create the “talking points” that get repeated all over the blogs or do they simply buy into whatever they hear? I’m thinking the latter and whoever created them died a few years ago since there hasn’t been a new one for quite a while.

teejk on May 30, 2012 at 1:00 PM

Well, this sure simplifies the OOTW.

DocinPA on May 30, 2012 at 1:08 PM

does the WH create the “talking points

Depends which talking points you mean. The press secretary makes comments on a fairly continuous basis, and some of these become statements by the Communications Office (example). Others come directly from the campaign. The Rex Nutting silliness, I believe, was an independent gift to—not from—the WH, but that could be my own naivete speaking.

Howard Portnoy on May 30, 2012 at 1:13 PM

Obama’s communication style definitely comes off like a 15-year-old tweeting from the basement.

J.E. Dyer on May 30, 2012 at 1:33 PM

Obama’s communication style definitely comes off like a 15-year-old tweeting from the basement.

You’ve just insulted all 15-year-olds tweeting from their basements.

Howard Portnoy on May 30, 2012 at 1:42 PM

Big Brother via Minitrue: Oceania is at war with Eurasia, and I was born in Eastasia, in the 57th state of Hawaii.

Steve Z on May 30, 2012 at 2:37 PM

You’ve just insulted all 15-year-olds tweeting from their basements.

Howard Portnoy on May 30, 2012 at 1:42 PM

would you be ok if we said 10 year olds? I can keep lowering but somehow we have to reach a lower limit…

teejk on May 30, 2012 at 4:18 PM

The Rex Nutting silliness, I believe, was an independent gift to—not from—the WH, but that could be my own naivete speaking.

yeah that “gift” reminded me of the NL Xmas vacation movie where the aunt wrapped-up her cat…

teejk on May 30, 2012 at 4:21 PM

I think we might have our Obamamateurism of the Year here. It’s going to be real hard for Obummer to outdo this one.

sherrimae on May 30, 2012 at 9:19 PM