We’re down to the second semi-final flight for the Obamateurism of the Year, in which we choose the last two finalists for tomorrow’s poll. Yesterday, readers picked Barack Obama’s lament that it would be easier to lead a nation where freedom doesn’t matter as one of the two semi-finalists, and for the other, his facepalm moment in identifying a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor as the non-posthumous recipient to whom he himself had presented the honor.  Had I been a betting man, I would have predicted the botched toast to Queen Elizabeth would have taken one of those positions — but this is why I conduct these polls rather than pick ’em myself!  This was also the most-voted poll of the series … so far, at least.

Which Obamateuerisms will win the top two spots in today’s poll and advance to tomorrow’s final?  Will it be change we can’t believe in tomorrow, or taking separate planes on the same day?  Will it be making all the right economic choices, or choosing to scare seniors?  All I know is that it had better be the greatest gaffes in world history, with the possible exception of whatever Joe Biden said this week.

• When I said, “change we can believe in,” I didn’t say “change we can believe in tomorrow.”
• President & First Lady take separate jets to Martha’s Vineyard 4 hours apart
• Claims he’s made “all right choices” on economy, adviser disagrees
• “I would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president— with the possible exceptions of Johnson, F.D.R., and Lincoln.”
• Says he won’t use scare tactics, 2 weeks later says Social Security checks may not go out

Tomorrow morning — the big year-end final poll!

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!