Time once again to look backwards like Rutherford B. Hayes (never) did and choose the Obama gaffe that punches above its weight for the Obamateurism of the Week! Don’t bother looking for a loophole, or even much consistency.  If you find that none of this adds up, well, welcome to the Obama era.

Previous weekly “winners” in 2012:

• Says “when the chips are down, I have Israel’s back,” WH claims it’s not a military doctrine
• Apology to Karzai “calmed things down“
• Uses Boeing plant in SC to cheer manufacturing after his NLRB tried to shut it down
• Emphasizes graduation rates in SOTU, cuts DC voucher program that nearly doubled grad rates
• “Well, it turns out our Founders designed a system that makes it more difficult to bring about change that I would like sometimes.”
• Finds claim of unemployment “interesting” because he is getting “the word” that woman’s husband should have no trouble finding work
• Hails Roe as essential to allow “our daughters … to fulfill their dreams“
• Shuts down DisneyWorld in order to promote tourism
• “He didn’t want to take pictures with any more soldiers; he was complaining about it[.]
• Famous opponent of signing statements issues one covering 17 provisions of bill he signed

Previous Obamateurisms of the Year:

• Giving 2 minutes of “shout-outs” before getting to the Fort Hood shooting (2009)
• Obama leaves Clinton at press conference podium on tax deal to attend Christmas party (2010)
• “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.” (2011)

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.