The American Spectator

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The Great Miscommunicator

5.30.08 @ 12:01AM

CREDIBILITY GAFFE
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s Gift of Gaffability:

RET gleefully reports "His [Obama's] gaffability will continue, and soon the Democratic leaders will be wincing." This assumes that Senator McCain will be rough enough to point out Obama's gaffes. Certainly the press won't do the work for him. McCain hasn't shown much bite so far this election cycle. Further, he has put leashes (i.e., The McCain-Feingold-Cochran Campaign Reform Act) on other dogs who might have more fight (or swift boating skills).

Maybe, just maybe, by November, the Dems will be asking, "Who let the dogs out!?!" For the sake of our country, let's hope so.
-- Ira M. Kessel
Rochester, New York

It would be easier to accept Mr. Tyrrell's pronouncement that Emir Obama is "gaffable" -- i.e. prone to Carteresque misstep, pratfall and outright howler -- if Tyrrell had not, on at least two occasions in the pages and pixels of this website, declared George W. Bush to be debonair.

If there is anyone in the pantheon of contemporary American politics who is not debonair, but rather a soul mate and the dismal kin to Jimmy Carter, it is George W. Bush. (Although Bush's father merits honorable mention for heaving in the lap of a Japanese diplomat.) No public figure in any aspect of American life -- including politics, movie acting and banking -- better merits the Inspector-Clouseau-I-Could-Screw-Up-A-One-Car-Funeral-Award than Bush and Carter.

Obama is merely a dainty adolescent, who believes his crackpot notions about government, and his silly assumptions about human nature, are new and merit trial. He could doubtless do as much harm as Carter, and probably more, given present hysteria about global warming and gasoline. (Imagine Al Gore as Secretary of the Interior and Al Sharpton as Attorney General.) But Bush and Carter are in a league by themselves.

Obama would have to watch the Queen of England dethroned by Episcopalian fundamentalists, and then spend the nation into a worthless dollar to be pronounced a true buffoon and American nightmare.

All of which is immaterial to our present danger, because Mrs. Clinton will be the nominee and the next president. In any case, God help us.
-- Edmund Dantes
Coshocton, Ohio

You misquote Obama. He actually said, "I had an uncle..." I noticed this several times as the quote was repeated on TV.

Also, I noticed his grammatical gaffs. He fails to use the possessive case before gerunds -- somethings educated speakers of English know how to do. ("...us going in Iraq" instead of "our going into Iraq.")

I heard him say "Mass-a-too-setts" for Massachusetts.

And the MSM makes fun of Bushisms.
-- Hannah Robb
Lowell, Michigan

SIMPLY SAINTLY
Re: Ben Stein's Saints in Armor:

All one can say to Mr. Stein's column is "Amen." A veteran has been one who wrote a check payable to his country for any amount, up to and including his life.
-- Jim Karr
Blue Springs, Missouri

Great article. Stein said:

Letter to the Editor

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