Comments on: Ignorant Obama and the 57 States

By: J. Otto Tennant

J. Otto Tennant — Sat, 17 May 2008 01:41:36 +0000

My dear, I know who the PM of the UK is, but I fear that I don’t know who the PM of Canada is. Really, the the last PM of Canada whose name I actually knew was was “Joe Who?” and you probably weren’t born.

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Fri, 16 May 2008 23:48:44 +0000

I think he’s just used to thinking of 57 states, Xrlq. Maybe he picked that up in school in Jakarta and it stuck?

By: Xrlq

Xrlq — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:40:46 +0000

How do you land on the number 57? Even if one were to assume he didn't misspeak, and actually meant to say exactly what he said, that would mean he thinks there are 60 states in all, unless you think he also thinks Alaska and Hawaii form a single state together. In that case, 59. Xrlqs last blog post..Lost a Bet

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:07:42 +0000

Oh, I think he believes there’s 57 states all right.

By: Xrlq

Xrlq — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:36:34 +0000

Actually, yes, VK, I had heard the video. I’m not sure why you think my theory is off, but even if it is, I can’t see how you can conclude that he thinks there are 57 states in all. Either he thinks there are a total of 60 (the 57 he visited over the past 15 months, plus the one left to go, plus Alaska and Hawaii), or his wires crossed and he conflated the concept of 50 states with the 47 he meant to say he’d just been to. It’s no more evidence that Obama thinks there are 57 or 60 states than Dan Quayle’s infamous statement about the Holocaust thinks it is really part of “our nation’s history” or that he himself had not lived in “this century.”

Xrlqs last blog post..Lost a Bet

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:43:18 +0000

Not knee-jerk…just curious about why it matters. I mean, in the grand scope of things, it doesn’t appear that brains/ethics/morality is any prerequisite for being a politician, let alone President.

As for Bush, anyone who can say things like:

“Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren’t able to practice their love with women all across this country.”

“Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?”

Probably doesn’t know what State he is in on any given day, let alone how many there are.

Steves last blog post..Dennis Julien

By: Anne

Anne — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:48:36 +0000

I have no idea why he said that but sometimes my mouth doesn’t work right either. Surely he knows there are 50 states. Surely he does!

There are those who think he was referring to the 57 Islamic states (google it). Surely not.

Just what is he talking about? And why does it not matter if he says such a thing, yet Dan Quayle (not my favorite, but in justice it should be mentioned) was crucified and still reviled for offering the second preferred spelling of “potato.”

It all makes me grumpy. And scared.

Annes last blog post..Cabo San Lucas: Ever Notice No One is in the Water?

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:51:15 +0000

Ah, and see, I’m sitting here on my deck on a sunny spring day with a cold glass of ice tea to hand while reading it… which means I’m in the state of bliss.

Venomous Kates last blog post..Ignorant Obama and the 57 States

By: Will Wallace

Will Wallace — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:49:58 +0000

Actually I believe Obama was relating his experiences in the arena of new double secret super quantum physics. In double secret super quantum physics, matter can exist in 64 states, and while he hasn’t achieved them all, 57 is no small number.

Among the 7 he has failed to visit:
a state of coherence
a state of relevance
and my favorite- solid state technology

I of course am posting this from the state of perfect nothingness- Delaware.

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:18:50 +0000

*sigh* Another knee-jerk response.

I don’t know there’s any evidence for your claim Bush wouldn’t be able to say how many states there are or name them, Steve. There is, however, evidence that Obama’s clearly confused about the number.

Venomous Kates last blog post..Ignorant Obama and the 57 States