Our collection of excruciating examples of President George W. Bush's disastrous encounters with the English language continues to grow. The number is now so large it is no longer convenient to publish them by updating the original collection. Here are some gems of unintentional humor we have accumulated during the second half of 2007:
MILITARY POLICY
"If you've got somebody in harm's way, you want the president being-making advice, not--be given advice by the military, and not making decisions based upon the latest Gallup poll or focus group." New Albany, Ind., Nov. 13, 2007.
"I fully understand those who say you can't win this thing militarily. That's exactly what the United States military says, that you can't win this military." Said about the need for political progress in Iraq, Washington, D.C., Oct. 17, 2007.
"I cannot look a mother and father of a troop in the eye and say, 'I'm sending your kid into combat, but I don't think we can achieve the objective.'" Washington, D.C., July 12, 2007.
POLITICS
"And I will explain the need to reform a confirmation process that is making it more difficult to persuade decent and intelligence people to accept the call to public service." Washington, D.C., Nov. 15, 2007.
PAKISTAN
"In other words, he was given an option: Are you with us or are you not with us? And he made a clear decision to be with us, and he's acted on that advice." Said about President Pervez Musharrafof Pakistan, Crawford, Texas, Nov. 10, 2007.
NEWSPEAK
And so I welcome you here. I'm proud of your accomplishments. And I welcome you all to say a few comments to the TV, if you care to do so." Said to First Minister Rev. Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, of Northern Ireland, at the White House, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 2007.
"I don't particularly like it when people put words in my mouth, either, by the way, unless I say it." Crawford, Texas, Nov. 10, 2007.
MALARIA AID
"We're going to-we'll be sending a person on the ground there pretty soon to help implement the malaria initiative, and that initiative will mean spreading nets and insecticides throughout the country so that we can see a reduction in death of young children that--a death that we can cure." Washington, D.C., Oct. 18, 2007.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
"All I can tell you is when the governor calls, I answer his phone." San Diego, Calif., Oct. 25, 2007.
"My hearts are with the Jeffcoats right now, that's what I'm thinking." Said after meeting with California wildfire victims Kendra and Jay Jeffcoat, San Diego, Calif., Oct. 25, 2007.
HIGHWAY POLICY
"You know, a trucker, if he's interested in moving through Northwest Arkansas in expedition fashion, will pay a little extra money to be able to do so." Explaining how toll roads can generate revenue for highway maintenance while helping motorists move quickly, Rogers, Ark., Oct., 15, 2007.
DECISION MAKING
"The decisions we make in Washington have a direct impact on the people in our country, obviously." New Albany, Ind., Nov. 13, 2007.
"I got a lot of Ph.D.-types and smart people around me who come into the Oval Office and say, 'Mr. President, here's what's on my mind.' And I listen carefully to their advice. But having gathered the device, I decide, you know, I say, 'This is what we're going to do.'" Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007.
CONSUMER ECONOMICS
"You know, when you give a man more money in his pocket--in this case, a woman more money in her pocket to expand a business, it they build new buildings. And when somebody builds a new building somebody has got to come and build the building. And when the building expanded it prevented additional opportunities for people to work." Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007.
JUSTICE
"All of us in America want there to be fairness when it comes to justice." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
EDUCATION
"As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured." New York, Sept. 26, 2007.
IRAN
"We're also talking to different finance ministers about how we can send a message to the Iranian government that the free world is not going to tolerate the development of know-how in how to build a weapon, or at least gain the ability to make a weapon." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
JUSTICE
"I feel strongly that there ought to be fair justice." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
HOUSING SLUMP
"There is no question that there is some unsettling times in the housing market." Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007.
WHERE AM I?
"Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit." Correcting himself, he added, "He invited me to the OPEC summit next year." But neither Australia nor the U.S. is a member of OPEC (The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). Said to Brian Howard, then Australian prime minister, while addressing APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, at Sydney, Australia, Sept. 6, 2007
EXPERTISE
"I'm going to try to see if I can remember as much to make it sound like I'm smart on the subject." Answering a question concerning a possible flu pandemic, Cleveland, July 10, 2007.
THE SWIFT PACE OF HISTORY
"More than two decades later, it is hard to imagine the Revolutionary War coming out any other way." Martinsburg, W. Va., July 4, 2007.
A complete collection of all Bushspeak articles can be found at the following links:
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