Hawaii verifies Obama birth records to Arizona

[Sheilbh]

The textbook definition of gaffe is: An unintentional act or remark causing embarrassment to its originator; a blunder: "an unforgivable social gaffe".

I think you're thinking of a Freudian slip.

I thought Mencken came up with it, but it was some NYT writer: 'a gaffe is when a politician tells the truth - some obvious truth he isn't supposed to say.'

Obama is smart enough to know there are only 50 states, but I don't think he's as smart as you guys think he is.

I don't know what you mean by I how smart he is.  I've never bought this Spock-Obama, constitutional scholar line.

But I think people don't see Obama as stupid, even his critics.  So him saying something stupid just comes across as that, it doesn't feed into some pre-existing criticism of Obama.  The clinger comment did feed into the whole elite, wine track v beer track, 'does he connect with white non-college educated men' debate.

It's a bit like I think the bar for a gaffe is always going to be very high for Biden because gaffes are sort-of priced in to Biden's image.  Things that could cause serious damage to another politician are just a normal Tuesday afternoon for Biden.

[garbon]

The textbook definition of gaffe is: An unintentional act or remark causing embarrassment to its originator; a blunder: "an unforgivable social gaffe".

I think you're thinking of a Freudian slip.

I thought Mencken came up with it, but it was some NYT writer: 'a gaffe is when a politician tells the truth - some obvious truth he isn't supposed to say.'

Hmm...a definition of a word that is stated not to be in any dictionary.

[CountDeMoney]

Hmm...a definition of a word that is stated not to be in any dictionary.

Which is why General Haig never committed one.

[grumbler]

You know, I think Berkut would've been a fantastic NKVD officer.

Much like Rubashov's 2nd interrogator in Darkness at Noon, he will simply out-will you, dueling you post-for-post, statement-for-statement, word-for-word, in a remarkably disciplined performance of endless stamina, endurance and minutiae, never wavering, never showing the slightest glimpse of fatigue;  like an intellectual blasthole drill, he will bore into you continuously until you finally capitulate.

That is one of the purest and least ambiguous ad homs in recent forum history.  Well-done.  Not a single line anywhere that refers to an argument the man has made; it is purely an argument to the man.

It is, of course, a logical fallacy, but it is pure, and an example for all to note and admire.  Not a trace of logic in it.

[CountDeMoney]

You know, I think Berkut would've been a fantastic NKVD officer.

Much like Rubashov's 2nd interrogator in Darkness at Noon, he will simply out-will you, dueling you post-for-post, statement-for-statement, word-for-word, in a remarkably disciplined performance of endless stamina, endurance and minutiae, never wavering, never showing the slightest glimpse of fatigue;  like an intellectual blasthole drill, he will bore into you continuously until you finally capitulate.

That is one of the purest and least ambiguous ad homs in recent forum history.  Well-done.  Not a single line anywhere that refers to an argument the man has made; it is purely an argument to the man.

It is, of course, a logical fallacy, but it is pure, and an example for all to note and admire.  Not a trace of logic in it.

In the end...*flicks ashes*...isn't that what it's all about?

[Queequeg]

I don't know what you mean by I how smart he is.  I've never bought this Spock-Obama, constitutional scholar line.

He was a Constitutional Law scholar.  Professionally.

I think you are seriously overestimating how sensible criticism of Obama is over here. I've seen/heard him called stupid many times, and seen his academic credentials questioned.   

[dps]

I don't know what you mean by I how smart he is.  I've never bought this Spock-Obama, constitutional scholar line.

He was a Constitutional Law scholar.  Professionally.

I think you are seriously overestimating how sensible criticism of Obama is over here. I've seen/heard him called stupid many times, and seen his academic credentials questioned.   

There are lots of people who have impressive acedemic credentials who really aren't all that smart.

[DGuller]

I don't know what you mean by I how smart he is.  I've never bought this Spock-Obama, constitutional scholar line.

He was a Constitutional Law scholar.  Professionally.

I think you are seriously overestimating how sensible criticism of Obama is over here. I've seen/heard him called stupid many times, and seen his academic credentials questioned.   

There are lots of people who have impressive acedemic credentials who really aren't all that smart.

That's definitely true, at least in the minds of people lacking academic credentials.

[grumbler]

In the end...*flicks ashes*...isn't that what it's all about?

It is genius.

[Neil]

Wait, does it matter if Obama is born in Kenya?  Wasn't his mother a citizen?

I think we can all agree that Obama is an unscrupulous asshole, but he's no fool.

[grumbler]

Wait, does it matter if Obama is born in Kenya?  Wasn't his mother a citizen?

It doesn't matter, and she was.  But those are mere facts, and the issue has never been about facts.

I think we can all agree that Obama is an unscrupulous asshole, but he's no fool.

I think he's just misguided and inexperienced.  I've seen no evidence that he is an asshole or a fool.

[Neil]

I think he's just misguided and inexperienced.  I've seen no evidence that he is an asshole or a fool.

I dunno.  That whole 'born in Kenya' when it suited him to be so really rubs me the wrong way.  It's just makes me thing of Dorsey4Heismann.  Plus, he's a politician, and from Chicago.  You don't come out of there and rise to the top of the American political scene without being hateful and cruel.

[Jaron]

Abraham Lincoln did.

[DGuller]

I think he's just misguided and inexperienced.  I've seen no evidence that he is an asshole or a fool.

I dunno.  That whole 'born in Kenya' when it suited him to be so really rubs me the wrong way.  It's just makes me thing of Dorsey4Heismann.  Plus, he's a politician, and from Chicago.  You don't come out of there and rise to the top of the American political scene without being hateful and cruel.

It was confirmed to be a fact-checking error, and that Obama wasn't aware of it.

[Neil]

Abraham Lincoln did.

Wasn't he more rural?

Besides, he's tainted by some shitty movie.