From the President, a Two-Letter Jab at the Democrats

Washington, DC | January 24

Washington Wire (WSJ) - President Bush departed from the prepared text of his State of the Union address to graciously congratulate Nancy Pelosi on her history-making selection as the first female Speaker of the House. Then he departed from the prepared text a second time to take a jab at Pelosi and the rest of the new Democratic majority of Congress.

In the prepared text of the speech, sent out by the White House some 40 minutes before Bush ascended the House rostrum, the president was to say, “Some in this Chamber are new to the House and Senate – and I congratulate the Democratic majority.” When Bush delivered the line, however, he paid tribute to the “Democrat majority.”

Dropping the “ic” from the word “Democratic” may seem insignificant, but it was almost certainly a deliberate move by Bush, who has used the phrase “the Democrat Party” for months as a way of needling his opponents.

More "Dog Whistle Politics" Bush is such an dick. ~spk

Update: TPM says this is a phrase most Democrats take as a calculated insult. Such a little, little man. So unable to rise above his small mindedness.

Update 2: Here's a short video of the insult.

Update 3: Media Matters has a great rundown on the whole issue. Bush will pay for this, in some way or some fashion. This was an incredibly rude and calculated insult.


Sean-Paul Kelley January 24, 2007 - 1:36am

Spent my time watching people like these, Ray Anderson, capitalist with a conscience:

On Sustainability Video

The world needs more people like him.

Entrepreneur and CEO, Ray Anderson, responds to a Spear Through the Heart.

Next time you have something to buy, look for companies that have products that are Environmentally Friendly.

canuck January 24, 2007 - 5:52am

My whole point is that you can get millions of Americans to read something on engadget and you can only get a few hundred who have any passion for government.

I saw the talking heads on Boston's channel 7 this morning reading a line about "Wall Street's reaction to the president's speech". Well I just could not have even read the line while keeping a straight face.

Lasthorseman January 24, 2007 - 7:17am

"Democrat Party" always has been a calculated slur, but I really don't mind, because it also serves to identify enemies of the Democratic party, even those who pretend to be part of it.

"Death before being dishonored any more." - Col. Ted Westhusing

Jimbo92107 January 24, 2007 - 7:58am

yours faithfully,

"just asking from NYC"
-mole


"at some point I'm hopeful I'll figure out something to put here"

nymole January 24, 2007 - 11:35am

but I think it's likely it'll be subtle; tit-for-tat on that level doesn't read well at the back of the theatre.

Hopefully it will be a lesson in "don't get mad, get even".

Escher Sketch January 24, 2007 - 11:48am

just calling to mind an old Agonist BB battle from the site that time forgot.

I also assume ending of the name in -ocrat is designed to bring to mind a Big Governmment bur-eau-crat.

The use of Gob or Goop for that other Party are privately tempting.


"at some point I'm hopeful I'll figure out something to put here"

nymole January 24, 2007 - 6:04pm

"most Democrats take as a calculated insult. Such a little, little man. So unable to rise above his small mindedness."

So are they. He is as little as they are minuscule.

http://mauberly.blogspot.com/

mauberly January 24, 2007 - 2:33pm

Group: President Bush 'ignored' America's 1.6 million new veterans in State of the Union

Ron Brynaert
Published: Tuesday January 23, 2007
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A group composed of veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq criticized President Bush for "ignoring" America's 1.6 million new veterans in Tuesday's State of the Union speech.

"Tonight President Bush once again failed to demonstrate a real commitment to the 1.6 million new American veterans who have been created under his watch," Paul Rieckhoff, the executive director of IAVA: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said in a press release sent to RAW STORY. "For the second year in a row, the President in his State of the Union address chose to mention the troops only as a prop for his failing policies and ignored the nation's new veterans entirely."

Transcript of IAVA's press release:

more
raw story

Tina January 24, 2007 - 7:59pm

Washington Post, By Michael Abramowitz, Jan 30

President Bush says the missing "-ic" in the State of the Union address was nothing more than an oversight.

Near the beginning of the speech last week, Bush congratulated "the Democrat majority" for its electoral victory, using a long-standing Republican formulation seen by many Democrats as a calculated insult. Some liberal bloggers and party strategists saw the president's omission of the last two letters of the party's proper name, Democratic, as a sign of insincerity in preaching bipartisanship.

Nothing of the sort, Bush said in an interview yesterday with National Public Radio's Juan Williams. [Transcript]

"That was an oversight," said Bush, who frequently uses the formulation. "I mean, I'm not trying to needle. Look, I went into the hall saying we can work together, and I was very sincere about it. I didn't even know I did it."

[...]

For now, Democrats are standing down.

Brendan Daly, spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), said, "We certainly take the president at his word." The normally garrulous Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), said he had no comment.

Raja January 30, 2007 - 8:30am

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