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Wed 26 Sep, 2007 12:24 am
When words get in the way, Bush goes phonetic
By Matt Spetalnick
Tue Sep 25, 5:33 PM ET
How do you keep a leader as verbally gaffe-prone as U.S. President George W. Bush from making even more slips of the tongue?
When Bush addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, the White House inadvertently showed exactly how -- with a phonetic pronunciation guide on the teleprompter to get him past troublesome names of countries and world leaders.
The White House was left scrambling to explain after a marked-up draft of Bush's speech popped up briefly on the U.N. Web site as he delivered his remarks, giving a rare glimpse of the special guidance he gets for major addresses.
It included phonetic spellings for French President Nicolas Sarkozy (sar-KO-zee), a friend, and Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe (moo-GAH-bee), a target of U.S. human rights criticism.
Pronunciations were also provided for Kyrgyzstan (KEYR-geez-stan), Mauritania (moor-EH-tain-ee-a) and the Zimbabwe capital Harare (hah-RAR-ray).
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the draft, labelled the 20th version and complete with typos and speechwriters' cellphone numbers, had been turned over in advance to help U.N. interpreters who must simultaneously translate leaders' speeches into several languages.
Bush's text also had to be loaded onto a teleprompter to appear on screens in front of the podium as he spoke.
"There was an error made," Perino told reporters. "I don't know how the draft of the speech that was not final was posted but it was and it was taken back."
"Anyone giving a major speech or delivering a broadcast, like on the morning and nightly network news, has phonetics for cues just for the possibility they're needed," she later explained.
Bush is no stranger to the occasional faux pas, and often jokes about his habit of mangling the English language.
One of his highest-profile gaffes came in May when, at a welcoming ceremony for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, he nearly placed her in the 18th century.
At a speech during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Sydney earlier this month, Bush seemed to confuse the organization with OPEC and spoke of Austrian troops in Iraq when he meant to say Australian.
@aaronssongs,
hey give the guy a break. He stopped trying in school before 7th grade I would guess. The golden spoon was his ability and being groomed for more he never needed to learn real peoples lessons. Can we say.... Machiavellian
@aaronssongs,
Quote:"Anyone giving a major speech or delivering a broadcast, like on the morning and nightly network news, has phonetics for cues just for the possibility they're needed,..."
Yes, Bush has problems with diction and pronunciation.
@Curmudgeon,
In all fairness if I had to pronounce all those foreign multi syllable names you could forget it.
Bush speaks about as well as I do in public settings. he and I are both hill billy's . But I am pretty sure I am smarter than he is. LOL:headbang::headbang:
@aaronssongs,
I am sure his point is that this is well known info and there is little point in posting about it any more.
@Curmudgeon,
Curmudgeon;39257 wrote:I am sure his point is that this is well known info and there is little point in posting about it any more.
Oh, Heaven forbid, that I should ever let you all forget that this is the man that you willfully voted into the office of President of the United States of America....and how irresponsible that decision was...to have been so cavalier with your precious vote.
@aaronssongs,
He is human.... We have had plenty of presidents that have done worse then miss pronounce a few words. Big deal. Everyone uses a teleprompter.
@Drakej,
Drakej;39290 wrote:He is human.... We have had plenty of presidents that have done worse then miss pronounce a few words. Big deal. Everyone uses a teleprompter.
I seriously doubt that he is human. One thing we know for sure is that he is the dumbest president ever...history will judge if he is the worst.
@aaronssongs,
Quote:I seriously doubt that he is human. One thing we know for sure is that he is the dumbest president ever...history will judge if he is the worst.
Why do you say that? Because you don't agree with him or his policies?
@Curmudgeon,
Curmudgeon;39322 wrote:Why do you say that? Because you don't agree with him or his policies?
Why do I say that? Why do you ask that? Have you ever watched any of his news conferences, especially when he is "unscripted"??? Its painful to watch.
That I don't agree with him or his policies, while a gross understatement, is beside the point.
The laundry list is much too long to get into this morning....just know that it is quite extensive, and egregious on every count. Do not forget that I had to endure him for several years as Texas Governor, where he did not commute one single solitary death sentence, thought there were bona fide appeals.
He is a despicable, poor excuse for a human being.....and that is being kind.
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