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Bush Dismisses Iraq Bloodshed as a ‘Comma’

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Posted on Sep 26, 2006
Bush and Iraq -- as a 'Comma'
From CNN

The president said this about possible civil war in Iraq: “I like to tell people when the final history is written on Iraq, it will look like just a comma because there is—my point is, there’s a strong will for democracy.”

Every time Bush comes out with a head-scratcher like this, we’re reminded of the lyrics from The Police’s classic song “De do do do, de da da da.” (jump for explanation)

And when their eloquence escapes me
Their logic ties me up and rapes me

De do do do, de da da da
Is all I want to say to you

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    UPDATE: Jack Cafferty responds to Bush’s “comma” comment


  • Crooks and Liars:

    BLITZER: Lets move on and talk a little bit about Iraq. Because this is a huge, huge issue, as you know, for the American public, a lot of concern that perhaps they are on the verge of a civil war—if not already a civil war. We see these horrible bodies showing up, tortured, mutilation. The Shia and the Sunni, the Iranians apparently having a negative role. Of course, al Qaeda in Iraq is still operating.

    BUSH: Yes, you see you see it on TV, and that’s the power of an enemy that is willing to kill innocent people. But there’s also an unbelievable will and resiliency by the Iraqi people. Admittedly, it seems like a decade ago. I like to tell people when the final history is written on Iraq, it will look like just a comma because there is ח my point is, there’s a strong will for democracy.

    Link


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    By rebecca, April 14, 2007 at 3:22 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    THE COMMA SOLVES ALL!!!!

    Report this

    By Sherlock, April 14, 2007 at 3:22 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    COMMA SOLVES ALL this proves that Bush knows what he’s doing. YAY the president of North America!!!

    Remember that children, comma solves all!!!

    Report this

    By jerry lawless, March 25, 2007 at 6:37 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    george bush toured south of the border,and was a special guest of the mayan ruins. The priests had to perform a ritual,to cleanse the ruins! Do you hear that? To cleanse ruins!Anyhow,they said to Bush,“these are mayan ruins.“Bush replied,“did you see Iraq?” that’s myum ruins!!!!!

    Report this

    By Todd, January 16, 2007 at 11:23 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Another response to comment#28968:

    Man… you sound just as stupid as president dumb a$$ bush.  I could barely follow what you were trying to say.  You sound like you might be one of his speech writers.  If your not, I think you should apply.  Seeing how he hires/appoints the most incompetent people to so many positions, I really think you have a good chance.  People ask why we have a moron serving as president… well I’m pretty confident I can speak for most people that have an IQ over 100, the reason is this, most people in the USA are just as stupid, if not more stupid than he is!  I am really getting fed up with the ignorance I have to listen to and put up with all the time.  You’re a perfect example of this.  Apparently, most people actually respect him no matter how stupid he sounds or how much he reveals about himself.  I’m really worried about most Americans because the fact is, people are only getting dumber by the day.  I wish that stupid idiot would get impeached.  BTW, are you republican?

    Report this

    By max, January 8, 2007 at 5:44 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    I think its pretty retarded that the “strongest nation in the world” is run by a person that has a mine of my dog.

    Report this

    By envision eyes, December 31, 2006 at 8:57 am Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Personally I do not think that Bush knows what he says, I also do not think he understands the extremety of death. Perhaps the Iraq war is not of the scale of the world wars but for the people in it, for the people whose world is collapsing around them, it is a huge event. So to dismiss this war as but a comma on the pages of history is to dismiss oneself as but an ant in space. But as we know, it takes but one drop to raise the ocean and one person can change the world, Bush himself has proven that much.

    Report this

    By Laura, December 29, 2006 at 2:36 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    In response to comment#28968:
    My friend, PLEASE learn how to use spell check and re-read your comments for grammatical errors.  YOU are why people who didn’t vote for Bush hate those who did.

    I’m embarrassed for you.

    Report this

    By RIO, November 30, 2006 at 3:58 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Dear Florencia,(comma) you make the statement “if you all think he’s so stupid, why did you vote for him?”    WE DID NOT!

    Report this

    By Florencia, November 24, 2006 at 10:13 am Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    well… i admit Bush says pretty stupid things… most of the time… but he did win the second election.. why is that?

    if you all think he’s so stupid, why did you vote for him?

    Report this

    By Charlie, November 1, 2006 at 11:58 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Re: Bush demanding Kerry apologize
    When did Bush apologize for this?

    Report this

    By divide by zero, October 20, 2006 at 9:55 am Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    “The Comma Quote” an obscene indifference to human suffering

    ...I like to tell people when the final history is written on Iraq, it
    (being all the people tortured, mutilated, and killed[1]) will
    look like just a comma ...
    —George W. Bush

    ^1-Innuendo:
    in text, an explanation or interpretation, of words and statements,
    usually placed in parentheses after the referenced item.


    Notes
    —————————————————————————————-
    1) It is possible that he may have been trying to say Comment not Comma
      Irregardless of whether or not he meant to say comment,commentary,
      coda, asterisk or footnote; the gist of the statement is still the same.

    2) Attempt to recontextualize “The Comma Quote”
      Remarks by the President September 28, 2006
      Whitehouse news releases

      We’re going to help the Iraqi people. Remember, 12 million of them
      voted in elections last December. That probably seems like a decade
      ago to you, but when the history is finally written, it will be just
      a comma. Twelve million people stood up in the face of assassins and
      car bombers and said, we want to be free.

    3) Attempt to subvert criticism of the 20SEPT06 quote
    by referencing the 28SEPT06 recontextualized quote
      Press Briefing by Tony Snow
      October 5, 2006
      Whitehouse news release

      As for the comma. This has been brewed around; Peter had a word or
      two to say about it today. The comma refers to the period of time
      between last year’s election and today. We’re talking about—well, the
      President is making the point is, when you look at a history book, a
      10-month period is a comma. Now, some people have tried to say, how
      dare the President refer to this as a comma; he’s being glib about
      the deaths of Americans. That’s outrageous, and the people who say that
      know it. What they’re trying to is, willingly or not, wrench a
      statement out of context and try to use that as an opportunity to
      accuse a President who is deeply aware of the human cost of war of
      being calloused about those costs. It’s just not true.

      Subvert:
        to turn it from the truth; to corrupt; to confound.

    4) Attempted whisper campaign to Meme Hack The Comma Quote

      Sources on the internet claim esoteric knowledge of the true meaning
      of the The Comma Quote as follows;

      [The Speaker states, in reference to the The Comma Quote;]

      He likely meant to finish it off by suggesting that, looking back,
      the Iraq war will be viewed as “just a comma, not a period.”
      Not surprisingly, this is rooted in current Christian teaching,
      often in reference to the death of Jesus, or more generally as “Don’t put
      a period where God puts a comma.”

      [The Speaker then makes the following interpretation;]

      This is Dog-whistle politics, which means one thing to
      the general population but which has a more specific meaning for a
      targeted subgroup of the audience. This is the same communication
      technique he used previously for the “Dred Scott” coded messages he
      sent.

    Report this

    By WILLIAM BUTLER FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, October 15, 2006 at 9:49 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Geroge W Bush has neaten all those who wanted his job and now they all have gotten together and making a mountain out of his faux pas!
    If he could run again he will beat them up again because it seems sensible to me that all of you al lwho claim not to like President Bush and are salivating in his faux pas should be getting a real message out there to the American people about what you all can do different if you all won the presidency instead of beating your gums over his faux pas when we all know what he intended to say!
    I think he is a brilliant and extremely wise an intelligent man to have beaten all of you brainiacs and becoming President twice!
    Why don’t you all sit at his feet and learn how to win the presidency twice?

    Report this

    By crazydesire, September 30, 2006 at 5:53 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    The Police song is a perfect reference—- Poets, priests, and politicians, have words to thank for their positions.

    I’m not even sure what the comma remark is supposed to mean.  Does this (,) look the same as the deceit that causes thousands of people unnecessarily killed, billions of dollars unnecessarily spent??

    Report this

    By joey, September 28, 2006 at 8:28 am Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Jerry Falwell ,Karl Rove ,Connie, G.W. and the Red States should reap what they have sown. The religious right should take a bucket with them when the go to church, communion and choir this Sunday. And when they approach the alter the bucket should be filled with Iraqi blood from the thousands of innocents who have been killed in their name, by their choice.. They should be made to take this reminder home and keep it for a month. And again ask themselves “What is Christ like in the slaughter of innocents?”  Christianity with accountability, what a concept.

    Report this

    By joey, September 27, 2006 at 4:36 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Falwell and his Red States

    Jerry Falwell ,Karl Rove ,Connie, G.W. and the Red States should reap what they have sown. The religious right should take a bucket with them when the go to church, communion and choir this Sunday. And when they approach the alter the bucket should be filled with Iraqi blood from the thousands of innocents who have been killed in their name, by their choice.. They should be made to take this reminder home and keep it for a month. And again ask themselves “What is Christ like in the slaughter of innocents?”  Christianity with accountability, what a concept.

    Report this

    By Larry Anklam, September 27, 2006 at 12:23 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    There is no other way to say it—BUT—-TO SAY—- this man is an asshole—PLAIN AND SIMPLE!!

    Report this

    By rachelle, September 27, 2006 at 1:59 am Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    I’d like to ram a friggin’ exclamation mark into GW’s brain!

    Report this

    By Manny, September 26, 2006 at 9:42 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Now, the death of thousands of Iraq human beings is just a comma ? A man that has never know war could utter these words. Another misstatement by Mr. G. Bush that will be placed in the hearts of many Muslims.

    Report this

    By Marv Cordell, September 26, 2006 at 4:44 pm Link to this comment
    (Unregistered commenter)

    We should waist a common on Bush in the History books ?

    Report this
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