Bush uses "the Google"

Parent Cafe
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<p>I think the first thing the majority of people search for when they first use Google Earth is their own house so why make fun of the president for this? People love to criticize the president for anything and everything but I think they’re reaching a bit far on this one. I also think he’s a bit busier than most of us since he’s been President and Governor for a while now and I at least hope he simply hasn’t had the leisure time that most of us have to use CC or ‘the Google’. </p>

<p>My neighbor across the street isn’t the president but is a well-educated retired American Airlines pilot. He’s never used Google or even accessed the internet yet I don’t conclude he’s an idiot due to this.</p>

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<p>No blucroo, he can say it properly. I’ve heard him…and have heard him discuss getting tickled when everyone gets in an uproar over the mispronunciation. :-)</p>

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<p>So Idmom06, you are suggesting that he mispronounces it intentionally nearly 100% of the time when speaking off the cuff at press conferences and during formal, scripted speeches at the UN, etc? Not likely. I did say he was capable of correct pronunciation, but he would have to consciously make the effort to say it correctly because it is habitual to mispronounce it.</p>

<p>By your logic, if what you are saying is correct, that may explain why he makes so many verbal errors…he’s too preoccupied with sounding like a bumpkin and pulling one over on everyone, instead of sounding presidential when discussing the nuclear threat. I sincerely doubt he finds the topic amusing.</p>

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<p>What I have heard is ‘slips’ where he pronounces it perfectly. In fact, I don’t think George W. sounds like a bumpkin at all. I have to imagine your issue is more with the accent than the mispronunciation of ONE word. And in that case, Bush is no more bumpkin sounding than Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter, both of whom drawled and dropped their 'g’s.</p>

<p>Is it possible that you associate the ‘bumpkin’ factor with a Southern accent rather than how one silly word is mispronounced? I mean…you don’t think your friend who mispronounces larynx is a bumpkin do you? </p>

<p>I don’t have a problem with people being unhappy with George W. Bush over substantive issues like the war. But the ‘nuclear’ thing and the ‘bumpkin’ thing is weak.</p>

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<p>“Bush knows how history will remember him…as the President that kicked a** after 9-11.”</p>

<p>In 50 years? No. No, he won’t be seen that way.</p>

<p>And there’s a difference between a southern accent and talking about “rumors on the internets.” No one says “the internets.” That’s not a regional thing.</p>

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<p>Well, at least he has not yet claimed that he invented “the internets”. :)</p>

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<p>No one says “the internets.” That’s not a regional thing.</p>

<p>Unless you are on a blog , then I hear that being used all the time</p>

<p>Results 1 - 10 of about 3,920,000 for “the internets” ;)</p>

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<p>LDmom, with all due respect, there are countless examples of Bush’s language bumbling, his embarrassing mixed metaphors, his mangling of known phrases, etc. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the Southern accent.</p>

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<p>Countless Allmusic? I know he’s goofed up a few times…but I bet they can be counted.</p>

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<p>“btw…his funny pronunciation didn’t originate in Texas. Never in my life heard even the most Native of Texans mispronounce it the way he does. So it’s got to be a Maine or Connecticut thing right?”</p>

<p>… I have to imagine your issue is more with the accent than the mispronunciation of ONE word. … Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter, both of whom drawled and dropped their 'g’s.</p>

<p>idmom:</p>

<p>We are NOT talking accent here. You have accent confused with a learned mispronunciation (like kids saying psghetti or my colleague saying
lar-nyx) Let me explain AGAIN. GWB’s mispronunciation of nuclear is a problem with sequencing the sounds…he transposes the “oo” and “l” and in fact simplifies a complex blend movement; “kl” (such as in “club”) become "“cue” (such as in “cute”). THIS IS NOT AN ACCENT ISSUE! It is a mislearned pattern. I have an MA and over 24 years as a speech-language pathologist working with kids and adults and I think I know something about this topic here. Clinton and Carter have southern accents that are rule-based phonemic patterns that are typical of the south…as you call a drawl or dropping of g’s…or New Yorkers adding an “r” at the end of a word that ends with a vowel like “idear.” </p>

<p>After 24 years working in my profession, I do not have issues with accents. I am entirely sensitive to communication skills. Please! You are just plain wrong on this one. </p>

<p>And, Allmusic is correct; there are entire compilations of Bush-isms, listing the many, many verbal bumblings and misused metaphors. Late night comedy has had a field day showing video after video. GWB does best when given a script (written by someone else) and not deviating from it. Unscripted remarks are often repetitive, with grammatical errors, mangled metaphors and non-sequiters. Mr. Bush is perfectly capable of planning, organizing and producing logical verbal output. He just has a really hard time doing it under pressure or extemporaneously. Many people struggle in such situations. They are just not in the public eye as often. This is common knowledge and has nothing to do with political views. It is what it is.</p>

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<p>Maybe not countless, but there are hundreds (and hundreds). These are just from the past few weeks:</p>

<p>“You’re one of the outstanding leaders in a very important part of the world. I want to thank you for strategizing our discussions.”—Meeting with the prime minister of Malaysia, New York, Sept. 18, 2006</p>

<p>“You know, one of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror.”—Interview with CBS News, Washington D.C., Sept. 6, 2006</p>

<p>“And I suspect that what you’ll see, Toby, is there will be a momentum, momentum will be gathered. Houses will begat jobs, jobs will begat houses.” —Speaking with reporters along the Gulf Coast, Gulfport, Miss., Aug. 28, 2006</p>

<p>Some of my other favorites:</p>

<p>Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?</p>

<p>We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job. That’s what I’m telling you.</p>

<p>There’s an old saying in Tennessee – I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee…that says, fool me once, shame on…shame on you. Fool me…you can’t get fooled again. [9/17/2002]</p>

<p>Our nation must come together to unite.</p>

<p>As Luce reminded me, he said, without data, without facts, without information, the discussions about public education mean that a person is just another opinion.</p>

<p>A lame duck session, for people who don’t know what that means, it means the Senate is coming and the House is coming back between now and Christmas and they’ve got a few days to get some big things done. </p>

<p>I appreciate that question because I, in the state of Texas, had heard a lot of discussion about a faith-based initiative eroding the important bridge between church and state.</p>

<p>I mean, there needs to be a wholesale effort against racial profiling, which is illiterate children.</p>

<hr>

<p>I could go on…but that may do.</p>

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<p>I miss a lot of things- actually that is one reason why I enjoy commenting back and forth online where I can edit- because- when I speak- I can tell that I am not necessarily clear- and that is very frustrating-
I also mispronounce things, unless I am extra concious of it
amninal and pernament are two words that I have trouble with.
Not everyone is a smooth talker-
I stutter a little sometimes too- I don’t think having difficulty is necessarily related to intelligence
and frankly- although I did not vote for any Bushes
I would prefer an ethical and committed leader- over someone who is particulary a smooth talker</p>

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<p>So would I EK. I just prefer an eloquent speaker as the president of the greatest nation on earth.</p>

<p>People may have hated Clinton, but he is an excellent orator.</p>

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<p>Emeraldkitty4. you are right on the money. And I suspect that you would not talk on and on, off the cuff, if you knew that the entire country or world was listening. You would take care and choose your words and comments wisely, knowing that you struggle in verbal situations. </p>

<p>I don’t necessarily want a “smooth talker” or even a “great orator” as president; rather I think the president should be cautious about what he says and how he says it. His words have great power simply because he is president. I criticize GWB for some of his “speaking without thinking.” He should know himself and know better. </p>

<p>Whether you liked him or agreed with him, Cliniton was an amazingly gifted speaker. Even Reagan, whose politics I disagreed with, was known as “the great communicator.”</p>

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<p>I just hope that one of these days we’ll have a president I can actually be proud of. What an idea…</p>

<p>It’s no wonder the rest of the world thinks that Americans are idiots when our elected leader who is supposed to “represent” us speaks as he does.</p>

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<p>

As opposed to Hugo Chavez, for example? Or Putin? I really like the way Tony Blair speaks, but I don’t think that’s a good criterion for choosing a leader.</p>

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<p>I didn’t say that I want some idiot who is a good orator, I just would like to have someone who represents us well, and knowing how to speak is a bonus.</p>

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<p>Good grief…why do some of you think Clinton was such a gifted speaker? I found nothing he said to be profound and after the Lewinsky deal, I felt the need to mull over every single word looking for hidden meanings. If anything, Clinton is just a walking irony. All that gift…what a waste.</p>

<p>btw…blucroo. I am not confused. :slight_smile: You just didn’t get it. Your posts on the details of speech and language pathology are nice though. Thanks. After I read them, I made a personal promise never to post in ‘debitcredit’ speak. (jk!)</p>

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<p>Because Clinton WAS a gifted speaker (and still is).</p>

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<p>oh well now Allmusic. I guess ‘gifted’ is pretty much a subjective thing isn’t it? I’ll admit, Clinton is pretty gifted; gifted in chasing skirts and never paying the piper for it. lol!</p>