digg

Join DiggAbout

Discover and share the best of the web!
Learn more about Digg by taking the tour.

McCain Forgets that Czechoslovakia Isn’t a Country... Again

thinkprogress.org — During a press availability today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said that he ’s been concerned by “a couple of steps that the Russian government took in the last several day,” including “reducing the energy supplies to Czechoslovakia.” But, as TPM’s Greg Sargent points out, Czechoslovakia hasn’t existed in 15 years.

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • AxmxZ, on 07/14/2008, -12/+149The General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union will have stern words for McCain.

    • QuadZeroRoute, on 07/15/2008, -55/+15Ahahahaha....hilarious and Barack Obama thought that the United States had 57 states. Hey at least it was Czechoslovakia....and can one in ten thousand at Digg even point to it without using Google? NO.

      Now how did the terrorist Obama mistakenly say we had 57 states....because there are 57 Islamic states.
      • quez, on 07/15/2008, -8/+23Obama misspoke. He clearly meant 'forty-seven'. That's kind of different from not being aware that Czechoslovakia has not existed as a nation since 1993.
      • byrdgang, on 07/15/2008, -8/+26QuadZeroRoute, do you honestly believe that an individual who has lived in the United States for the majority of his life could possibly forget the number of states (assuming this person doesn't have memory problems)? You are only mocking yourself by even suggesting this.

        I am an immigrant, and I know how many states there are. That's because you learn this early on in school (moved here pretty early in life).

        Suggesting Obama, someone who went to Harvard and graduated at the top of his class, wouldn't know the number of states is baffling. He knows where Harvard is located, but he doesn't know the number of states? Do you genuinely believe this?

        Last, there are no Islamic countries in the world today, damn it. None. There are countries with Muslim majorities, but no Islamic countries.
      • benhollister, on 07/15/2008, -6/+17You do realize you are calling a sitting United States senator a terrorist, right? I don't care who you plan on voting for, have a little respect for our public servants.
      • Mononuclear, on 07/15/2008, -4/+11I hope no one on Digg can point to it because it doesn't exist.. Do you mean where it used to be?
      • AxmxZ, on 07/15/2008, -4/+5It was a joke. It wasn't even HIS joke! You don't believe me? Check out this video.

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8wbuJOfkTc

        Now check the date on the video.

        Now STFU and GTFO.
      • tkstock, on 07/15/2008, -4/+4byrdgang, if 99.9% of the people in a country are Muslim, I would call that an Islamic country.

        http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/places/top_50.h ...
      • kayala, on 07/15/2008, -4/+7There's a difference between an Islamic country (a theocracy based on Islam) and a country with a Muslim majority (nevertheless a secular state), tkstock. It would be like calling the USA a Christian country because a majority of its citizens are Christians; this is not the case, as the USA is secular.
      • QuadZeroRoute, on 07/15/2008, -14/+5I'm right again. 57 member states are called the The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

        The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is an international organization with a permanent delegation to the United Nations. It groups 57 member states, from the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, Caucasus, Balkan, Southeast Asia, South Asia and South America. The official languages of the organization are Arabic, English and French.


        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_of_the_I ...
      • dggeek, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3"57 member states are called the The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC)."

        This is obvious evidence that Obama is a terrorist! Can't you people see? He worked with Bush to take down the towers with controlled explosions! Isn't it odd that we don't know very much about his father? That's because the CIA has covered up his true identity as the shooter on the grassy knoll!

        Also, I'm pretty sure he directed the fake moon landing movies.
      • tkstock, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2Deflect, detract, and distract.
    • afx1, on 07/15/2008, -10/+14at this point it would be criminally negligent to elect this guy president. maybe he can have lieberman follow him around constantly to remind him who's the enemy and which country is supporting which group and which countries no longer exist.
    • changedmind, on 07/15/2008, -10/+7Hey, I will be happy if I get to his age and that's all I have forgotten.
    • DreamSynthesis, on 07/15/2008, -2/+17Now now McCain has no time for this nonsense. He needs to prepare for his visit to Atlantis.
    • haski, on 07/15/2008, -2/+10I'm from Czechoslovakia and personally I think it's not a big deal even though I'm a huge supporter of Obama and hope McCain will loose in general election.
    • scstraus, on 07/15/2008, -1/+10I am an American who has lived in Prague for the last 8 years, and I can tell you definitively approximately a third of americans still call it Czechoslovakia. Amazingly, even 10-20% of Americans actually visiting the country do (how they get this far without realizing where their going is beyond me).

      So no throwing stones if you live in a glass house. You know who you are.
    • flink405, on 07/15/2008, -8/+3How many diggers even know the proper names of the two countries that were once Czechoslovakia?
      How many diggers can even point them out on a map?
      • lamiaconfitor, on 07/15/2008, -0/+7Anybody who plays the world map game on addicting games. (P.S. Just because you are an arrogant prick does not mean you are smarter then everyone else.)
    • geoken, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1You're right. Brezhnev will definitely have strong words in response to this.
  • grlykool, on 07/14/2008, -15/+37McGaffe-a day.
    • kevinwiz, on 07/15/2008, -3/+11...keeps Obama in play?
    • TheInformer, on 07/15/2008, -12/+7Another political Digg story from the Huffington/Thinkprogress/Pravda troika.

      Buried.
  • AxmxZ, on 07/14/2008, -12/+279McCain better Czech himself.

    (Sorry, couldn't resist.)
    • rynTAU, on 07/15/2008, -3/+56before he wrecks himself?
    • Akaricloud, on 07/15/2008, -2/+47Oman thats funny.
      • DesignNerd, on 07/15/2008, -1/+11I am always Hungary for a good pun.
      • tehblister, on 07/15/2008, -1/+3Hungary aye? How about some Turkey?
      • juckman, on 07/16/2008, -0/+2These puns suck, you guys are Russian them, you gotta think 'em through.
    • Puffles, on 07/15/2008, -8/+4Touché.
      • Tanktunker, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2That only works when some says something ridiculously stupid.
        And that was a pretty good pun, as digg puns go.
    • Braintricks, on 07/15/2008, -1/+18As a Czech American, I urge you to all buy that stupid Threadless ( I think) shirt that says "Czech yourself before you wreck yourself".

      Thank you.
      • atbnet, on 07/15/2008, -1/+10As a Czech American, I never knew such an awesome t-shirt existed. And all these years I thought the Czech Republic was lame.
      • Braintricks, on 07/15/2008, -2/+3Oh, it's far from it my countryman. You know what they say; Once you go Czech...
      • TheCasablancan, on 07/15/2008, -0/+10@Braintricks

        You... get bites on the neck?
      • renagadex2, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2Děkuji!
      • lamiaconfitor, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Nothing wrong with a little biting.
    • speakafreaka, on 07/15/2008, -3/+35Jamaican me laugh so much iran around the room looking like a turkey.

      Penis
      • nofx1510, on 07/15/2008, -0/+9That was kinda stupid until the randomness of penis introduced itself.
        Bravo.
    • arjie, on 07/15/2008, -0/+21Denmark my words, his campaign is doomed.
    • thailand1972, on 07/15/2008, -8/+4Hey I can Columbia make some great puns Greenland too!
      • orion846, on 07/15/2008, -2/+6Okay, thailand1972. Everything cool that AxmxZ said, you wrecked it.
      • kr3mliyn, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Wrong... You "deed it".
    • theShadow51, on 07/15/2008, -1/+8Hey sorry guys I couldn't Finnish reading the post because I was Russian through it, but it sounds interesting. I am sure Putin, the President of Germany, has something to say about this!
    • vkiperman, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Excellent! Dug!
  • MadKennyP, on 07/14/2008, -12/+113McCain also said he would never purchase another Studebaker, given the troubles he'd been having with his lately.
    • gropo, on 07/15/2008, -2/+18*bemoans cost of leaded gas these days
  • jockser, on 07/14/2008, -21/+16HOLD THE PRESS
    • phunlee, on 07/15/2008, -3/+2So many things wrong with your 'wit'... so many.
  • estacado, on 07/14/2008, -33/+7Spot the difference:
    http://digg.com/politics/McCain_Forgets_that_Czech ...
    http://digg.com/politics/McCain_Forgets_that_Czech ...
    • zenithmbr, on 07/14/2008, -5/+15you don't actually think we care do you?
    • twiztidsinz, on 07/15/2008, -3/+7One has a larger friend base allowing for a wider distribution of diggs?
    • mithrasinvictus, on 07/15/2008, -2/+2One can't spell the word "country"?
    • Mononuclear, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2one shout spams more people?
  • hdar3415, on 07/14/2008, -17/+40McCain also believes that the citizens of America should bow down and give him praise.
  • toddcat, on 07/14/2008, -19/+14Also, I should point out that there are now 50 states in the US. McCain is so old, he might still think that Alaska and Hawaii are not incorporated within the United States. Just sayin'.
    • PolishLogic, on 07/14/2008, -23/+22Reminds me of another candidate that suggested there are 57 states.
      • wacomwacoff, on 07/15/2008, -10/+5bla bla bla, old old old gaffe. Move on.
      • patpl22391, on 07/15/2008, -13/+8Wacom is right, polish! Who cares about Obama's gaffes they are no longer interesting, only McCain's are real news!
      • WasabiBomb, on 07/15/2008, -3/+5So are you saying, PolishLogic, that Obama didn't know (or somehow forgot) that there are 50 states? Is that what you're saying?
      • NnyCW, on 07/15/2008, -1/+7I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!
      • TheInformer, on 07/15/2008, -5/+13It's ok to continually bring up McCain's gaffes. If the same is done for Obama though, it's wrong?
      • wacomwacoff, on 07/15/2008, -12/+5Obama made a single joke about visiting 57 states (meaning he'd been to the territories, too) and people misinterpereted it as some kind of anti-American gaffe. Several months ago.

        McCain believes that a country which ceased to exist 15 years ago still exists, and keeps repeating the gaffe... TODAY... even after he's been corrected.

        And you wonder which one is more valid?
      • sulthernao, on 07/15/2008, -7/+6Actually Obama's Gaffe was saying "fifty" instead of "forty". He had visited 47 states at that point. Quite a bit different than a repeated miscue on foreign relations.
      • PolishLogic, on 07/15/2008, -4/+6@wacomwacoff
        if he meant territories, he'd still be wrong.
      • CoMpUtErITGuY, on 07/15/2008, -4/+4I'm sure Obama probably pronounces it "fiddy" instead of "fifty".
      • TheInformer, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1Obama has many gaffes, the least of which is "57 states".

        Last May, he claimed that tornadoes in Kansas killed a whopping 10,000 people: “In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died — an entire town destroyed.” The actual death toll: 12.

        Last week, in front of a roaring Sioux Falls, S.D., audience, Obama exulted: “Thank you, Sioux City."

        During the primary, he was explaining why he was trailing Hillary Clinton in Kentucky, Obama again botched basic geography: “Sen. Clinton, I think, is much better known, coming from a nearby state of Arkansas. So it’s not surprising that she would have an advantage in some of those states in the middle.” On what map is Arkansas closer to Kentucky than Illinois?

        Obama told a Portland crowd over the weekend that Iran doesn’t “pose a serious threat to us” — cluelessly arguing that “tiny countries” with small defense budgets can’t do us harm — and then promptly flip-flopped the next day, claiming, “I’ve made it clear for years that the threat from Iran is grave.”

        Obama commented regarding his "embarrassing" comment with this, “I know because I don’t speak a foreign language. It’s embarrassing!” he said. Hmm. He does speak Arabic, according to New York Times, and he recites Quran! Remember this article from New York Times, from last year (3/16/07)? "In a free-ranging interview with the New York Times, Obama described the Muslim call to prayer as ‘one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.’ The Times's Nicholos Kristof wrote, Obama recited, ‘with a first-class [Arabic] accent,’ the opening lines of the Muslim call to prayer. "

        Obama claims to have passed three bills, but fails to mention that two were in the Illinois state Senate and that he didn't vote on the third in the U.S. Senate.

        Obama's ad praises welfare reform, yet he opposed the legislation when a Republican Congress passed and President Clinton signed it.

        In one of his more egregious and easily demonstrated lies (er 'gaffes), made even more so by the day he decided to let it loose on, Obama has rewritten WWII history such that the allies liberated Auschwitz. He spoke about his uncle, who was part of the American brigade that helped to liberate Auschwitz. Auschwitz of course is in Poland. It was liberated by the Red Army on Jan 27 1945. Poland, on most maps is usually placed to the east of Germany, although we may need to investigate the geography textbooks Obama used as a child.

        “With Obama we started out, we couldn’t talk about his big ears ’cause that made him nervous. We’ve gone from that to this: Not only can we not mention his ears, we can’t talk about his mother. We can’t talk about his father. We can’t talk about his grandmother unless he does, brings her up as a ‘typical white person.’ We can’t talk about his wife, can’t talk about his preacher, can’t talk about his terrorist friends, can’t talk about his voting record, can’t talk about his religion. We can’t talk about appeasement. We can’t talk about color; we can’t talk about lack of color. We can’t talk about race. We can’t talk about bombers and mobsters who are his friends. We can’t talk about schooling. We can’t talk about his name, ‘Hussein.’ We can’t talk about his lack of experience. Can’t talk about his income. Can’t talk about his flag pin. This started out we can’t call him a liberal. It started out we just couldn’t talk about his ears. Now we can’t say anything about him.”

        And so on and so on...
      • wacomwacoff, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Nice racist comment there, computerITguy.
  • Homerr, on 07/14/2008, -8/+91You can't take the Cold War out of the Cold Warrior...
  • mentallyinhell, on 07/14/2008, -15/+89Alzheimer's is a bitch isn't it?
    • MeatPlow, on 07/15/2008, -3/+7Doctor: Mr McCain. I'm sorry but you have cancer & Alzheimer's.

      McCain: Well that's ok. At least I don't have cancer.
  • zenithmbr, on 07/14/2008, -29/+10he also forgot his penis in Bush's ass
  • PATSCRU, on 07/15/2008, -8/+73Yeah, heard him say that in Constantinople.
    • mooseofshadows, on 07/15/2008, -4/+40You fool, it's called Byzantium!
      • nycmac247, on 07/15/2008, -10/+3Islambul is another interesting city
    • quez, on 07/15/2008, -2/+14I just worry that his lack of knowledge regarding Europe could make a state dinner with the King of Prussia an awkward experience.
      • lantza, on 07/15/2008, -0/+0He's having dinner with an entire mall?
    • merreborn, on 07/15/2008, -2/+25Yes, I'd like to send this letter to the Prussian consulate in Siam by aeromail. Am I too late for the 4:30 autogyro?
      • MasterGrief, on 07/15/2008, -1/+12Not at all, my good man. Pilot's been having a bit of trouble with the cranker--bleeding thing's been gummed one too many times. Shall be off shortly, though, and I'll have this letter aboard for you when he goes. Pip, pip!
    • Alex2, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2I've heard legends told by the Barbarians of Cimmeria....
    • Mononuclear, on 07/15/2008, -2/+3He should buy a cd from They Might Be Giants
      • MeatPlow, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1Does he need to make a little birdhouse in his soul?
    • Galaxylander, on 07/15/2008, -2/+22HEY- That's NOBODY'S business but the Turk's.
      • cutchyacokov, on 07/15/2008, -2/+1Damn it! I wanted to reference that song first!!
      • Mononuclear, on 07/15/2008, -2/+1I beat you both :P
      • Galaxylander, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Pshh You referenced the band not the song mayun. :)
    • xNIBx, on 07/15/2008, -3/+1Both Istanbul and Constantinople are greek names. The only people that have issues with this are either ignorant turks or ignorant greeks.
  • a1cd, on 07/15/2008, -9/+78We are so ***** screwed..
    • mrtrevin, on 07/15/2008, -0/+6I know, he totally still supports the war in Mesopotamia.
  • bwonder, on 07/15/2008, -13/+3You mean It's NOT a country!?!?
    • sovereign3, on 07/15/2008, -3/+5For those who don't know; Czechoslovakia is now two countries.

      The Czech Republic and Slovakia.
  • SwedishNinja, on 07/15/2008, -24/+25Common old person thing. My political science teacher who is about McCain's age still calls Myanmar Burma and The Democratic Republic of the Congo Zaire. Not a sign of stupidity really.
    • ldkronos, on 07/15/2008, -5/+34True, but I'd expect a little more from the potential leader of the US.
      • patpl22391, on 07/15/2008, -23/+8I'd expect our leader to know there are only 50 states, not 57.
      • WasabiBomb, on 07/15/2008, -1/+11So, patpl, it's your contention that Obama doesn't know how many states there are? Really?

        I want to hear you say that a sitting US senator, one who's running for Presidential office, doesn't know how many states there are. I'd really like to hear you say that.

        'Cause then we can point and laugh at you.
      • mrtrevin, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1LOL, yeah, not just senator but former president of the Harvard Law Review. Come on.
    • waydee, on 07/15/2008, -7/+16... this is the man who wants to lead your country and you're ok with him commanding a military when he cannot even get the name of a country right?

      Sorry but anyone in a position as powerful as he is should know damn well that there is no Czechoslovakia and the very fact he obviously doesn't know the difference between that and the Czech Republic/Slovakia should instantly put him out of the running. Imagine if he got the presidency and made this mistake, don't you think Americans get a bad enough rep for their supposed ignorance of foreign affairs and geographical knowledge?

      • earnjam, on 07/15/2008, -18/+6And Obama said there are 57 states. Come on people, every single word these guys say is recorded and quoted. If you were followed around all the time, I'm sure you'd say one or two things that isn't correct...
      • waydee, on 07/15/2008, -0/+4Thats fine but the very fact I'm not running for president of the united states makes a mistake such as that on my part unacceptable but unimportant.

      • CoheednCambria, on 07/15/2008, -0/+4His puppet masters will fix it. You don't think they will let him make any decisions if he is elected?
      • earnjam, on 07/15/2008, -2/+6I'm not saying it's a good thing. I'm just saying that he's human and he makes mistakes. Obama said there are 57 states, but that doesn't mean he really thinks that. If you read his whole quote, McCain was indeed referring to the Czech Republic here as he talks about an agreement we have concerning missile defense.

        You do realize it was Czechoslovakia for 56 years of his life...
      • WasabiBomb, on 07/15/2008, -2/+8How many times has Obama said "57" instead of "50"?

        And how many times has McCain said that Czechoslovakia is a country? For that matter, how many times has he mixed up Sunnis and Shiites?

        There's a world of difference there, earnjam, and you should be embarrassed for saying that the two situations are even remotely similar. That's just stupid.
    • wacomwacoff, on 07/15/2008, -3/+10It's a sign of forgetfulness and stodginess. Tiresome for a pol science teacher. Worrisome for a presidential candidate.
    • jheimark, on 07/15/2008, -0/+18calling Myanmar Burma can be a sign of respect for the people struggling there against an oppressive, illegitimate regime.
    • Mononuclear, on 07/15/2008, -2/+3That is just as scary. Teachers should know their subject.
    • PalIkas, on 07/15/2008, -0/+13Calling Burma.... Burma Is a rejection of the Nasty military dictators that want to call Burma Myanmar....
      • Charklii, on 07/15/2008, -0/+5Exactly.. the people of Burma still call it Burma.
      • lamiaconfitor, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Thank you! seriously, I would think even retarded people would recognize that by now, unless they think the Junta are awesome, for some reason.
    • lmhazardous, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2Thank god your political science teacher isn't in the race to be the leader of one of the most powerful countries in the world. My grandfather still refers to Zimbabwe as Rhodesia-- and I wouldn't want him negotiating international policy either.
    • Myonosken, on 07/15/2008, -0/+6It's not Burma? It was still called that on BBC news.
    • xNIBx, on 07/15/2008, -0/+5The thing is that both Burma and Mianmar are the same thing just different name. Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic are 2 different countries. It is like calling the US "Great Britain" because at some point in their history, the US were part of Great Britain.
      • bcmorrison3, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1No it's not like calling the US: Great Britain. It's like calling the Czech Republic: Czechoslovakia. It's a minor minor minor error.
  • lead2thehead, on 07/15/2008, -15/+4I still hear people call Russia the Soviet Union.
    • nblsavage, on 07/15/2008, -2/+11Any of 'em running for President?
  • rz8472, on 07/15/2008, -6/+153This just in, McCain has pledged to campaign in all 13 colonies. Now THAT's commitment!
    • jivatmanx, on 07/15/2008, -2/+8Wait... they found earth?
    • BlueSkyfish, on 07/15/2008, -1/+12Starting in New Amsterdam.
    • ddawggin, on 07/15/2008, -13/+4I don't know how he plans to win when Obama's hitting all 57 states...
    • Akaricloud, on 07/15/2008, -15/+4This just in, Obama has now campaigned in 57 states. Wait what?!

      (bury time)
  • JD52, on 07/15/2008, -21/+20If this guy gets elected we will all be dead within a two year period. Mark my words.
  • waydee, on 07/15/2008, -7/+17The fact that this man is even in the running for president of the dominant superpower when he cannot even get the name of a country right really worries me. What the ***** is wrong with some people.


  • dsmeryage, on 07/15/2008, -28/+36Why is this any bigger deal than Obama visiting 57 of the United States?
    • charm803, on 07/15/2008, -19/+11It's slightly different, seeing that it also includes Guam, American Samoa, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, it wasn't just a reference to the 50 states.
      • Akaricloud, on 07/15/2008, -6/+3You remind me of a hilarious post I read where someone tried to explain that when Simpson got caught lip syncing, it was actually her crews fault because they started playing the wrong song, and there was a problem with the lighting, and there was a problem with the equipment. AND BLAH BLAH BLAH.
    • wacomwacoff, on 07/15/2008, -18/+8You're dredging up a single gaffe from three months ago? We're talking about today. Get with it.
    • byrdgang, on 07/15/2008, -13/+14Notice Obama was smiling when he said that, and was talking about having visited every corner of the USA? Ever hear of hyperbole? Jokes?
      • Ilyanep, on 07/15/2008, -4/+5Hyperbole means saying something like '1000 states' and not reaching for the '....seven? states' He was thinking about it.
    • jivatmanx, on 07/15/2008, -1/+10He was thinking about after we colonize mars.

      Better to have your head in the future than the past.
    • rapunzell, on 07/15/2008, -9/+7Maybe the fact it's the 3rd time he's referred to the same non-existent country since October?
      • OffPiste, on 07/15/2008, -8/+9Obama made reference to the Auschwitz in Germany episode 17 times before he was ever called out on the fact that there were no American troops in Poland.

        He gets a pass though.
    • kevinwiz, on 07/15/2008, -11/+7Because McCain has far more gaffes. And this is Digg.
      • dan222555, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3The former perception only exists because of the latter reality.
  • brainscab, on 07/15/2008, -2/+37Once he's done with Iran it wont be a country either!
    • da_bradler, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3Hopefully he'll at least remember to only declare wars on countries. Instead of the old republican method of declaring wars on nouns *cough terror/drugs cough*
  • burjzyntski, on 07/15/2008, -13/+20I'm not pro-McCain at all, but couldn't people just take this as an "You're slightly wrong, but I know what you mean" ?
    • waydee, on 07/15/2008, -3/+8Yeah I'm sure the Czech and Slovakian people would take it that way.

    • fas2, on 07/15/2008, -3/+8No way in hell.

      "At a debate in Oct. 2007, McCain said that America needs to “have a missile defense system in place in Czechoslovakia and Poland.” "

      How can you (McCain) say such a thing if you don't even know whats what.
    • m0tbaillie, on 07/15/2008, -2/+7Not when the person in question is vying to be the next President of the United States!
    • jepaco, on 07/15/2008, -1/+5You make a good point in general; however, McCain has made so many of this type of error that it isn't just a mis-speak.
      • mellon, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1The upsetting thing about this kind of noise is that it's just that: noise. When I was seven, my parents took me to Czechoslovakia. We had a nice visit with some friends of theirs in Prague. So in my mind, Prague is in Czechoslovakia. I know intellectually that it's in the Czech Republic, but when it comes up in conversation the country name that comes out of my mouth is Czechoslovakia.

        There are lots of reasons not to like McCain for president. Verbal stumbles are a lousy reason. You try talking on your feet in front of a video camera a couple of hours a day and see how long you go without an embarrassing verbal gaffe.

        McCain's politics suck. Ding him on that. Dinging him on misspeaks just makes the people who were already going to vote for him like him more. The only people who think this is a problem are people who are already determined not to vote for him. So it's pointless and divisive to bring it up. Talk about something substantive.
  • kosser, on 07/15/2008, -9/+9stupid digg politics makes this front page....who gives a *****? we know he's an idiot...move on to the issues.
    • charm803, on 07/15/2008, -0/+6If only there was a way for you choose which stories you would like to see and not see on your options section.......
  • Akaricloud, on 07/15/2008, -19/+26My word! I'm glad this was brought to my attention. I'm slightly shocked the word "BREAKING" (in caps) wasn't used several times in the header.

    No offense (well actually yes offense) digg. But get your collective head out of Obamas ass. What's next?

    BREAKING "McCain Forgets that Monaco isn't a country... It's a principality"
    • jarjarwang, on 07/15/2008, -0/+5What's next is that he forgets that the Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain is self-ruled...
  • m8ymerc1, on 07/15/2008, -15/+15How is this guy even allowed to run for Pres.?
    If McSame gets elected, he very well may be dumbest president ever.
    Mr.Ed would do a better job
    • timewarp424, on 07/15/2008, -2/+5A. He was selected in primary elections across the country. There's no one person that selects a President candidate. That makes you dumb
      B. Using McSame exposes your inclination to buy into group think, making you pretty dumb.
      C. One must include a space between two words such as Mr. Ed. That makes you dumb.

      I only bring this up because if you're going to insult someone's intelligence, you sure as hell better be smarter than said person.
      • BobZombie00, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2"I only bring this up because if you're going to insult someone's intelligence, you sure as hell better be smarter than said person."

        Well said mah boy.
  • wildbill185, on 07/15/2008, -14/+24wow, you guys are harsh on the dude. Imagine for instance someone like me, from cleveland. For most of my life I've been going to Jacob's field to see the Indians and the Gund arena to watch meh Cav's play. In the last couple years, the two have become Progressive field and The Q respectively. Now the percentage of time is about the same (how long it hasnt been Czechoslovakia to McCain's life to how long it hasn't been the gund arena to my life). I still find myself saying the wrong name of the sporting arena's because I am so used to it being that way. Seriously cut the guy some slack. The likelihood of him winning the election as it is is almost nil. What is the point of beating a dead horse?
    • charm803, on 07/15/2008, -5/+15Seeing that McCain is VERY involved in POLITICS, this is something he should be aware of.

      Just because his copy of Encyclopedia Britannica still refers to it as a country, doesn't mean it's true.

    • waydee, on 07/15/2008, -5/+16This man wishes to be president.

      Presidents require diplomacy, up to date knowledge of foreign affairs, at the very least a smattering of geographical knowledge. The Czech Republic is where the US wishes to place a lot of missiles as part of their defence shield - get the name of the country right for gods sake, this man does your country no favours at all. This might have been slightly understandable 14 years ago but now? these are EU member states and independent nations for over a decade and a half.

      This isn't forgetting the new name of a sports stadium, this is a serious gaffe and one that the rest of the world will just pick up on and criticise the US even more for - hasn't Dubya done enough damage? why is this war mongering idiot even in the running?

    • merreborn, on 07/15/2008, -3/+13Exactly. McCain's probably known it as "Czechoslovakia" since its formation in 1918. When you've called something by one name for 75 years, it's hard to break the habit.

      Just wait til he realizes what happened to Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire...
    • fas2, on 07/15/2008, -3/+3Unfortunately, the likelihood of him winning is nothing close to nil. Why are you saying that?
      • emkaysmith, on 07/15/2008, -5/+6And it's that sort of blase attitude that could let McCain slip in while nobody's looking. He needs to not only be STOPPED, he needs to be chopped up into small pieces and ***** BURIED.
      • kayala, on 07/15/2008, -2/+3Because even the hardcore right-wingers are whining about having such a lousy candidate and are choosing to vote for a third-party candidate instead. McCain's own political base doesn't like him!
      • Zarchon, on 07/15/2008, -8/+2McCain's own political base doesn't like him because he is too liberal. Imagine how much they hate that socialist Obama! No way they are going to vote for anyone other than McCain because Obama, a racist among other things, should not be president.
      • kayala, on 07/15/2008, -2/+8Oh, shut the ***** up about Obama being a socialist. You don't know what socialism is, so you use it as some dirty name when in reality it is a legitimate political theory. Go back to school and try paying attention in poli-sci this time.
      • Zarchon, on 07/15/2008, -9/+3Kayla, you see things your way if you wish. I will vote, as I have been for over 30 years, the way I see fit. BTW, I don't want to pay for your medical, or your lazy nonworking relatives, or anything else. Redistribution of the wealth is still socialism. Socialized medicine, socialism. Welfare, socialism. Get over it, get a job, take care of your own and keep your stinking hands out of my pocket.
      • lmhazardous, on 07/15/2008, -1/+6Alright, first of all you don't really seem to understand socialism fully (you also sound like quite angry-- I do have a job and work very hard so no need to call me out on that). Obama isn't a socialist by any stretch of the imagination. However, I'll forgive you and address some of the rest of your rant. Socialized medicine? "The United States spends the most in the world on health care – about $2 trillion annually. Yet, the U.S. ranks 37th in world in terms of the quality and fairness of its health care-- and falls behind many countries that do have systems more similar to socialized health care." 50% of all bankruptcies are declared because of medical related debt. So you can rant how bad socialized medicine is-- but the truth is the system you've been voting for for 30 years isn't working. Socialized medicine may not be the answer, but don't act like the current system is working. Wake up and realize that not everyone is trying to get in your pocket (also, Obama supporter does NOT equate to needing to get a job. Quite a few of us are employed AND quite intelligent)-- and maybe try to have a little compassion for your fellow human being as well. At least maybe try-- it could be a refreshing change. And by the way-- after that 30 years of voting, whose to say any of us hard working young Americans want to pay for YOUR social security?

        Oh, and if your curious about the stats-- check out a pretty cool blog: http://www.globalenvision.org/2008/07/02/costs-hea ...

  • parax, on 07/15/2008, -10/+35I dislike McCain as much as the next person, but I must empathize with this mistake. half the world still refers to the Union of Myanmar as Burma, and it's just generally difficult to keep up with geography the way countries around the world are changing their status and name fairly often. I was raised learning about the USSR and then I'm told to forget all the ***** they spent more than 10 years filling my head with.

    World geography is a complex issue, and I'm not going to throw someone under the bus for a slip up like that. Focus on the mistakes that matter.
    • perogi21, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2Actually, my grandfather refers to the Union of Myanmar as the ***** jungle where he had to fight the japs.

      I give him a pass though, he's almost as old as McCain.
    • ohbrilliance, on 07/15/2008, -1/+5From Wikipedia: "This continues to be a topic of confusion for many people since the mainstream media calls the nation Myanmar but so many others call it Burma. In most cases the nation is called Burma to make a political statement. By not acknowledging the name Myanmar, one refuses to acknowledge the legitimacy of the military junta as well."
      • emeralddragon, on 07/15/2008, -4/+1Oh god, someone is actually citing Wikipedia.
      • Zarchon, on 07/15/2008, -2/+1And you speak for everyone that calls it Burma why?
      • wpyh, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1What's wrong with a junta?
    • Rudegar, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1"Myanmar as Burma"

      not I!
      I'm giving them the silent treatment!
    • wpyh, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2Ask any Asian, Myanmar is Myanmar.
    • jerryterhorst, on 07/15/2008, -1/+3if someone overthrew the US and renamed it something completely different, would you refer to it with the new name?

      czechoslovakia peacefully agreed to break into two independent countries. burma was forced to be renamed by a military dictatorship. theres a difference. i think jon stewart put it the best: elitism with the presidency shouldnt be an issue--i want my president to be *vastly* superior to me. (paraphrasing) and with that in mind, someone who is campaigning for such a position should know which countries exist and which ones dont.
      • DarkMirage, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1Wow talk about revisionism.

        In case you don't know, Burma and Myanmar should pretty similar in the native language and both have been historically used.

        Burma used to be the official name because British colonial overlords found it easier to read.
  • mal1964, on 07/15/2008, -7/+11Has Obama forgotten anything yet?
    • booyahbitch, on 07/15/2008, -1/+25Yeah, he forgot he was supposed to vote NO on Telecom Immunity!!! ***** n00b prez candidates!!!
    • patpl22391, on 07/15/2008, -10/+16According to Digg, he's flawless, never has made any gaffes, or mistakes and is quite clearly the second coming of Christ.
    • GoneFishing, on 07/15/2008, -3/+6He forgot the Constitution.

      Eh, that's ok. Last I checked most Americans don't give a ***** about that worthless piece of paper.
      • BobZombie00, on 07/15/2008, -0/+0It's funny how i mention stuff like this to people and they're completely oblivious to what's going on or don't give a *****.It doesn't help that they're only news sources are t.v either.
    • jepaco, on 07/15/2008, -5/+2In terms of getting facts consistently wrong, including the names of European countries, no, Obama hasn't "forgotten" anything yet.
  • atact88, on 07/15/2008, -19/+12I'm sure a good chunk of Diggers didn't care enough to know this. I've made the mistake myself. Why don't you all get off your high horses. You're all dumb too.
    • fas2, on 07/15/2008, -1/+8As far as I know, no Digger is running for president.
  • borez, on 07/15/2008, -13/+8Obama was talking about Mesopotamian when referring to his foreign policy, at least McCain is in the right century.

    Not that I'd even consider voting for him if I was in America.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/opinion/14obama. ... ( 8th paragraph)
    • D3koy, on 07/15/2008, -2/+9Oddly enough, Mesopotamia is still a valid term for that region...
      • borez, on 07/15/2008, -7/+4Same way that Londinium is still a valid name for London.

        Valid as it may be ( in somebodies mind ) That place ain't Mesopotamia.
      • LunaticFringe, on 07/15/2008, -1/+7Mesopotamia is a term for the region, not the people, country, etc.
    • emkaysmith, on 07/15/2008, -1/+3Know many geographers, do you? I do. "Mesopotamia" means "land between the rivers," and it's still used to refer to the region between the Tigris and the Euphrates. It's not a political entity, like Iraq. It's an historical geographical term. Obama is well enough educated to know all this.
      • zacharytelschow, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Just as he's educated enough to know there's 50 states in the union and that Auschwitz is in Poland?
  • cdigioia, on 07/15/2008, -5/+31I doubt Pres. Bush ever knew Czechoslovakia existed in the first place.
    • timewarp424, on 07/15/2008, -1/+7Haha. It's funny because he's making fun of President Bush for being stupid.
      • cdigioia, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3You're right, it was kind of lame.
      • Loonacy, on 07/15/2008, -3/+1Lame? Do you mean the joke, or Bush?
    • BobZombie00, on 07/15/2008, -0/+0TAKE IT BACK!!
    • AndreiOttawa, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1He would've if he had watched "American Pie"
  • dreamfamous, on 07/15/2008, -12/+3bury me if you think this is going to the front page... and just can't take it anymore
  • ShadOJack, on 07/15/2008, -8/+2It's not like it's that hard to fu(k up. Did you also know that czechs never called it czechoslovakia either? it's countries that you learn in elementary school, and een if you know better, you slip up. Remember when we had nine planets? It happens.

    Either way, I still hate McCarthy...I mean McCain.
    • thisguy457, on 07/15/2008, -0/+0Keep it down about McCarthy, ***** commies. McCain doesn't seem to hate commies as much, so, say what you will. Terrorists are pussies. It's sad that McCain is afraid of a bunch of pussies.

      Vaginas aren't scary.
  • LoneRanger85, on 07/15/2008, -17/+13Kinda like Obama forgetting that we don't have 57 states?
    • patpl22391, on 07/15/2008, -6/+9Hey man...that was three months ago! How dare you bring that up! This section is reserved for McCain non-stories from the huffpo, not real news.
    • WasabiBomb, on 07/15/2008, -3/+5Jeez, that's the best you can do? Really? Man, Obama's going to waltz right into the White House if that's the best you guys have.
      • LoneRanger85, on 07/15/2008, -4/+5Just pointing out your own pettiness with pettiness..
  • spookyttws, on 07/15/2008, -2/+11Well, it's around, just split in two. Czech Republic and Slovakia.
  • titlemikedotws, on 07/15/2008, -12/+3All I here in the msm is Obama and McCain. 80% of the voters don't like either candidate. Bob Barr will be on the ballot in 49 if not all 50 states. He is by far the best man for the job and should win by a landslide. It's about time we elect a third party candidate and give Washington back to the people. Search Bob Barr here and you will see what I mean.
    • nblsavage, on 07/15/2008, -0/+680% huh....and where did you pull that figure from?
    • emkaysmith, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2Oh, don't be an idiot. Jesus.
    • anachronaut, on 07/15/2008, -1/+3Oh yeah, Bob Barr. Great choice there for a Libertarian candidate.

      In addition to being one of the main jackasses behind the impeachment of Clinton (also a jackass, but that's beside the point) over a stupid blow job, he's also a former CIA operative (I have zero trust for the CIA), he's VERY pro-life, and he's historically been a big defender of the Federal War on [some] Drugs -- at least until he needed some Libertarian credibility and reversed his position... that all screams "fake Libertarian douchebag opportunist" to me.

      From Wikipedia:
      "Barr's [2002] defeat was applauded by many Democrats and Libertarians."

      Yet here he is a scant 6 years later supposedly carrying the banner for personal freedom and individual liberty? Yeah. Right. He's an authoritarian in sheep's clothing.

      So go ahead and throw your vote away on this ***** since he doesn't have a chance in hell of winning anyway. He's NOT a real Libertarian, and a real Libertarian would never cast a vote for him. He's basically the candidate of choice for pissed-off conservatives, and little else.
      • Zarchon, on 07/15/2008, -3/+0Wow, so in all this time you have yet to figure out Clinton was impeached forlying to the Grand Jury? God you libs are stupid. Oh wait, maybe it's that old ploy of saying the same lie over and over until everyone believes it.
      • anachronaut, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2Nice one, Zarchon. You scored pretty well on the troll-o-meter:
        1) Completely missed the message.
        2) Attacked the messenger.
        3) Used "lib" or "liberal" as a slur even though you have no clue what my political philosophy is.

        I'm sure there are some other gems in there (such as the hypocrisy of your "old ploy" statement when your man Bush's regime operates that way on a daily basis) but you don't care anyway; you're just a drive-thru, run-of-the-mill Republitard troll. Thank you, come again.
    • dan222555, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2"80% of the voters don't like either candidate."
      Those are the kind of hard facts I expect to here on Digg.
  • blckt, on 07/15/2008, -1/+10Prague: Czech It Out
  • peticsu, on 07/15/2008, -1/+7well guys, there is a global epidemic of map shortages...

    The Iraq and South Africa and such as are proven examples...
  • alexhud, on 07/15/2008, -1/+11prague is ***** beautiful btw
  • sapphire9488, on 07/15/2008, -1/+9Wow, that's a pretty embarassing mistake. Czechoslovakia dissolved in to two seperate countries back in 1993! I suppose it's more obvious to someone like me who has grown up with it being non-existant, but of course someone who wants to be our President should be held to a much higher standard!
  • jordanlgta, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2Where's the video? I'm not blind! Why am I the first one questioning this?
  • bbqsalad, on 07/15/2008, -3/+7It is so amazing that the American people could even consider someone so pathetically ignorant. Blinded by tradition and wealth the Americans only hurt themselves in the end. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next 4 years. Why do Americans, who have so many incredibly intelligent people living among them, choose the absolute worst to run their country?
    • lawlessone, on 07/15/2008, -4/+1I wonder what the names of those extra states are that Obama canpaigned in?
      • WasabiBomb, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2I wonder when you're going to realize that it wasn't the gaffe you seem to think it was.
      • earnjam, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2What was it then?
    • Akaricloud, on 07/15/2008, -3/+4I'm going to use caps for the following because I think it's actually needed.

      WHAT THE ***** ARE YOU GOING ON ABOUT. A candidate running for president gets ONE little geography statement wrong and suddenly he's on the end of that backlash? I think your forgetting the only little thing about a president (or candidate) He's meant to be a general person, representing the general person. I guarantee you that if you ask 100 people where Czechoslovakia is, only 50% would correctly put it in a close region to where it existed, of those 50% I bet you not one would of actually corrected you and said it doesn't exist.

      Christ, get off your soap box and step out into the real word. People make mistakes. I'm sorry MR. ***** INFALIBLE if we all can't live up to you and your ***** high standards.

      By the way, I'm an Australia. Not an American.
      • emkaysmith, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3Yeah, and I very much doubt that McCain knows the difference between Australia and Austria. The point is, we don't NEED another ignorant, self-important, anti-intellectual in the White House. The lack of basic savvy in the Executive Branch for the past eight years has been embarrassing enough, thank you very much.
      • Zarchon, on 07/15/2008, -1/+0McCain isn't Bush. He isn't anything like Bush. He only shares the same party affiliation and that alone is good enough for you. I doubt you would vote for ANY candidate with Republican as his party. This makes your opinion moot since the devil himself could run as a Democrat and you would vote for him. It doesn't matter to you who runs, vote party lines. Got it.
  • PalIkas, on 07/15/2008, -5/+4hmmmm McCan't wants to be prez so he can protect the USA with a 15year la-la-la-lag...
    I wonder if he's ever thought about making fa-fafa-fa-fa-fa-frozen chips...... ahahahah

    McNuts For Prezzzzz AAAAHHH HAHAHAHAHA
  • OffPiste, on 07/15/2008, -6/+12So Obama doesn't know the difference between Germany and Poland and McCain thinks Czechoslovakia is still a country. Can we PLEASE have some competent people run for office in 2012?
    • AndreiOttawa, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3It seems that a perfect candidate is always 4 years away... Kind of like green energy...
  • Dino451, on 07/15/2008, -1/+5pangea?
  • weswood, on 07/15/2008, -3/+12I think some people are missing the big picture. How many of you haters knew that Russia was reducing energy supplies to the Czech Republic and Slovakia? Very few probably... Just because he flubbed the name doesn't mean he's ignorant of foreign affairs.
    • Papajohn56, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3rational thought, on digg?!
    • znicket, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2and Georgia.
      and Lithuania.
    • slobo486, on 07/15/2008, -1/+0Actually, he's only reducing energy supplies to the Czech Republic. And not knowing the name of a country is basically the definition of being ignorant of foreign affairs.
  • vapblack, on 07/15/2008, -7/+6Old candidate is oooooold
  • buggles, on 07/15/2008, -8/+4Buried... I cant' stand McCain but I hate this FUD ***** even more.
  • johnnyfistfight, on 07/15/2008, -10/+8So what. Obama thought we had 57 states a few months back. Who's the bigger retard?
  • Akaricloud, on 07/15/2008, -13/+12Haha! I love how this is turning out. Anyone mentioning a mistake Obama has made is getting buried. It's seriously hilarious and shows just how ***** ignorant and prejudiced digg has become. I honestly can't believe it.

    Lets just compare something:
    One presidential candidate has a slip of the tongue and mentions Czechoslovakia, a country which no longer exists.
    One presidential candidate has a slip of the tongue and says he's been to 57 of the American states.

    One of them results in an entire bandwagon of people calling him a moron and saying how its shows he's some how going to destroy America. the other one is laughed off as a little gaff and a funny thing which happened.

    For ***** sake digg. Your the unoffical Propaganda generators for Obama.
    • PokeyPoke, on 07/15/2008, -4/+3How do we go about making it Official?
    • bobh1234, on 07/15/2008, -4/+6Agreed. I'm about to stop coming (or at least commenting) on digg permanently. What a bunch of liberal idiots.
      • Zarchon, on 07/15/2008, -1/+0Don't leave, we, the minority, need clear thinking people willing to exchange ideas openly without hatred. Oh wait, this is Digg and that isn't going to happen Carry on.
      • thebigbaddude, on 07/15/2008, -0/+0PLEASE DON'T BOLT! TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS. GET INVOLVED! DON'T TRUST THE MEDIAS POLLS ALSO.It's time we showed the obama clowns a thing or two. I am going to start telling at least 20-25 people a week that see thru the digg crap and the media. The media is running this crap and it's got to stop! GAME ON DUDES!
    • kneelB4zod, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1Obama messes up here and there nobodies perfect but this old douchebag is practically ***** up on a daily basis and you want this idiot in charge of the economy, what you going to fill your gas tank up with imaginary oil?
      • ogbar, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1wow... you are seriously blinded. Obama will tax the oil companies more... Not have us drill our own oil. are you waiting for solar and wind to work?
      • kneelB4zod, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Those ***** suckers need to be taxed more Bush has given them plenty and Alaskan oil will only get you a years supply in 7 years time! ***** genius idea that one.
    • zjbird, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Digg is the fox news for liberals
  • Fetching more discussions...
    Show 51 - 100 of 107 discussions
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.