Extra More

One of the things we'll lose with the departure of our dear Shrub--and I regard this as both a good and bad thing--is his wholly bizarre speech habits. Such as:

The first thing, obviously, that can make a difference is conservation. What's interesting, however, is that people are plenty wise about how to conserve. You're making the choices about whether you want to drive a little extra more or not drive extra more.

His father had a similar lack of facility with words, so I suspect this is a defect in the hardwiring of the brain, not necessarily textbook stupidity. But still, his presidency has been marked by textbook stupidity, so we shouldn't overlook the symbolic import of his verbal manglings. As the Bush years recede into memory, I expect that his speech and actions will come to be recalled as identical habits of an incompetent. It's unfair, but then again, some sources say Nero had his high points too and no one's crying much about the injustice to his memory.

More recent gaffes you may have missed

"I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." (June)

"Should the Iranian regime—do they have the sovereign right to have civilian nuclear power? So, like, if I were you, that's what I'd ask me. And the answer is, yes, they do." (July)

"These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people." (July 4)

"A lot of times in politics you have people look you in the eye and tell you what's not on their mind." (April)

Perhaps this is why McCain's hanging around in the polls--he sounds like such a vast improvement over the current Republican.