Gee, did you guys forget to edit this one?
The Washington Post reports:
In a version released Tuesday to reporters traveling with Cheney, however, the period at the end of “hit again” was removed and replaced with a comma, which linked his blunter statement to his standard stump language expressing concern that future attacks would be treated as “just criminal acts, and that we’re not really at war.”
Yesterday, the transcript on the White House Web site was altered to make Cheney’s remarks one sentence. Cheney’s White House spokesman, Kevin Kellems, issued a statement saying that the first official transcript “contained a typographical error” and was an “interim draft.” “These types of corrections are not uncommon in the transcription of verbal statements,” Kellems said. “The final transcript accurately reflects the statement as delivered, which is clear when watching video of the event.”
So you can see the new and improved transcript on the White House web site. Or you could see the non improved transcript on the official Bush/Cheney ’04 web site:
Oh, screw the commas and periods. What about the implied exclamation points?
Starting with “Because if we make the wrong choice,” just end every sentence with an exclamation point.
Somehow, terror-mongering in Cheney’s laconic voice is even worse than Bush’s terror-mongering in his pseudo-evangelist voice. It’s definitely creepier.
So they are countering John Edwards with a huge run on sentance. Next up: verb/subject agreement of mass destruction.
Elsewhere in the “Townhall Meeting,” a helpful questioner provided the following:
Q I live in Altoona, Iowa. And I got my first paycheck for about $250. And the government took out about $50 from that. According to my math, that’s about one-fifth. That means I work two days for the government. What can I do to change that? (Laughter and applause.)
Sadly, young Cletus flubbed his lines here– one-fifth of five days is one, not two, days.
If you think Cheney gracefully noted and corrected his error, sorry, but you don’t know Dick. Cheney offered him a job on the spot:
THE VICE PRESIDENT: How would you like to be Secretary of the Treasury? (Laughter.)
It could be a period, it could be a comma. It depends what the meaning of “is” is.
Chris, I’m a little surprised Cheney didn’t say, “Get richer.”
Cheney said precisely what he intended to say. The Bush administration doesn’t do anything – ever – without a script.
The Bush Betrayal
FFF has the first chapter of James Bovard’s new book The Bush Betrayal. Michael’s put together a thought-provoking statement and would appreciate a link back if you use it. (via R.G.) This is arguably the most outrageous threat Dickhead has…
The Bush Betrayal
FFF has the first chapter of James Bovard’s new book The Bush Betrayal. Michael’s put together a thought-provoking statement and would appreciate a link back if you use it. (via R.G.) This is arguably the most outrageous threat Dickhead has…
WORKS ON CONTINGENCY? NO, MONEY DOWN!
The question to me is whether Cheney will make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. I wouldn’t put it past that psycho…
They always edit those transcripts to remove the parts where Cheney eats the baby. I saw him speak in New Hampshire in 2000, and he actually ate two babies, one in the middle of the speech and one at the end. And of course the hall erupted into cheers and chants, and Cheney did his now-usual thing of snarling theatrically and dangling the infant by its feet while an aide tied a bib over his suit. And you look at the transcript later, and it’s just like, [APPLAUSE].
So, Flash Friday has become a pasted screenshot from a GOP web site now?
Sadly, yes.
I’ve read it both ways (period and comma) and I don’t think the punctuation serves to change or “clarify” (as Powell said on TV this AM) the meaning in any meaningful way. Of course, it is obvious that Cheney meant to say what everyone heard him say to begin with. The rest is just bullshit.