The Top 10 Conservative Idiots, No. 265

[top10]

The Top 10 Conservative Idiots, No. 265

October 23, 2006
Bad Hobbit Edition

This week on the list: Rick Santorum (1) compares Iraq to Middle-earth. Peter King (2) thinks Baghdad is like Manhattan. And George W. Bush (4,10) dishonors the troops and stumps for a Republican sleaze ball on National Character Counts Week. Enjoy, and don't forget the key!

UPDATE: If you're wondering where number 9 has gone this week, it was supposed to be Brent K. Schepp, Republican candidate for the Kane County Board (Illinois), who was recently arrested on charges of child molestation. After the list was published, I found out that Mr. Schepp drove his car into a bridge support late last week, killing himself. So I've removed the entry from the list. -- EarlG



Rick Santorum

Did you know that in his lifetime, Sen. Rick Santorum has read at least one book? Hard to believe, I know. And I'm not talking about the Bible - it's pretty obvious he's never read that.

Funnily enough, the book in question isn't one that's likely to show up on the reading lists of many in Santorum's circle, like our old friend James Dobson. That's because it's full of wizardry, magic, orcs, and goblins. Not exactly Focus On The Family approved reading material. I'm talking of course about The Lord Of The Rings.

Last week, during an interview with the editorial board of the Bucks County Courier Times, Santorum said this:

As the hobbits are going up Mount Doom, the Eye of Mordor is being drawn somewhere else. It's being drawn to Iraq and it's not being drawn to the U.S. You know what? I want to keep it on Iraq. I don't want the Eye to come back here to the United States.

So let's see if I can parse this. The "Eye of Mordor" (Sauron, representing Osama bin Laden) is focused "somewhere else" (Gondor, representing Iraq) instead of being drawn to the U.S (er, hobbits going up Mount Doom). I think I get it.

The only problem is that for Santorum's analogy to work, the rest of The Lord Of The Rings would have to go something like this....

After Sauron attacks the Shire by crashing a Winged Nazgûl into a hobbit hole, Frodo, head of the hobbits, insists that Sauron will be brought to justice. But instead of going after Sauron, Frodo claims that Denethor is stockpiling weapons of mass destruction and invades Gondor with 140,000 hobbit troops. Following an easy victory, Frodo immediately declares "mission accomplished" despite the fact that Denethor's WMDs are nowhere to be found. Frodo, feeling rather full of himself, tells Sauron to "bring it on."

Meanwhile, due to the fact that Frodo didn't have a post-invasion plan, Gondor descends into a nightmarish civil war. Back in the Shire, most hobbits want Frodo to pull the troops out and let the newly-elected government of Minas Tirith sort it out for themselves, but Frodo decries them as "cut and runners" and says that when the history of the Third Age is written, Gondor will be "just a comma." Finally, drunk on power, Frodo goes to Mordor and throws the hobbit Constitution into the Crack of Doom, declaring that anyone who messes with him will be thrown in jail without trial.

Hmm. Maybe Santorum didn't read The Lord Of The Rings after all.



Peter King

But Rep. Peter King (R-NY) has got news for Rick Santorum - Baghdad isn't like Minas Tirith at all. Duh! In fact, it's a lot more like Manhattan. King was speaking in Merrick, NY back in February, but a video of his comments has just been unearthed.

According to Think Progress:

On Feb. 9, 2006, House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King (R-NY) spoke at the Merrick Jewish Center in Merrick, NY. King told his constituents that "the situation (in Iraq) is more stable than you think." He cited "bumper to bumper traffic," shopping centers, restaurants, video stores, vendors, and hotels to conclude that being in Baghdad is "like being in Manhattan."

Of course, King neglected to cite RPG attacks, improvised explosive devices, air strikes, suicide bombs, honor killings, a curfew, a lack of electricity and water, dozens of civilian deaths a day, car bombings, death squads, warring militias, and secret prisons.

But on the plus side, there aren't any strip clubs.



Curt Weldon

If you're sick of Republican sleaze, I've got bad news for you - it doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon. On the other hand, if you think that watching Republicans drown in their own corruption is the best thing since sliced bread, I've got good news for you - it doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon!

Pennsylvania's Centre Daily-Times reported last week that the Justice Department has launched an investigation into Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) because of "efforts between 2002 and 2004 to aid two Russian companies and two Serbian brothers with ties to strongman Slobodan Milosevic."

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer:

FBI agents investigating U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon (R., Pa.) conducted six raids this morning - including at the homes of his daughter and a longtime friend.

(snip)

The Inquirer reported in 2004 that Weldon had lobbied federal officials on behalf of Itera, the huge and controversial Russian natural gas company. Weldon also complained to Karl Rove, President Bush's top political adviser, about Itera's treatment by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.

Itera paid $500,000 to Karen Weldon and Sexton's firm. The contract was signed Sept. 30, 2002, six days after the congressman helped arrange a dinner at the Library of Congress to honor Itera and Igor Makarov, the firm's chief executive officer.

It's no wonder Weldon looks so miserable.


Mind you, if your office was in the basement with a bare bulb as the only light source, I bet you'd be miserable too.



George W. Bush

George W. Bush was out and about last week, taking part in the United States Air Force Memorial Dedication in Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac from Washington D.C.

Here's Our Great Leader solemnly honoring the service and sacrifice of the men and women of the United States Air Force (thanks to Delilah Boyd for grabbing the pic):


But George wasn't just there to sit around and smirk. He did a bit of speechifying too. Here's an excerpt:

We saw the importance of air power six days ago -- six decades ago, after our nation was attacked at Pearl Harbor. Soon after the attack, General Hap Arnold called Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle into his office and gave him an unprecedented mission -- retaliate against Tokyo. Just over four months later, Doolittle's raiders had shocked the world by striking the enemy capital some 4,000 miles away from Pearl Harbor. To do it, they had to load B-52 bombers on the deck of an aircraft carrier, sail within a few hundred miles of enemy territory, take off and drop their payloads, knowing they had little chance to make it safely to China.

That's pretty impressive, given that with a wingspan of 185 feet, you'd have a pretty hard time getting a B-52 onto an aircraft carrier. It's even more impressive when you consider that B-52s didn't actually exist until ten years after the attack on Tokyo.

But despite the fact that George W. Bush was a pilot in the Texas Air National Guard, you can't expect him to get these things right. After all, it's not like he ever showed up for duty.



Chris Wallace

Chris Wallace grabbed the number two slot in Idiots 261 for his failed ambush on Bill Clinton. If you recall, Wallace asked the former president this question:

Why didn't you do more to put Bin Laden and al Qaeda out of business when you were President?

Er, when did you stop beating your wife?

Clinton gave Wallace a long response, part of which noted that Fox News typically fails to ask members of the Bush administration questions like this:

I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you've asked this question of. I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked 'Why didn't you do anything about the Cole?' I want to know how many you asked 'Why did you fire Dick Clarke?'

Wallace immediately claimed that in fact he had asked members of the Bush administration about the USS Cole. Which, of course, he hadn't.

But if you recall, the first part of Wallace's question to Clinton went like this:

When we announced that you were going to be on FOX News Sunday, I got a lot of email from viewers, and I've got to say, I was surprised most of them wanted me to ask you this question...

So here's a funny story. Last week, Condoleezza Rice appeared on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace. It was her 24th appearance on the show since September 11, 2001. He's never asked her about the USS Cole. And since he's so keen to ask questions which are emailed to him by viewers, over the past few weeks the good people at Think Progress have encouraged their readers to email Wallace, suggesting that he ask this question of Rice:

Prior to 9/11, you had eight months to respond to the al-Qaeda attack on the U.S.S. Cole. Why didn't the Bush administration take action and put al-Qaeda out of business?

A fair question, no? After all, Wallace insisted that he only asked the question of Bill Clinton because he "got a lot of email from viewers."

Well, more than 20,000 people responded to Think Progress's call and emailed Chris Wallace. Did he ask the question?

Er, maybe next time.



Tan Nguyen

Last week, a letter written in Spanish was sent to 14,000 Democratic voters in central Orange County, CA. The letter read in part, "You are advised that if your residence in this country is illegal or you are an immigrant, voting in a federal election is a crime that could result in jail time."

Nice attempt to suppress the vote! In fact, immigrants who have become naturalized U.S citizens are most certainly eligible to vote. They can even run for high political office. What, you thought Arnold Schwarzenegger was born in Inglewood?

State and federal officials investigated the letter and managed to track down its source: the office of Tan D. Nguyen, Republican candidate for California's 47th Congressional District. Believe it or not, even Republicans are now asking him to step down:

County Republican Chairman Scott Baugh said that after speaking with state investigators and the company that distributed the mailer, he believes Nguyen had direct knowledge of the "obnoxious and reprehensible" letter. He told the AP that the party's executive committee voted unanimously to urge Nguyen to drop out of the race against Democratic U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez.

"I learned information that allows me to draw the conclusion that not only was Mr. Nguyen's campaign involved in this, but that Mr. Nguyen was personally involved in expediting the mailer," Baugh said in a telephone interview.

Ironically, Nguyen is himself an immigrant to the United States - his family left Vietnam when he was eight years old. Yet somehow I get the feeling that he won't be following the letter's advice...



Sean Hannity

Sean Hannity has got a message for Democrats this fall: don't vote! On his radio show last week, Hannity said:

Now, one other thing here. You know what? I think some of you need to stay home on Election Day. What? That's right. I think -- I know it sounds terrible. I don't want everybody to vote; I want well-informed people to vote. ... look, I think for some, I think you've gotta accept -- and I want you to stay home on Election Day because you must accept the fact that your party has abandoned you. You've gotta accept the fact that your vote doesn't matter anyway. So all you Democrats, stay home. So, you know, why don't you stay home on Election Day?

If you thought the Republicans were desperate before, this has got to be the icing on the cake. Sean Hannity is now pleading with Democrats to stay home on election day? What a loser! Whatever happened to that tough, "bring it on" attitude the GOP is supposed to have? Hannity is begging Democrats not to vote?

Waah! Oh please don't vote! Give us another chance! We've only had total control of the government for years now, just because we've screwed it all up doesn't mean that you guys should express your dissatisfaction at the polls! Why, things might get better if the Democrats are in power, and we can't have that, can we?

Hannity continued:

This is how the press is going to report this: "Hannity says Democrats should stay home on Election Day."

That rotten liberal media. Always twisting Hannity's words.



The National Republican Congressional Committee

Back in September, the National Republican Congressional Committee announced that they were "planning to spend the vast majority of their sizable financial war chest over the final 60 days of the campaign attacking Democratic House and Senate candidates over personal issues and local controversies," according to the Washington Post. The bad news for Republicans is that so far, their attempts to "get personal" have been utterly lame.

For example, last week the NRCC started running an ad attacking Michael Arcuri, a Democrat who is running for Congress in upstate New York. According to Editor & Publisher:

The national GOP campaign office started airing an ad Friday that showed Arcuri leering at the silhouette of a dancing woman who says, "Hi, sexy. You've reached the live, one-on-one fantasy line." He supposedly dialed the service two years ago from a New York City hotel room and billed taxpayers - for all of $1.25 for a one-minute call. He is the district attorney in Oneida County.

The ad, as described by Editor & Publisher, goes like this:

What the ad says

Woman's sultry voice: "Hi sexy. You've reached the live one-on-one fantasy line." (Soft music plays in the background.)

Announcer: "A phone number to an adult fantasy hot line appeared on Michael Arcuri's New York City hotel room bill while he was there on official business. And the call was charged to Oneida County taxpayers. Arcuri has denied it, but the facts are there. Who calls a fantasy hot line and then bills taxpayers? Michael Arcuri."

Woman's sultry voice: "Bad call."

What the ad shows

The opening moments of the ad show the silhouette of a dancing woman and footage of Arcuri.

Then, a man's hand is shown dialing a telephone and the lower half of a woman's face speaking into a phone.

The following text appears: "A phone number to an adult hot line appeared on Michael Arcuri's NYC hotel bill. The call was charged to Oneida County taxpayers."

The woman's dancing silhouette and the footage of Arcuri return.

More text appears, stating, "Arcuri has denied it. But the facts are there. Michael Arcuri. Bad Call."

Uh oh! A juicy sex scandal involving a Democrat, just two and a half weeks before the elections! That could spell trouble - if it wasn't a massive distortion of the truth.

Arcuri's campaign released phone records last week showing that they did indeed call an 800-number sex line from a hotel room - and exactly one minute later, the same phone dialed the state Department of Criminal Justice Services. Guess what? The last seven digits of the state Department of Criminal Justice Services number are identical to the last seven digits of the 800 sex line.

So Arcuri's campaign mis-dialed a phone number, hung up immediately, and then called the correct number. But of course this hasn't stopped the NRCC from running TV ads claiming that Arcuri is some kind of sex fiend.

I hope the NRCC enjoys the libel lawsuit that Arcuri is about to slap them with.



George W. Bush

And finally, did you know that last week was National Character Counts Week? That's right - it was declared so by official White House proclamation.

"Our Nation was built on a foundation of sound moral principles," read the proclamation, signed by George W. Bush. "During this week, we should reflect on the national character we inherited from our forefathers and on the obligation we now have to stand for morality and virtue in the face of evil and terror."

And what better way to celebrate National Character Counts Week than to stump for a Republican candidate who cheated on his wife and was accused of strangling his mistress? Yes, last week George W. Bush went to Pennsylvania's 10th District to campaign for Rep. Don Sherwood, "who last year settled a $5.5 million lawsuit alleging that he beat his mistress during a five-year affair," according to the Washington Post. (See Idiots 197, 207, and 220 for more details.)

Bush said he was "pleased to be here" and that Don Sherwood "has got a record of accomplishment." That's one way to put it, I guess.

Not that Bush really wanted to be there. According to the Post:

Bush was careful to avoid the usual lines about family and conservative values; he also skipped the usual first-name-only reference that would indicate that "Don" is a buddy. Onstage, he gave Sherwood the obligatory handshake and photograph but quickly moved to stand with the female Sherwoods.

You have to wonder how much worse it can get when the only person who wants to be seen in public with the president is an alleged mistress-strangler. But I guess our George will take the work where he can get it.

See you next week, and don't forget - character counts!

-- EarlG

[Aviation Pro]

1. This proves to me once and for all that Little Monkey....

...was never a pilot.

We saw the importance of air power six days ago -- six decades ago, after our nation was attacked at Pearl Harbor. Soon after the attack, General Hap Arnold called Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle into his office and gave him an unprecedented mission -- retaliate against Tokyo. Just over four months later, Doolittle's raiders had shocked the world by striking the enemy capital some 4,000 miles away from Pearl Harbor. To do it, they had to load B-52 bombers on the deck of an aircraft carrier, sail within a few hundred miles of enemy territory, take off and drop their payloads, knowing they had little chance to make it safely to China.

Every real aviator knows that Doolittle's squadron was comprised of B-25Bs. Furthermore, even a non-aviator would recognize immediately that B-52s (a large, 8-engine turbojet aircraft) were not even a twinkle in the U.S. inventory at the FUCKING BEGINNING OF WWII!!!!

One investigation I'd love to see is the opening of the little simian's flight records. Dime to a dozen he was a clerk in that unit of his.

[CONewRevolution]

10. Dang -- Missed the List Again!

With all the hi-jinks going on across the country, it's getting really hard to get our Colorado local folks on the top ten list.

Usually it's Rep. Marilyn Musgrave -- all that "gay marriage is the single most important issue facing Americans today" stuff usually qualifies as supreme idiocy.

Occasionally, we get Rep. Tom "Immigrants are Bad" Tancredo into the national spotlight when he says something excessively stupid or offensive.

I thought we'd certainly get another local reprehensible (oops... "Republican") on the list this week, with gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez ("What -- he's a French dude?!?!") using information stolen from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database in an attack ad on his Democratic opponent. When requested to disclose the name of the individual who gave the NCIC information to the Beauprez campaign, "Both Ways Bob" declared that he'd cooperate fully with the investigation, but wouldn't name his source.

So here are the problems: First off, the NCIC database contains highly confidential information, and not just anyone can pull information from it -- you need a clearance. Next, disclosing information from that classified source is a felony offense. And finally, Beauprez actually praised the person who pulled the data from the NCIC and leaked it to the campaign, calling him a brave and honest American.

I'm so proud of some of the folks in my state -- we have an admitted felon leaking information to a Republican candidate, and said candidate aiding and abetting a felony.

The FBI's investigating, and some of the media are actually keeping this story visible.

But, dang, I'm disappointed we didn't make the list... I guess there are just too many higher-grade idiots crowding our local characters out... *sigh*

[19jet54]

15. Dyslexic President

B-25 vs B-52? To bad we didn't invade "Qari" by mistake too?

[Xipe Totec]

30. It's not just dyslexia,

Bee-fifty-two, Bee-twenty-five, these words don't even sound close when you say them out loud. If chimpie knew his planes, he would not make that mistake.

The only way to make this kind of mistake is to misread the digits, AND not know what planes flew in WWII.

For a guy who claims to be a fighter jock this is unforgivable.

[Felinity]

17. You beat me to it

I wanted to quote my favorite part:

"Doolittle's raiders had shocked the world by striking the enemy capital some 4,000 miles away from Pearl Harbor. To do it, they had to load B-52 bombers on the deck of an aircraft carrier, sail within a few hundred miles of enemy territory, take off and drop their payloads, knowing they had little chance to make it safely to China.

That's pretty impressive, given that with a wingspan of 185 feet, you'd have a pretty hard time getting a B-52 onto an aircraft carrier. It's even more impressive when you consider that B-52s didn't actually exist until ten years after the attack on Tokyo."


So here I am being redundant (again).

[momster]

23. Dropped A "Rock Lobster"

on Hirohito's "Love Shack"?

[Damndifino]

37. Not so slight nitpick

B-52s (a large, 8-engine turbojet aircraft) were not even a twinkle in the U.S. inventory at the FUCKING BEGINNING OF WWII!!!!

Just pointing out that neither Doolittle's raid nor the attack on Pearl Harbor happened at the beginning of World War II. They happened at the beginning of the US's involvement in the war. A nitpick, perhaps, but quite a big issue for those countries (mine, for example) which had already been fighting for over two years by that stage.

[caraher]

2. Rev. Dobson?

If it was part of the humor I think it could have been dispensed with... but James Dobson likes to be called "Dr." He uses his PhD as his fig leaf of respectability, not the title of Reverend. If you're going to razz * over his B-25/B-52 numerical dyslexia it's a good idea to get other details right!

That nitpick aside, thanks for another great Top Ten! There's a lot of great material to work with this year...

[EarlG]

5. Good catch

Guess I'm an idiot too... it's fixed.

[19jet54]

25. Dr. Dobson - What a joke!

"Focus on your own frick'n family Dude!"

I never understood why the religous leaders impose "forced rules" to his fellow man, when even God does not do that? Unless I just do not understand, it is all about "personal choice"; right? Or is it really just about the money? Duh!

[madrchsod]

3. jesus h christ

can this guy get any ????... i`ve run out of words to describe him.....a b-52...... really there`s nothing more left to be said.

[mconvente]

4. Best. Picture. Ever.

Nuff said! GREAT work Earl!!

[Felinity]

18. Is that Santorum? I've been staring at that.

Or ? Is it an early photo or just a photoshop current pic?

[mlevans]

36. photoshop

No, man. THIS is photoshop: <img src="" />

[madrchsod]

6. earlg...brent k schepp

drove his 2006 dodge charger into a concrete bridge support at "high rate of speed" which tore the auto into several large pieces. he was thrown from the car and died when a large section landed on him. since his death may be ruled a suicide his wife and children may be without his life insurance benefits. it`s a tragedy for everyone left who was involved in this case.

[EarlG]

8. That's pretty fucked up

I think it's appropriate to remove his entry from the list this week then.

[madrchsod]

11. here`s the link

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/illinois/chi-a...
Kane County Board candidate accused in sex case dies in crash | Chicago Tribune

[SQinAZ]

9. The ONLY choice on 11/7/06

For 31 years, I have been a registered voter, with "Independant" as my designation. I never knew the difference between a Republican and a Democrat, until 2000, because I wanted to judge each and every political aspirant on their own merits. But have I ever learned since 2000.

I am now encouraging everyone I come into contact with to vote Democratic, no matter what election, simply to diminish the power-trip these Republicans are on. This power-high, which is ruining/bankrupting our country, voiding our Constitution, and making even more of a mockery of the phrase "We, the People...", needs to end, NOW!

I've never, ever voted a party ticket, but damn if I won't do that on November 7th. Not that it will do any good, as the Republicans own Diebold, and the results will be what they, the Republicans, want them to be.

We, the People, need to start being militant. And demanding that the election process is overseeen by a non-partisan company that can't be bought at any price, and demanding that the Electoral College goes away. I don't know how to do things like this alone. But I am sure that a national movement would be relatively easy to put together. A movement of WE, the PEOPLE!

I read this blog every week with joy, because normally, it just vindicates what I have been spouting for a week or more. But Earl G. always comes up with more dirt than I knew...and I sit here and laugh, but want to cry. I laugh because I realize I'm not the paranoid schizo that the died-in-the-wool Republicans make me out to be...and I want to cry because all of this merde is true!

Does our government suck, or what? *sigh*

[satya]

13. Welcome to DU! Great first post!

We need more like you, who understand what's at stake in this election and who are as articulate and passionate as you are.

Even though I'm a pessimistic cynic at heart, I've gotta believe that Rove (and Diebold) are not infallible and that they're not going to get away with it again.

[Initech]

7. Even Arnold is pissed at Tan Nguyen.

What an asshole. If Arnold wanted to, I'm sure there's any number of scenes from True Lies he could recreate!

[liberaltrucker]

12. Wish you could've left Schepp in

But I understand that you couldn't.

The bastard took the coward's way out, just like
his Fascist forebears. My deep sympathy to his family.

[19jet54]

14. Missing #9 - Brent K. Schepp, Republican

"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain

[TechBear_Seattle]

22. A most excellent quote!

I never heard that one before, but I can just imagine Mr. Clemens using it. Thanks for sharing.

[Vinca]

16. My favorite was number 9. nt

[The Wizard]

19. Note to Sean Insanity

Even if the tens of Democrats who watch your show stayed home the effect would be a big fat zero, just like Pox News' credibility.

[YOY]

20. I don't know what is funnier

Rick's "Lord of the Rings", or that "Darth Pelosi" Republican rallying commercial...

[TechBear_Seattle]

21. History of the THIRD Age, not Second

Ok, sorry for geeking out, but #1 should reference the Third Age, not the Second. The Second Age ended with the first defeat of Sauron; if you've seen the movies, that was the huge battle where Isildur cut the Ruling Ring from Sauron's hand, diminishing his power and disspiating his spirit for some 3000 years.

[EarlG]

26. Argh

I thought I double-checked that (don't want to let my fellow geeks down). It's fixed.

[Rottenmac]

24. With all due respect...

why NOT post #9. I understand we are trying to 'rise above' the freepers, but seriously... I think this should have been left on the list, with the addendum of what he did, showing the lengths (sickening as it is...) to which Rep's will go to evade/avoid responsibility.

You know they would have had a field day if it were a Dem. who did something so despicable, not to mention the 'Liberal Media'.

[bluescribbler]

27. Hannity should stay home on Election Day.

He's clearly one of the least informed voters on the planet.

[unpossibles]

28. at first I thought he was talking about the Republican base...

you know... uninformed, doesn't matter if they vote, etc.

[louis-t]

29. I have a question re: the 800 phone #

If the last seven digits were the same, it would be the same phone #, no?

[Art_from_Ark]

33. The toll-free number for the New York state agency

apparently starts with "1-866"

A lot of us automatically think "1-800" when we hear "toll-free number".

[louis-t]

34. Ahhh, I get it. EarlG set me straight, too.

[Fritz67]

31. The Top Ten...

..is always one of the highlights of my week.

I eagarly await #268, in three weeks, which will feature lots of Republicans, Faux News Media Whores, and other Conservative Idiots whining about their losses in the elections.

(I hope I hope I hope)

[Patsy Stone]

32. Heather Wilson

Covered up husband's pederasty while hyperventilating over Janet's boob and Howard Stern's First Amendment rights.

My .02.

Looks great, EarlG. Thanks!

[Contrary1]

35. B-52...B-25 Geez, you guys are so anal.

Besides, it's not like they didn't correct it on the official White House transcript.
One of Chimp's speechification editors must be reading DU.

8th paragraph from the top: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/2006101...