http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16872013/Snow: Bush meant no slight in 2-letter gaffeDemocratic leaders consider it demeaning when their suffix is omittedWASHINGTON - This one has gotten a little ic-ky for the White House. Spokesman Tony Snow said Monday that President Bush had no intention of slighting the party now running Congress by referring to it as the "Democrat majority" - as opposed to the "Democratic majority" - in his State of the Union speech.
Bush's dropping of the "ic" at the end of the word prompted grumbling by Democrats that he purposely got their name wrong.
...
Snow said Bush wasn't even aware that he done it, and he certainly didn't mean anything by it. The verbal slip came in the same breath as the president was congratulating Democrats for winning the House and Senate in the November election.
"This is a president who has tried to stay away from the business of doing slurs, and there was none intended," Snow said.
Hmm... Let's take a look at a week of Bush speeches from this past Fall:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/11/20061105-3.htmlNovember 5, 2006
Remarks by the President at Nebraska Victory 2006 Rally
<snip>
THE PRESIDENT: Now, that may not sound like a lot to people in Washington, but it sounds like a lot to me, it sounds like a lot to Adrian Smith, and it sounds like a lot to Pete Ricketts. That's why we're going to keep your taxes low. (Applause.)
On these issues, the
Democrat party has adopted a clear strategy of opposition and obstruction. Recently the House Democrat leader explained the advice she's been following since I was reelected in 2004. She said, you must take him down. That him would be me. One newspaper described her approach as scorched earth strategy for refusing to negotiate with the GOP. Now I want you to think about that. Think about that kind of vision. It's a sad commentary on the Democrat party that its leaders have resorted to knee-jerk opposition as their guiding principle.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/11/20061102-8.htmlNovember 2, 2006
Remarks by the President at Nevada Victory 2006 Rally
<snip>
THE PRESIDENT: Cutting taxes works. The amazing thing is, in spite of the record, the Democrats are going to raise your taxes. No, I know they don't want you to know it. As a matter of fact, the top Democrat in the House made an interesting declaration the other day. She said, "We love tax cuts." Well, given her record, she must be a secret admirer. (Laughter and applause.) She and her party voted against reducing the marriage penalty, against cutting taxes on small businesses, against lowering taxes for families with children, against reducing the taxes on capital gains and dividends, and against getting rid of the death tax. Time and time again, when she and the
Democrat party had a chance to show their love -- (laughter) -- they voted, no. (Laughter.) If that's their idea of love I sure would hate -- I'd hate to see what hate looks like. (Laughter.)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061031-11.htmlOctober 31, 2006
Remarks by the President at Georgia Victory 2006 Rally
<snip>
THE PRESIDENT: I thought it was illustrative to listen to a United States Senator from the
Democrat Party say last week, we haven't coalesced around a single plan, but we're in a general agreement on basic principles. She's right; they are in agreement. They will leave before the job is done.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061030-4.htmlOctober 30, 2006
Remarks by the President at Georgia Victory 2006 Rally
<snip>
Now, during this campaign the Washington Democrats really don't want you to know their plans. As a matter of fact, the top Democrat leader in the House made an interesting declaration. She said, we love tax cuts. But given her record, she must be a secret admirer. (Laughter and applause.) She and her party voted against every single one of the tax cuts we passed. She voted against reducing the marriage penalty. She voted against cutting taxes on small businesses. She and her party voted against lowering taxes for families with children. Time and time again, when she and the
Democrat Party had an opportunity to show their love for tax cuts, they voted no. If that's the Democrats' idea of love, I sure wouldn't want to see what hate looks like. (Laughter and applause.)