- WASHINGTON -- Even by the
previous standards of Bushisms, this was one for the ages.
-
- Signing into law a new $417bn (£229bn) defence
spending bill, the famously tongue-twisted 43rd President of the United
States solemnly declared yesterday that his administration "will never
stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people".
-
- The gaffe came as President George Bush was warming to
his favourite theme of the terrorist threat faced by the US.
-
- "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and
so are we," he said. "They never stop thinking about new ways
to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
-
- Steeled doubtless by long experience of oratorical mis-steps
by the President, the audience of senior military commanders and the Pentagon's
civilian leadership gave no outward reaction.
-
- Mr Bush quickly continued to his wider point, that "we
must never stop thinking about how best to defend our country. We must
always be forward-thinking."
-
- Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, said the
mistake merely showed that "even the most straightforward and plain-spoken
people misspeak."
-
- But the American public knew that "this president
speaks with clarity and conviction, and the terrorists know by his actions
he means it."
- © 2004 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd
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- http://news.independent.co.uk/world/
- americas/story.jsp?story=548356
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