Tuesday, February 13, 2007

You Had Me At "Never Should Have Been Authorized"

On Sunday, presidential hopeful Barack Obama criticized the current war in Iraq:

We ended up launching a war that should have never been authorized and should have never been waged, and to which we now have spent over $400 billion and have seen over 3000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted.
On Monday, he apologized:

Even as I said it, I realized I had misspoken.
Misspoken.

Misspoken because he doesn't believe it's true or misspoken because he realized that might cost him a few votes?

Because if those 3000 young Americans haven't died for no fucking reason, I don't know who has.

6 comments:

Tenacious S said...

Megan, Obama, according to an article I read, said he had misspoken in regard to using the word "wasted." He felt that using that word marginalized the sacrifice of their lives. He felt the better choice of words would have been sacrificed. I can understand this. It is all a horrible tragedy, but the people who have died, even in an unjust war, need to be given some dignity. They are not trash that was thrown out. I would agree that "wasted" is a pretty tough term. I wouldn't want someone to say that about my son or daughter even if I disagreed with the war.

vikkitikkitavi said...

What's worse, to speak like a politician, or to be criticized for not speaking like a politican?

Tough call. Ask John Kerry.

Frank Sirmarco said...

Amen, sister!

Anonymous said...

I heard a Voice of Reason on NPR today who asked something akin to this question: "if we're spending 8 BILLION dollars every month in Iraq, why on earth can't we rummage up a measly MILLION or two to help out some domestic issues, like education or healthcare??"

gennifer6 said...

I agree with Ten S, "wasted" is very true in a blunt, callous sort of way, just a bad choice of words for a guy in his position; it does tend to marginalize the sacrifice when it was alltogether something different on the ground...for you or I to say that would be something else entirely. I wish Obama could things like taht all the time.

;)

Megan said...

TenS and Genn6 - I agree, "wasted" is harsh. Certainly I think we could all agree that their actual LIVES -- the lives they lived -- haven't been wasted, but I do think their deaths are wasted. But yes, he could have done a better job of saying it.

Vikki - Kerry was a lame-ass.

Frank - Word.

Orange - We're reauthorizing NCLB, what more do you want?!