winterbadger | "In a changing world, we want more people to have control over your own life."

A pathetic speech by our First Dunce. Thanks to

robbysmom for the link.

THE PRESIDENT: That's a word we use in this administration a lot, "big time." (Laughter and applause.)

Erm, Mr President, that's actually two words. In English, we call multiple words used together like that a "phrase."

Anyway, this man got relief from taxes, and I think it says you saved about $800 in '03, same amount in '04, because when we provided tax relief, we said, if you pay taxes, you get relief. That's not the way sometimes tax relief works in Washington.

And you live, work, and passed these tax cuts where, exactly? Oklahoma? Montana? Grenada? Oh, right, Washington... the city where people get to pay federal taxes but don't have full representation in the federal legislature

Sometimes it's, we're going to make sure only certain people get tax relief. If you're going to provide relief, it's only fair that everybody ought to get relief.

If we're going for fairness, why not be really fair? Give everyone back $800. That would be fair, right? The single mother rying to support two kids on a couple of your new jobs and the Fortune 500 CEO could both use $800. Well, maybe the mom could use it more, but we're trying to be fair, right, not actually craft government policy so that it helps people who need help.

[President's exchange with a vet in the audience]

THE PRESIDENT: Are you a big animal or a little animal?

DR. WELLS: I do horses only.

THE PRESIDENT: Horses only?

DR. WELLS: Horses only.

THE PRESIDENT: I was going to say, Barney has got him a headache and -- (laughter.) You know who Barney is, don't you? (Laughter.)

"Are you a big animal or a little animal?" I'm so glad we have another Ivy League president...

The IAEA is the agency principally responsible for the Iranian nuclear program, we're working closely with them.

Erm, I think the Iranians are principally responsible for the Iranian nuclear program; the IAEA is principally responsible for inspecting and controlling it.

Secondly, the tactics of our -- as you know, we don't have relationships with Iran. I mean, that's -- ever since the late '70s, we have no contacts with them,

Well, other than the arms for hostages deal...

and we've totally sanctioned them. In other words, there's no sanctions -- you can't -- we're out of sanctions.

Thanks for that clear and concise summary, Mr President.

But it wasn't just the president making a fool of himsel; other people joined in.

Q I drive a school bus, so I don't need your microphone. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Okay, good.

Q (Inaudible) ...

and

Q Mine is sort of different. I am more concerned about the government waste. How do you propose to control either domestic waste within the spending, accountability for spending?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

Q And, also, especially foreign aid. I tend to develop compassion fatigue when it comes to foreign aide [sic], when I hear about the U.N. Oil for Food program fraud. That's a very big concern.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

Q Because I pay taxes, and I expect it to be spent wisely.

Of course, the Oil for Food program didn't use US tax money, but...