Scanlyze

Bush: Mandela is dead because “Saddam Hussein Killed all the Mandelas”

George W. Bush made one of his most bizarre pronouncements yet at his news conference yesterday, outdoing even Miss Teen South Carolina in his seeming lack of knowledge of what she called “The Iraq” and South Africa. This has to be seen to be believed, if even then:

Scanlyze transcript:

…brutal rule.

I thought an interesting comment was made, somebody said to me, I heard somebody say, now where’s Man-deh-la — well, Mandela’s dead. Because–Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas [Bush makes a weird grin, grimace or smile]. He-he-he-he was was a brutal tyrant–that divided people up–and split families and people recovering from this. So there’s a psychological recovery that is taking place. It is hard work for ’em and I understand its hard work for ’em. Having said that I’m not going to give them a pass when it comes to the central the central government’s reconciliation efforts.

I also said in my speech that local politics will drive national politics, and I believe that. I believe as more reconciliation takes place at the local level you’ll see a more responsive government.

Scanlyze: From the context it seems that Bush was talking figuratively, meaning that all the Nelson Mandela-like figures had been eliminated by Saddam. But he discusses it in such a strange abstracted way. It really makes one wonder as to Mr. Bush’s state of mind. Best wishes to him, for all of our sakes.

After Bush Remark, Mandela Foundation Says Former President Still Alive (Voice of America)
Mandela still alive after embarrassing Bush remark (Reuters)
Bush’s News Conference Almost Makes News (Washington Post)
Mandela condemns US stance on Iraq (BBC–from 2003)

See also: Deconstructing Miss Teen South Carolina
Bush on Iraq: ‘We’re Kicking Ass’

Copyright © 2007 Henry Edward Hardy

21 September, 2007 - Posted by scanlyze | bizarre, Bush, Iraq, media, Nelson mandela, politics, ridiculous, Saddam Hussein, scanlyze, South Africa, stupidity, United States, United States of America, USA, weird