Bush-Speak at the Lincoln Museum

President Bush was at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library last week where he said that both he and Lincoln received criticism of their language and grammar from the elite Eastern newspapers.

The New York Times Bush Opens Lincoln Museum

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., April 19 - The world may little note nor long remember what George W. Bush said on Tuesday at the dedication of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. But it is not every day that the 43rd president of the United States encounters the ghostly, lifelike renditions of the 16th, managing a war from the bedrooms that the Bush family now occupies.

"In a small way, I can relate to the rail-splitter from out West because he had a way of speaking that was not always appreciated by the newspapers back East," Mr. Bush said to laughter before a crowd of thousands who jammed into the downtown of the Illinois capital. "A New York Times story on his first inaugural address reported that Mr. Lincoln was lucky 'it was not the constitution of the English language and the laws of English grammar that he was called upon to support.' "

With a pause, Mr. Bush added, "I think that fellow is still writing for The Times."

DAVID ROSSIE in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin made a most interesting commentary comparing different phrases from the various speeches of the two wartime presidents. Rossie's piece is entitled Presidential rhetoric, then and now. Here I have included the examples of "Bush-Speak". If you want to see the comparison between the two presidents, Lincoln and Bush, go to the Rossie Link.

During a visit last week to the Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield, Ill., our current president drew a comparison between his speaking style and that of Mr. Lincoln, one that should be obvious to the impartial observer, but one that has, nonetheless, been ignored by the jackals of the liberal media. Herewith, in their own words, proof of that linguistic bond:

"I had the opportunity to go out to Goree Island and talk about what slavery meant to America. It's very interesting when you think about it. The slaves who left here to go to America, because of their steadfast and their religion and their belief in freedom, helped change America." G.W. Bush. July 8, 2003.

"I don't like the idea of having an undocumented economy in the greatest country in the face of the earth." G.W. Bush. Jan 9, 2004.

"One of the great things about this country is a lot of people pray." G.W. Bush, April 13, 2003.

"People can read everything they want into it when they hear 'faith-based initiative.' That all of a sudden opens everybody's imagination in the world to vast possibilities, some of which exist and some which don't." G. W. Bush, speaking in Washington, July 16, 2003.

"The federal government and the state government must not fear programs who change lives, but must welcome those faith-based programs for the embetterment of mankind." G. W. Bush, Stockton, Calif., Aug. 23, 2002.

"I wanna remind you all that I -- in order -- what in order to fight and win the war it requires a expenditure of money that is commiserate with keeping a promise to our troops to make sure that they're well-paid, well-trained, well-equipped." G.W. Bush, Dec. 15, 2003.

"The true strength of America is the fact that we've got millions of fellow citizens who are willing to love a neighbor just like they would like to be loved themselves." G.W. Bush, June 19, 2003.

I would say that our president is in good company if he is being compared to Abraham Lincoln. However, that is definitely not the reaction over at the Smirky Wimp where Rossie's article was posted under Commander-In-Thief.