So Barack Obama had to take the oath of office again after this blunder…..doh! It seems it was Chief Justice Roberts who was at fault . All the same, could there really have been a worse time to trip over your words? If you’ve ever said something you shouldn’t have…weddings, funerals, speeches…we want to hear from you.
17 Responses to “Could there be a worse time to fluff your lines?”
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I remember in my high school english class we were discussing some Shakespearean play, and my friend (I swear this wasn’t me) was trying to describe some form of foreshadowing that was happening in the play, but instead he said “foreplay” and the entire class started laughing and the teacher sent him to the principal’s office.
Well it could have been worse, like sending a love message intended for your girlfriend to your dad because of accidentally they share the first letter name. In the political arena here in Kenya a protocol guy was slapped by the first lady for gaffing and calling her second lady. Love triangles should be avoided.
He should be forced to speak it backwards, or while doing a hand-stand, or both.
Funny, whereas Obama used two teleprompters…it is quite clear “Chief Justice Roberts didn’t use one, and it showed”…..
I have heard of people recite their wedding vows but fellows…It is at times hard to get rid of the ex-phenomenon especially when their names sound alike….Well, this guy recited his ex girl-friends name and in the confusion (in between coughing, tearing and mentioning more names) he recovered to complete reciting his own vows quite different from what the priest had!
Never mind the fact that we all had a different experience of sweating profusely in embarrassment!
P.S. IT WASN’T ME!!!
I sincerely hope that wasn’t you Joe! Is the guy still married or has the divorce gone through yet?!
We all have those moments were we mess up and say words we regret and only wish to turn time backwards. I think Obama should not have retaken the oath as he had already done so, this only serves to give the conservative media talking points on saying Obama is not really the president. How sad in such a moment of hope and happiness.
I don’t see how taking the oath twice makes less likely to be considered President. Anyone who is talking about President Obama not being President they should no longer be listened to. That is just complete nonsense. Now, if the second oath was to NOT be President, that would be bad.
Sorry, I don’t have any anecdotes to add….
It’s time like these we must remember the purpose of language is communication. If the task was performed so all present understood the message, it was well done.
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I think it is interesting that they had Judge Roberts come to the Whitehouse yesterday to redo the oath…..just to assuage any worries anyone might have the Obama wasn’t ‘legally’ sworn in.
FYI Judge Roberts was placed in the Court by Bush. 😉
This is not the time to fluff up your lines; in particular during the swearing in to office, the President of the United States of America…
~Dennis Junior~
It was a bit like the scene in “Four Weddings and a Funeral.”
The second swearing-in was probably a legal thing.
Reminds me of the message that was misinterpreted when passed down the line during world war 11.
Send reinforcements we are going to advance
finished up as
Send three and fourpence we are going to a dance.
At least, President Barack Obama was able to retake the oath of office, for the second time without any misunderstanding of the lines….
~Dennis Junior~
Having learned Danish first at the age of 19, I do it often.In Danish and English.
To err is human.
Recently watched the real Frost/Nixon – documentary footage. Nixon sure had some freudian slips! The more often you see them, the better!
To James.
I’ve done a similar thing myself. While attempting to forward a very off-colour e-mail joke to my brother-in-law, I slipped, and accidentally sent it to my Catholic School Theology Teacher. Luckily he had a sense of humour.
Another time a boy in my science class said “orgasm” when he meant to say “organism.”
Shakespeare said all the world’s a stage. So, fluffing lines is not surprising. I’ve fluffed plenty.
A lot of slightly negative attention about nothing really. Remember ‘all publicity is good publicity’… Obama seemed very cool with what was going on, and can I make a guess that I think Obama had some sympathy for the judge… In years to come, there will be MANY stories about Obama’s big first day… Another aspect: I am in Asia and here, any combination of 4’s is really bad luck… Obama is the 44th President… Nobody has spoken to anyone in Asia yet on this aspect of the new Presidents future pos/negative fortune!!!