Foolish Democratic Quotations of 2009

[Victor Steinbok]

I don't have any specific suggestions to offer, but Biden and Rep.
Grayson should be good for a few each. There should be a number at local
levels as well--if I come across any during the week, I'll forward them.

VS-)

Benjamin Zimmer wrote:
> On Sat, Nov 28, 2009 at 9:27 PM, Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu> wrote:
>
>> Thanks to everyone who answered my previous post asking for notable
>> quotations of 2009.  As usual, the list I am compiling has more foolish
>> quotations by Republicans than by Democrats.  Yes, I know, some will
>> say this is terrible of me, but as long as people like Dan Quayle and
>> George W. Bush and Sarah Palin are Republicans, Republicans will
>> dominate foolish-quotations compilations.  However, I do strive as much
>> as I can for balance, so I am pleading for suggestions of foolish
>> quotations by Democrats.  I would welcome any suggestions of such
>> quotes from 2009.
>>
>
> A "Bidenism" might do the trick. Jeremy Stahl on Slate has documented
> some choice examples, e.g.:
>
> "I wouldn't go anywhere in confined places now… When one person
> sneezes it goes all the way through the aircraft. That's me. I would
> not be, at this point, if they had another way of transportation, (be)
> suggesting they ride the subway."—dispensing handy tips to protect
> against the swine flu in interview with NBC's Matt Lauer, April 30,
> 2009
>
> "What am I going to tell the president when I tell him his
> teleprompter's broken? What will he do then?"—mocking Barack Obama's
> fabled reliance on teleprompters in a commencement address at the Air
> Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo., May 27, 2009
>
> "If it fails, I'm dead."—offering thoughts on his own "self interest"
> regarding the success of the stimulus during a conference call with
> governors, Sept. 24, 2009
>
> More here: http://www.slate.com/id/2229640/
>
> --Ben Zimmer
>
>

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