Misquotations by Politicians

President Bush, among other Bushisms, was heard using the double negative "misunderestimate." Then he was heard pronouncing the word tyranny at a commemoration of the 60th anniversary of D-Day as TIE ruh nee; apparently based on the pronunciation of tyrant. The correct pronunciation, of course, is TIRR uh nee.

Balancing Bush's blunder is the misquotation committed by his presumed Democratic opponent, Senator John Kerry when speaking at a rally in Seattle: "More than a century ago, Teddy Roosevelt defined American leadership in foreign policy. He said America should 'walk softly and carry a big stick.' "

In a letter written in 1900, a year before he became president, Theodore Rooselvelt wrote, "I have always been fond of the West African proverb: 'Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.' " He repeated what he called this "homely old adage" in a speech as president in Chicago in 1903, and twice again in his writings after that. Every time he used the quote, he said, "Speak softly."

Governor Bill Clinton, campaigning for president in 1992, told a cheering audience: "Teddy roosevelt once said that we should walk softly and carry a big stick. Today I want to talk softly and carry Ohio." Maybe he was influenced by former President Gerald Ford's comment in 1981 about reacting to the Soviet arms buildup: "The United states should walk softly and carry a big stick."

Although it has frequently been misused in quotations, to walk softly is a political no-no. Aspiring leaders should remember to speak softly although one's tone may be raised in reference to TIRR uh nee.

-Excerpt from "Language," a column by William Safire titled "The tirr-anny of 'gone missing' " in the
Internatioinal Herald Tribune (page 6) on June 28, 2004.


There are several discussions about malapropisms, at Word Files where you may find several versions of English blunders.