February 11, 2003
WASHINGTON, DC – Following his successful recitation of the alphabet, President George W. Bush today made an attempt to recite the numbers one through ten. Critics and supporters are in dispute over whether or not he was successful.
Reportedly, the President paused at one point, errantly inserting the number 2.23 trillion followed by 1.92 trillion. Critics claim that the error was “clear evidence” that the President lacks fundamental knowledge of the system of numbers. Supporters of the President claim that the mistake was a simple error attributable to stress.
“This is a clear indication that the President does not know that 2.23 trillion comes after 1.92 trillion, or even after the number ten, for that matter,” said Senate Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.). “Now THAT’S fuzzy math,” he added, using the President’s own rhetoric from his 2000 campaign.
Daschle also asserted that the President’s error explained the current deficit projected in his proposed budget: “This is clearly explains why the President has not presented a balanced budget. He simply can’t count.”
White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said in a press conference that the President’s mistake was attributable to “stress” over recent developments overseas, referring to the current confrontation with Iraq.
In a statement following the recitation, the President dismissed the idea that such recent developments were distracting him from concerns here at home. "I know there is a lot of people paying attention to what's happening overseas and so am I, but I want to begin by reminding us that we've got a domestic agenda that is positive and strong and hopeful and optimistic," Bush said.
reported in jest by John Eischeid
(The President’s proposed budget has an estimated deficit of 310 million, the difference between 2.23 trillion and 1.92 trillion. The final quotation by him his real. I got the quotation from the online edition of the Monday, Feb. 10, 2003 Washington Post.)