Government

Another Gaffe? Obama Calls British Embassy ‘English’ Embassy

A couple weeks ago, the president referred to Hawaii as being in Asia. And yesterday, he didn‘t help make the case that he’s not gaffe-prone when he referred to the British embassy in Tehran as the “English embassy.”

Here’s the video:

“One can only imagine the kind of howls of derision that would greet any presidential contender if that kind of basic error were made before, say, the editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,” the Heritage Foundation writes.

Obama did seem to try and correct himself by going back and saying “United Kingdom.” But Heritage doesn’t give him a pass there:

In case the president is unaware, England forms part of Great Britain, which also includes Scotland and Wales, though not Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. There is no such thing as an “English” embassy anywhere in the world, and there hasn’t been one for several centuries.

In the end, the president did get it wrong. But to be fair, to those on the this side of the pond, “United Kingdom,“ ”Great Britain,“ and ”England” are generally interchangeable. Still, considering the president’s past shots at Britain, it certainly will raise some eyebrows.

Heritage concludes: “From siding with Argentina on its call for UN-brokered negotiations over the sovereignty of the Falklands, to placing ‘a boot on the throat’ of BP, Britain’s largest company, the Obama administration has downgraded relations with America’s closest friend and partner on the world stage.”

(H/T: Blaze commenter, POSTER)

Comments (139)

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  • gunsofthepatRIots
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:56am

    This nitpicking is getting ridiculous. First off he was more right in saying in Asia then if he said North America when referring to Hawaii. Im sure most people in this country cannot discern the difference between Britain, England and the UK without looking it up first. Also I believe it was technically a UK embassy but Im not goona write an article about how the Blaze got it wrong when pointing out Obama got it wrong. If he said the French or German embassy was attacked then there is an issue, this=non issue

    Report Post »  
    • PPMStudios
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:11am

      Actually, it isn’t “more right in saying in Asia then if he said North America when referring to Hawaii.”

      They’re both completely incorrect. Period! The correct thing may have been “South Pacific” state or island of Hawaii.

      I do agree that the English/British Embassy is a non-issue. It’s only an issue if you call a Scotsman or Welshman, English. Those can be fighting words in the UK.

      Report Post » PPMStudios  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:14am

      A U.K. embassy would be an embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, hence it would be a British embassy by definition. An English embassy would be an embassy representing only the germanic Anglo Saxon peoples who live in England proper, not including the Welsh, and not including any of the brythonic/gaelic speaking people and cultures.

      And Hawaii is a distinct region of Polynesia, itself a part of Oceania, not Asia, which includes a series of islands and territories stretching all the way from Hawai’i (the state) to New Zealand (the independent nation).

      This is basic stuff, and I didn’t have to look it up, it was taught in high school geography and history where I went to school in little ol‘ rural Ohio in the 1980’s. And as my family is directly from Scotland and England (both sides of the family), I have more than a passing interest in the subject.

      Slainte!

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
    • thop1960
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:14am

      I beg to differ. This is an issue for a couple reasons. First is the obvious one, that he is supposed to be considered “the smartest President in history” and as such, he should not commit these little, yet consistent faux pas’. These are supposed to be what Bush does, not obama. Either he is not as bright as everyone says, or he has a mental condition. Second, this is just another slight toward our British friends. Many Americans might not know the difference of what he said, but you can bet most Brits would take offense. Was it an accident or another dig by obama? Either way, both of these two examples are concerning, and therefore justifiable in reporting to the American people.

      Report Post » thop1960  
    • PPMStudios
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:25am

      @ GhostOfJefferson

      What about the earlier Iceni tribal folks who when led by Boudica thumped the Romans in Londinium (London)? You could argue they were English too….

      Report Post » PPMStudios  
    • Diomasach
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:26am

      Yeah, they just misunderestimated him. Total non-issue.
      Of course if George W Bush has said this it would have been late-night talk show fodder and would be all over the internet and the media as just another example of how he is obviously a moron. But since Obama said it, well, it’s obviously a non-issue.

      Report Post »  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:47am

      @PPMStudios

      They were pure wholesome rowdy celts, Brythonics celts (hence, the term Britain). They lived in what is now England as in the region occupied by the descendents of the anglo saxon peoples. But at the time, there was no “england”, they called the nation they inhabited at the time Albion (sp) I believe? England is a mash of the words Aengle Land, land of the Angles, of “Anglo Saxon” fame.

      I saw the monument to Boudica last time I was over, quite fetching.

      A more precise point could be had with the Cornish, who are in fact Brythonic celts speaking (or having recently spoken) a language with a lot of mutal intelligibilty to Welsh, living in what is now England. They seem to hold themselves as distinct from the germanic Anglo Saxons as a reflex (and rightly so), and the Cornish I’ve met would punch you in the face if you called them an Englishman. From an embassy standpoint though, there is no real Cornish nation, so they have to go with the default of the people who surround them I suppose.

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:50am

      GUNSOF…you’re not getting it. This man has been sold to us as the smartest, bestest, you’re-all-too-dumb-to-understand-him, president in history by his keepers and the media. He clearly isn’t, or anything approaching it. He’s an idiot. There is no “Austrian” language. They speak German. His wife is active with “Americorps” he’s heard the word “corps” said countless times. He’s commander in chief of the United States Marine CORPS, yet he sees the word “corpsman” on his teleprompter and doesn’t have the quickness on his feet, the knowledge or foggiest idea to pronounce it correctly and pronounces it phonetically as “corpseman”. Then he says Hawaii is part of Asia when it‘s actually Polynesian and he lived in Hawaii for pete’s sake. Clearly..without question the man is an idiot. An empty suit who relies on writers and a teleprompter to attempt to perpeuate the image of “smartest guy in the room” his keepers have tried to sell on this country. Obama’s an elitist idiot..plain and simple. I dare say this is why Obama won’t release his college records. He was a do-nothing, know-nothing senator and he’s brought that vacuousness and laziness to the whitehouse.

      Report Post »  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 12:00pm

      Actually now that I think about it, I don’t know if the Iceni called modern England “Albion” or whether that came from Roman or Greek historians. I do know that they didn’t call it England until the actual Angles arrived though.

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
    • staggerlee32
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 12:12pm

      This guy’s a dumb puppet…. remember on the campaign trail when the kid got a breathalizer? Then an inhalator? Even with a teleprompter he flubs. Anyway READ before you start blaming the Blaze when they said it was the Heritage Foundation and the Blaze was giving BO a break.

      Report Post » staggerlee32  
    • right
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 12:48pm

      “most people in this country cannot discern the difference between Britain…” — HOWEVER, most people are not president of this country

      Report Post »  
  • Godfather.1
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:54am

    If any of you were consistent with your criticisms it would be different. That is, if you didn‘t just disregard Bachmann’s absolutely incorrect statements. Also, there is a difference between a gaffe and just not knowing. When Palin confused N. Kora with South, that was most likely just a gaffe as it is very difficult to believe she doesn’t know the difference. However, Bachmann claiming that Obama’s trip to Inida cost $700 million a day was just making things up.

    So when you all start addressing Palin‘s gaffes and calling her a ****** for doing so and when you address Bachmann’s innacurate statements and say she is an idiot, you may have some credit to your arguments.

    Report Post »  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:56am

      Actually, I criticize Bachmann and Palin for their gaffs if they’re from stupidity and not simple spur of the moment confusion.

      Anything else?

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
  • elosogrande
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:52am

    Come on! He’s the smartest guy in the room! How dare anyone point out his lack of knowlege

    Report Post »  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:00am

      Well..he knows about the “Austrian Language” right? Perhaps “corpseman” Rashard can help him?
      Look..all jokes aside..it’s clear Obama is a construct of his keepers. He’s a marketing trick. He’s all teleprompter. He’s not the smartest guy in the room and he never has been. He’s not very smart at all actually. There‘s good evidence to suggest he didn’t even write his own autobiographies. I dare say this is why he won’t release his college records….he was likely helped through college by some kind of quota program.

      Report Post »  
  • barmom
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:51am

    Someone should give Barry geography lessons!!!

    Report Post »  
    • bikerr
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:56am

      @barmom—-He is unteachable!. He wants U.S.A. to fail. nothing he does or say’s will help U.S.A. get any better!. We need him out of power!.

      Report Post »  
  • Walkabout
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:48am

    Yes it is a story. Every last gaffe or pregnant pause a Republican candidate has is trumpeted by the MSM. Recording these & reciting these every time the MSM rips into a Republican candidate is necessary. It might help a little during the election. Not sure. But it will definitely help to kill the circulation of MSM stalwarts like the NYT, Newsweek & U.S. News. Time to set our sights on Time magazine.

    Also Obama has hurt our relations with the Brits again. He returned the statue of Churchill (#1). That was a deliberate INSULT. There wasn‘t a closet in the White house that it couldn’t be store in for 4 to 8 years? He insulted the queen (#2) by giving her an I pod of his speeches. The “English Embassy”gaffe will be viewed as his 3rd intentional insult.

    Of any country in the world, the Brits have stood with us the longest & bled the most. The world is getting more dangerous & putrid Obama is purposely ******* off allies.

    Report Post »  
  • cemerius
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:46am

    Fire the teleprompter! I HOPE he is CHANGED in 2012!!!

    Report Post » cemerius  
  • Comeandtakeit
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:45am

    That’s because the corpSman was speaking Austrian on Cinco de Quatro at the English embassy after visiting our 57 states. But hey, the news media will jump all over Rick Perry for saying all 21-year-olds can vote, or Herman Cain’s pause. After all, it isn’t inconsequential like giving firearms to drug cartels to kill our own people or wasting half a billion dollars rewarding the political crony who owned Solyndra. But President Obama is SMART. We know that from seeing how high his grades were in college, right? Oh. Wait.

    Report Post »  
  • One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:43am

    Freaking Oblamo makes GWB look and sound like Shakespeare!! The MSM and professional leftists would have run him out of the country if he were a conservative long long long ago.

    Report Post » One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew  
  • jandersn
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:43am

    Maybe the good old boy Obama still caries a grudge against the “Colonial English” when they held sway over his beloved ancestral homeland in East Africa.

    Report Post »  
  • mrsalvage2
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:41am

    What does he know about Engrish?

    On that thought what do the English know about Engrish.

    Report Post » mrsalvage2  
  • Stoic one
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:37am

    He needs new teleprompter writers. He is only as smart as his writers.

    Report Post » Stoic one  
  • CatB
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:35am

    Good thing he isn’t a Republican .. or these would matter. (sarcasm)

    I hate the MSM!

    TEA!

    Report Post »  
  • Locked
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:34am

    This reminds me of an argument someone made in another blaze article, where they said “The UK doesn’t share a land border with any other country!” I helpfully pointed out that if we were discussing England alone, that would be right, but the United Kingdom is made up of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland, of course, shares a border with Ireland.

    Basic mistake, but pretty common to use the terms interchangeably. Similar to referring to US citizens as “Americans”; when studying in Mexico many years ago, people would call us on it. “We’re Americans too,” they would say.

    Report Post »  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:00am

      This so called President is supposed to be the smartest guy in the room wherever he treads, so he’s supposed to know there is no such thing any longer as an English embassy (well, for now anyway, there is a growing English home rule movement starting up over there). The last time he could have reasonably used the term was 1707, and maybe stretched it to 1801 if he needed the entry of Ireland into the formal United Kingdom of Great Britain.

      I do get why people make the mistake, the English (germanic Anglo Saxons) are prevalent, their language dominates the kingdom and even former colonies, their germanic customs dominate most of the culture (not all though, the Gaels contribute heavily as well) and whenever folks say “British” the first thing that pops into most of our minds is “England”. I don’t call the Scottish “British” even though I know that they are a part of the U.K. for example, I make the distinction, even though I casually make the connection of “British = English” in common day to day speech.

      But hey, Obama’s supposed to be some kind of wunderkind, I should not be able to scoff at his constant gaffs, being a “commoner” with none of his alleged superior intellect.

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
    • loriann12
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:01am

      They’re only “Americans” if they use the word North with it. Mexico is part of North America, but Not the United States of America, as much as they would like to be. It really irritates me when I hear Central Americans saying that, about being part of America. If you use that mentality, South America is part of America, too.

      As to the mistake of English vs British, it doesn’t matter to me any more than momentarily forgetting the voting age. But, calling Hawaii part of Asia, when he grew up there? It has NEVER been part of Asia, and there are not 57 states. Otherwise, there would be 57 stars on our flag, and Hawaii would have a different flag. And if Hawaii is part of Asia, that means he’s not a citizen.

      Report Post »  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:06am

      There‘s hasn’t been and “English embassy” for centuries. Obama’s an idiot.

      Report Post »  
    • Locked
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:54am

      @Loriann

      I apologize in advance if you were trying for humor, or irony, or something other than a straight-forward reading. If so, disregard any of the following. It just doesn’t make much sense to get in a tizzy about “Non-US citizens calling themselves Americans” when a very similar situation with the British/English, in your own words, “it doesn’t matter to me.”

      “They’re only “Americans” if they use the word North with it.”
      No, American refers to anyone in North, Central, or South America. And I’ve never heard US citizens call themselves “North Americans” unless it’s a reference differentiating them from someone south of the US. Even then it’s not correct, as North Americans can be Mexican or Canadian as well.

      “It really irritates me when I hear Central Americans saying that, about being part of America. If you use that mentality, South America is part of America, too.”
      And they are. Hence why the proper term in Spanish is “Estadounidense,“ which is basically ”United Stater.“ ”Americano” is also used, but less frequently, as it technically refers to anyone from the American continents.

      Report Post »  
    • staggerlee32
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 12:18pm

      The Jack of all trades and the master of none.

      Report Post » staggerlee32  
    • your sensei
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 9:49pm

      Ghost of England . . .you misspelled gaffes.

      Report Post » your sensei  
  • Drum Man
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:33am

    So who programs his teleprompter? Fire them!

    Report Post » Drum Man  
  • the58thstate
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:33am

    non-story huh? i guess it only matters when some make mistakes . the thing about this dingbat is he continues to make the same ones over and over again. its not mishaps from him its what he believes is right. you commies thought bush was dumb. lol this moron takes the grand prize for idiocy.

    Report Post »  
  • Bluenose177
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:32am

    tell Barry he needs to reload the teleprompter

    now, run along troll

    Report Post » Bluenose177  
  • hersey10
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:32am

    He was tired , oh wait they used that one already . #57States #Breathalyzer

    Report Post » hersey10  
  • GulfPeg
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:22am

    This certainly confirms his ignorance! Maybe he wasn’t looking at his teleprompter.

    Report Post »  
  • biohazard23
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:22am

    I’ll bet he thinks they speak Austrian on Cinco de Cuatro over there, too.

    Report Post » biohazard23  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:19am

    Understand this much, while most of the time it could be considered a ‘gaff’ on the matter; the fact is with his well known hatered for all things British and English, he has made the insult against England and at the same time tied the embassy directly to the United States due to our “English Heritage” that he also hates so much.

    It is just one more jab he is making to show to the world — look the British did this mess, and by the way so did we as the US is so close to England as well. By tying us togeather he is provoking the enemies of ours in Tehran to strike not only at England, yet here at home as well…again one more thing Mr Obama wants to have happen.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • AmericanStrega
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:18am

    And they said G.W. Bush was dumb.

    Report Post »  
  • 11:11
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:13am

    wow are the gaffes supposed to find humor in this man, to soften up the dissapointment and anger that i have because he actually got voted for potus, NO I can’t even stand the sound of his voice let alone find humor or poke fun at his gaffes

    Report Post » 11:11  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:12am

    This is one story you wont see on the lame stream media…. But if it was a conservative… Endless coverage…

    Report Post »  
  • texasfarmer
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:10am

    His gaff swept under the rug, again.

    Report Post » texasfarmer  
  • smithclar3nc3
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:09am

    The commander and chump once again shows his true intellect.

    Report Post »  
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