Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Jordan's King Abdullah Speaks Better English Than Bush...

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » The DU Lounge Donate to DU
 
arwalden Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 06:28 AM
Original message
Jordan's King Abdullah Speaks Better English Than Bush...
And it's not even his native language!! Isn't that just the saddest thing?

Watching King Abdullah as he spoke with Katie Couric on NBC's Today show this morning... the difference his his command of the English language, and his vocabulary... and his ability to eloquently and precisely express himself was a delightful change from the stammering, stuttering, 3rd grade vocabulary of Bush.

You would think that at least ONE or TWO Republicans would have noticed. Surely the Democrats aren't the only ones who realize what a bumbling incompetent moron Bush is. Bush doesn't have a clue. He's uninformed, not at all curious, can't read, and incapable of understanding the dynamics of the world around him.

I have absolutely NO RESPECT for any Republican who tries to pretend that he or she honestly believes Bush is intelligent, engaged and in charge. I'd much rather hear an Republican just be HONEST for once and state quite frankly "Yeah... Bush is an idiot, but so what? Our party is in the White House and that's all that matters to me."

-- Allen


Bush: "Why do they titter so?"

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
aneerkoinos Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 06:52 AM
Response to Original message
1. Actually
English is Abdullah's native tongue, and he speaks rather poor Arabic.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
arwalden Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 06:58 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. Don't Be Silly... Arabic Is His *Native* Language
I'm pretty sure you understand the point I'm trying to make here. But if you want to pick nits, there's nothing I can do to stop you.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/jo.html

Jordan: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cheswick2.0 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 07:21 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. I understand you perfectly
Of course I speak english better than our Resident Chimp.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
muriel_volestrangler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 07:23 AM
Response to Original message
4. Most of Abdullah's education was in English
in Britain and the USA. His mother was also English, so you would expect him to speak it fluently. Some websites say his English is better than his Arabic, which gives him a problem at home.

However, I share your amazement that so many people voted for a man who seems out of his depth. Most politicians, from whatever party, come across as intelligent; and even Ronald Reagan, while obviously not a superbrain, could deliver a good speech, and talked fluently, if simply. Bush Jr. sounds like a 13 year old kid - eager to impress with words he doesn't always understand, and with one style of public speaking - a phrase at a time, with the same intonation for each one. It's as if he can't keep the full meaning of a long sentence in his head.

I'd love to see something written by him - this might clear up whether he just isn't a good speaker, or if he really can't grasp complicated concepts. The latter is such a worrying thought for the whole world.

Maybe there should be a public exam for president: each candidate is handed some questions, set by some neutral examiner, and they then have to produce their answers, explaining their policies, with a couple of hours to do this, on their own. A bit like the presidental debates, but it gives them more time to develop arguments, and without the need to knock the other guy every few minutes.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
thom1102 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 08:56 AM
Response to Reply #4
10. Queen Noor was his mother, right?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Lydia Leftcoast Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 11:55 AM
Response to Reply #10
11. No, Queen Noor was not his mother
King Hussein was married several times, and Queen Noor was only the last of the series, although they were married a long time.

There was an English wife somewhere in the past, but I don't remember whether she died or was divorced, but she's King Abdullah's mother.

You'll notice that he has rather European features.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
trof Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 07:28 AM
Response to Original message
5. My 15 month old grandson
speaks better English than mumblemouth*.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
rock Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 07:56 AM
Response to Original message
6. Bush* speaks English!?
Why didn't somebody tell me! Why am I always the last to know?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
bicentennial_baby Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 07:59 AM
Response to Original message
7. He went to school in Massachusetts
King Abdullah attended Deerfield Academy for high school. It's one of our local prep schools here in Western MA (actually, it's my prep school's rival school...Go Hoggers!) He comes here to visit occasionally and to give speeches.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Catholic Sensation Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 08:01 AM
Response to Original message
8. I said the same thing (sorta)
about Mahmoud Abbas when that pansy was here (anyone who's afraid to stand up to that cripple Arafat is a pansy in my eyes) to my grandfather (who's a conservative from Poland) and he didn't much care for the comment.

On another note, I have got my godson to believe that Bush is stupid and that Donald Rummsfeld is evil. My seven year old cousin was also present, but I tought her that Bush is stupid during the presidential election, so I got her to believe that Tony Blair is unfit to be the PM of England. Any "liberal" Ann Coulter supports I must be against, it's just a matter of principle.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
bleedingheart Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-15-03 08:48 AM
Response to Original message
9. I wouldn't even want to compare
a well educated individual like Abdullah to Bush... it really is like comparing apples to oranges..

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Sat May 04th 2024, 03:40 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » The DU Lounge Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC