Why does Bush refuse to pronounce "nuclear" correctly?

Mano · #1 10-17-2004, 02:14 AM

I am sure it has not slipped past the entire administration that Bush pronounces "nuclear" as "nucular", so why does he continue to do so? Do they think that this is part of his "homespun charm", or is he so stubborn and unwilling to admit error that he insists that his pronunciation is correct? I used to attribute it to Bush being a moron, but as I have learned more about the man, watched and listened to him, I believe he is quite lucid (though I disagree with him on many, many issues). So why does he intentionally continue to mispronounce this when it makes him sound stupid? Any opinions?

EarlCat · #2 10-17-2004, 02:22 AM

Go back and find some old tapes of President Carter's speeches. He pronounced it the same way.

wacki · #3 10-17-2004, 02:24 AM

Or watch the debate and listen to Kerry say "Idear".

MrSoul · #4 10-17-2004, 02:38 AM

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Or watch the debate and listen to Kerry say "Idear".

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I always wondered where the r came from.

Matty · #5 10-17-2004, 05:58 AM

I think they both do it because it's endearing- and I think that psychologically it's very smart for them to make those mispronounciations. People like flawed people.

Rushmore · #6 10-17-2004, 09:59 AM

I'm confident it was a mistake he had made enough times publicly that if he turned around and started pronouncing it correctly, it would be a glaring admission of error.

And we all know Bush ain't big on admitting mistakes.

Also, now that the horse is out of the barn, I guess they spin it by saying that it's just a quirky colloquial thing.

Rushmore · #7 10-17-2004, 10:00 AM

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People like flawed people.

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Then the American people should be downright giddy with their options this election.

cardcounter0 · #8 10-17-2004, 10:11 AM

Bush is guided by God and is incapable of making a mistake.
You must be a wacko liberal if you think he doesn't pronounce "nuclear" correctly.

John Cole · #9 10-17-2004, 11:33 AM

"Idear" results from a New England accent; neither candidate speaks Standard American. Bush's "error" probably is a bit more egregious, but it's really a small matter. I'd bet both can spell the words in question.

benfranklin · #10 10-17-2004, 04:43 PM

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Then the American people should be downright giddy with their options this election.

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That's why there are so many undecided voters at this late stage of the campaign. The undecideds are trying to figure out which of the two is most flawed, and therefore worthy of their votes. I haven't figured it out either.