Spanish History 101: (For Dummies)

Sultan Bhargash

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Oops there goes another ally...


The link:

http://europe.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/02/17/jebbush.spain/

The story:

Jeb Bush slips on Spanish history

MADRID, Spain -- The U.S. president's brother Jeb Bush has sparked criticism after mistakenly referring to Spain as a republic in a speech to Spanish business leaders during a trip to Madrid to discuss business opportunities.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush's blunder was reminiscent of President George W. Bush's past slip-ups which have included pronouncing Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's name incorrectly.

Spanish historian Juan Pablo Fusi said the error by Bush was "foolish and grotesque."

"It's an offence to Spain and its democratic monarchy," Fusi told Reuters. "It further ridicules the Bushes in general."

Bush, the governor of Florida, was in Madrid to promote the state to Spanish businesses and to meet Prime Minister Aznar. (Full story)

Speaking in Spanish, Bush said: "I want to thank the president of the Republic of Spain for his friendship with the United States."

Spain has not been a republic since the late 1930s, when General Francisco Franco crushed Republican troops in the Civil War.

Franco's nationalist dictatorship lasted until his death in 1975, when Spain became a constitutional monarchy. King Juan Carlos I is now the head of state.

His older brother President Bush once referred to Aznar as "Anzar" ahead of his first visit to Spain as U.S. president in 2001.

President Bush, accused by opponents of having a shaky grasp on geography, has also famously referred to Greeks as Grecians.

And he once sent a shiver through jittery stock markets when he was speaking about the "deflation" in the Japanese yen and accidentally said "devaluation," which led to a brief rush to sell the yen on international currency markets.
 
I dont believe this, it has to come from a different source. In fact I doubt this article was even written by someone whose even been to Spain before. This article is anti-american propoganda, and its stupid. It means nothing and it isnt even from a reliable source.....
 
Hehe.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Public figures embarass themselves all the time, whether it be with women or with Spaniards ;).

Still, I suggest that Jeb break out with his World Almanac sometime soon...
 
Well they constantly mis prononcuate (sp?) Dutch or flemish name's ,but you don't hear us complaining.
Then again ,with name's like Verhaeghe ,Verhofstadt ,dewaele ,fortuyn and the like's you cannot really expect people to say it right if there native languaghe is anything but dutch.
 
Originally posted by D' Artagnan
Another diplomatic move worthy of Rummy's greates ones :D
I disagree.

Jeb is a bumbler like his brother, and this article doesnt surprise me at all. The Bush' boys were elected because they are ordinary acting guys and not seeming elitists.

Rummy's comments were on the money.
 
I would have never guessed Jeb Bush could speak Spanish. I guess it pays off in Florida. No doubt, he was instructed what to say, unless he is fluent.

Is this really a big deal? It hardly seems newsworthy to me, much less "foolish and grotesque." Are all Europeans so thin-skinned? If they are going to nick pick on everything we say, we'll have to start listening to them ;) so we can "ridicule" them for every minor slipup they make.
 
Originally posted by Stile
If they are going to nick pick on everything we say, we'll have to start listening to them ;) so we can "ridicule" them for every minor slipup they make.

Nick pick? Nick pick? I won't nit pick on that...

Yeah I was surprised to see this article on CNN. A bit of a flub. It would be a better world if people didn't things too seriously; whether you call a constitutional monarchy a republic or a democracy a dictatorship...
 
Originally posted by Sultan Bhargash
...whether you call a constitutional monarchy a republic or a democracy a dictatorship...
Nice stealth job on that last part. :scan:

I love Bushie articles, I had links to several sites full of them.

Perhaps since the Irish-French revolt is underway, you will excuse me from posting those until order is restored.

:D
 
Oh god give me a break, they are upset over that? boohoo
 
Let me tell ya a story 'bout a Prince named Jeb
A faulty string of Spanish weaves a diplomatic web . . .

I could continue, but I want to patriotically display my country's reputation for laziness and also don't want to blow my cover as an unthinking goon. Justice's john Ashcroft might be watching.
 
Originally posted by Sultan Bhargash
. . . whether you call a constitutional monarchy a republic or a democracy a dictatorship...

or a monarchy a democracy or an enemy combatant (SUV driver) a patriot.
 
Given Spain's bloody 20th century history, I'm not surprised they are offended. 'Slip-ups' like that get picked up because they reflect a basic lack of interest in another country's history and identity.
 
Originally posted by Sultan Bhargash
Nick pick? Nick pick? I won't nit pick on that...
To late.;)

Originally posted by Sultan Bhargash
Yeah I was surprised to see this article on CNN. A bit of a flub. It would be a better world if people didn't things too seriously; whether you call a constitutional monarchy a republic or a democracy a dictatorship...
Wasnt East Germany a Democratic Republic? Still we have had Presidents who were beloved, who couldn't find a coherent sentance with a map.

J
 
Isn't saying Democratic Republic like using a double negative in a sentence. I mean they imply the same concept.

Back on-topic, if figures. Bush is human and made a mistake, Has that ever been documented. Not as bad as Kennedy calling Berliners, "jelly doughnuts".
 
I don't think the terms overlap. Republic (from Res publica or rule by the people) could be an oligarchy, rotating dictatorship, etc.; democratic implies that things are done by a majority vote.
 
Originally posted by Toasty
Hehe.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

:lol:

anyways, I dont blame him, spanish is a little bit hard ;)
 
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