McCain Explains His Repeated Czechoslovakia Gaffes (VIDEO)

McCain said "Czechoslovakia" instead of the "Czech Republic" at another town hall today. But this time, he caught himself and offered a bit of self-mocking explanation. That makes it the third time in the past three weeks.

"As you know, the Czech Republic and Slovakia split years ago," McCain said with a chuckle. "From time to time some of us misstate and say Czechoslovakia when the fact is, it's the Czech Republic."

"Some of us" could refer to retired senator (and Barack Obama supporter) Sam Nunn, who helpfully made the same gaffe a few days after McCain. But unless Obama picks Nunn for VP, McCain is still alone among office-seekers on this one. Watch the video:

Comments

[AxelDC]

He also calls Turkey "The Ottoman Empire" and Istanbul "Constantinople".

[Canaris]

....and Hawaii "the Sandwich Islands". Mmmm, sandwich.

[EdRocktober]

McCain should go even further and tell the world about the historic friendships between the USA and Prussia,Burgundy and Piedmont
or even his favorite part of the Bushco empire FANTASYLAND!

[m03rl]

OMFG!
Poor poor old man......NOT....funny....

[eden4barack08]

Czech Republic aside, seriously, this man is pitiful when he speaks. I really feel sorry for him, laughing at himself, the audience doesn't even seem to care. Pathetic.

[moseyon]

I agree they look totally bored, That voice is so hum drum.

[JackND]

He really is. Even McCain supporter Ben Stein laments the utter hopelessness of McCain's campaign abilities every chance he gets.

[pfc1369]

McCain has truly now succeeded in becoming The Man Who Isn't There.

[DrittesReich]

Holy "balls" of Dracula! .................McGRAND-FATHER, still living in the PRE-COLD-WAR era! Jesussssssssss!

[Suzie2]

I was in Prague right after the split, and I still say "Czechoslovakia" all the time. Honestly, I don't think this is a big deal at all.

[vippy]

You don't understand, he is a politician and is supposed to know what is going on around the world. I make mistakes too, but McCain's are suspect due to his age. These aren't the only ones,
not once but twice and more to come!

[Daly]

True; not a big deal for a private citizen but for the gaffe man it is indeed a big deal. He is interviewing to speak for America.

[JimR]

You're not passing yourself as an expert on foreign policy.

[avidobserver]

To all US residents particulatly purveyors of the MSM, I sincerely believe that this article weighs true for most people in the rest of the world.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/072208.html

[ed3541]

Great Link. Robert Parry is LIGHT YEARS ahead of the MSM on this type of reporting.

[tcagle]

"next to of course god america i
love you land of the pilgrims' and so forth oh
say can you see by the dawn's early my
country 'tis of centuries come and go
and are no more what of it we should worry
in every language even deafanddumb
thy sons acclaim your glorious name by gorry
by jingo by gee by gosh by gum
why talk of beauty what could be more beaut-
iful than these heroic happy dead
who rushed like lions to the roaring slaughter
they did not stop to think they died instead
then shall the voice of liberty be mute?"

He spoke. And drank rapidly a glass of water
-- e. e. cummings

[chendri887]

well said, e.e. cummings. unfortunately, the imperialist experiment continues.

[thinbluetorpedo]

Why can't Johnny use a computer?

[NTO08]

Why do you people worry about such ridiculous nonsense?
Worry about the BIG picture, not the minutiae...

[lisakaz2]

It would help if the guy who wants to be president remembers what year it is. Some senior citizens remember something of decades beforehand vs. yesterday. Sound familiar?

[mediamarv]

the kid in the background with the sign, at the end of the clip, expresses what many must feel in a meeting with McSame.... get me outtta here!!

Priceless!!

[mairs]

He can chuckle at his repeated mistakes, he can fake fall asleep on a TV talk show, but it doesn't change anything. This issue doesn't become any less serious because he laffs it off. Yuk yuk....

[ObamAtomic]

Shut up,is not funny any more!

[JR49]

Wen I lived in Mexico and some poor Mexican in Baja California called my country Czechoslovakia I just laughed to it because I knew Baja California and Czech Republic are so distant worlds and what poor Mexicans know about world....but if the man who lives his adult live by politics call my old country Czechoslovakia after 16 years when it was separated and Czech Republic is a member of NATO and EU so I have to ask myself what kind of man wants to be my next president. Do I really want to see there another GWB with his poor knowledge of Geo-political status of the world? Man who just knows where is Iraq because he bought the carpets for his home when visited bazaar there. Czech Republic was electing president last January and selection for such a position is so strict that McCain would be absolutely without chance to become president there...even not candidate for president.

[Suzie2]

Yeah, well, when I was in Europe, people kept referring to my country as "America", and I cut them some slack, because even though America encompasses two continents, I knew they were actually referring to the United States of America.

[bennofs]

Sorry, somehow posted on the wrong story!

[Tommygun264]

It's spelled: S - E - N - I - L - E.