Where is Obama? Wesleyan, Wellesley or "Wellesleyan"?

[wcivils]

He just got them confused again at a speech in Raleigh, NC. A student from Wellesley asked him a question and he said he just spoke at commencement there and she was like "really?" Then he realized he made a mistake and meant Wesleyan (although I think he said Wesley). "Oh yeah, I get those confused sometimes," he said.

[johnwesley73]

I was there. The audio on "Obama at Wellesley College...err Wesleyan" is much better. He clearly says, "Wellesleyan" which is almost impossible to say unless you're trying really hard. Blame it on the senior class president who preceded him and included the same joke in her remarks.

[clevelandcrew]

Ok who cares...everyone messes up when speaking sometimes...its human. Think about how many fucked up lines Bush has said.

[grimmpoxer]

OK. Not a gaffe. What about Sen. Obama's Memorial Day speech in Las Cruces, NM, in which he said:

"On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes — and I see many of them in the audience here today — our sense of patriotism is particularly strong."

What about his gaffe that he has been to 57 states and has one more to go? If Bush/Quayle/McCain had said either of these things, we would never hear the end of it from the leftist media.

[quinnsans]

@grimmpoxer The "leftist" media took it out of context. He was going to tour 48 states (guess the other two) and he had one more to go. In the heat of the moment he said said fifty instead of forty tacking on the seven. Everyone screws up once in a while, difference is he's high profile like most other candidates for presidents so his mistakes are exacerbated.

[grimmpoxer]

@quinnsans No matter how one spins it, the "57 states" comment was a gaffe for which the leftist press would have flayed any Republican who said it. Imagine if Ronald Reagan, Dan Quayle, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush or Sarah Palin had said exactly what then-candidate Obama said. We both know how the leftist press would have treated it. But because their preferred candidiate Obama said it, they gave him a free pass.

[quinnsans]

@grimmpoxer The "leftist" media's main goal, ie Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, is to make as much money as possible, so they'll try to bilk every little bit of airtime from a small gaffe especially if it has been made by the sitting administration.

[grimmpoxer]

@quinnsans The leftist press did not report then candidate Obama's comments about the 57 states.

[rellybois]

DEAR LORD PEOPLE. I graduated on Sunday and was there. The speaker right before him had jokingly called our school "Wellesley" because its a running confusion. Barack, as usual, was being off-the-cuff and likable by continuing the joke. Stop believing everything Fox News tells you, it is rarely if ever truthful.

[reflauta1987]

I'm one of the graduates he spoke to there. It was obviously a joke when he said "Wellesley" - it's a running joke. We even make T-shirts at Wesleyan that say "Welcome to Wellesleyan," and we all thought it was pretty funny. I agree that he was definitely connecting with us.

[pbsstep1914]

There are some evil people in our world, and they seem to love commenting on the internet.

[JackSpratt60]

Are they sure this guy isn't Dan Quayle with a tan?

[mikesadick]

Are you sure he wasn't just stuttering like usual

[krobins110276]

Thanks to everyone who clarified that this wasn't a gaffe as I thought, but the continuation of inside banter from that day and apparently has occurred for quite some time. I was watching with my mom and I caught what I thought was the mistake immediately. And my mom thought he would be eaten alive for it, as he is best known for his communication skills. If anything, putting this line in his opening paragraph once again displays his innate ability to connect with his audience.

[AlexMeeske]

this is absolutely retarded, wesleyan students commonly call their university wellesleyan because it often gets confused with wellesley, obama was just referencing that common mispronunciation.

[zzx2847]

Looks kinda like Hitler standing there.

[miamad]

OBAMA IS A CROOK AND A LIAR.

[mirabeaubapi]

its normal for foxnews to go spreading this

all those of us who were the understood but for the FOXPOEPLE who make politics of everything.

[pezchaz]

It wasn't an elitest inside joke-- it was a reference to FOX News announcement he was speaking at Wellesley and this was a slap in the face to Hillary. I was also there. It was funny. And a non-issue.

[HHDV]

He obviously DID NOT KNOW, and probably thought "Phew,I'm Glad I caught That" when the student before him pronounced it wellesly- the hd version shows the horrified look on his face when people laughed... His reflexive fake smile and ability to finger in the air bullshit saved him. He's another manipulator. We all know the type- manipulate for power, claim this and that but at heart deeply irresponsible and self serving. Get ready to pay Slave Reparations Middle Class!

[orlando212]

apparently you don't read. see the past posts below you:

RE: "Like the person who put up this video, I was in attendance at today's ceremony...."

If you were there, you'd realize that it was an ongoing joke between Obama and the audience. Taken out of context, as in this video, it would inappropriately seem as a "gaffe."

btw, where is this "hd version" with the "horrified look?"

[mirabeaubapi]

Its a pity as a white man i am ashamed that you still think so negetive is it worth it

take time to think sincerely with the lord in your mind you will realise that even though you may not want to vote him you still have to be possitive and treat and regard poeple with fairness.Remember he is also white 65% from kansas and grew up with a white mans mentality should black poeple hate him too to have grown with his loving mother no .God bless you

[scottfburg]

Like the person who put up this video, I was in attendance at today's ceremony. Unlike the person who put up this video-who is clearly either a moron or a partisan looking to portray this as a gaffe--I paid attention to the fact that the PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY and the VALEDICTORIAN both made jokes about confusing the schools' names prior to Obama doing the same. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news poster, but IT'S A JOKE and A NON-ISSUE.

[shewiT1]

I was lucky to be at the commencement ceremony alongside my sister; and while I felt terrible by Senator Kennedy's sudden illness, I liked Senator Obama's speech. It was indeed a life time memory.

[huncamunca218]

He was responding to a running joke in the ceremony. Seriously, jfie0uf3292, didn't you notice that the audience laughed and he grinned knowingly after he said it? It was a wonderful speech, and he was inspiring as always. Afterward, he sat through as the entire list of graduating names was read. He even shook hands with many of the graduates as they passed by him. He has dedicated his life to service and helping disadvantaged groups and is now inspiring others to do the same.

[tarheels167]

The fact that people actually didn't get that this was a joke is disturbing...

[RPGtv]

i was at the event and can attest to the fact that it was a joke. the wesleyan class president, who had just spoken before hand, had cracked the joke already, and his was a direct reference and follow-up. of course, if you want your video to get youtube hits, why not lie?

[dupontag]

I guess you need a college education to get a joke from Obama_ He's too smart for you.

[vagisil4eva]

I was so lucky to be able to be there today. Thank you, Barack!

[bossmanfreak]

i think its funny after 8 yrs of bush incorrect grammar these ppl can't tell jokes from an actually misspoken word.

[saratogaslim]

He was kidding. Just the day before there was an article written in the Boston Globe saying the Wesleyan is frequently mistaken for Wellesley College (outside of Boston) by people who don't live in the Northeast. It was a joke. By the way, the speech was awesome. People arrived 2-3 hours early just to get a spot to watch him. Great atmosphere.

[mase8419]

Dude, it was a joke. I don't even go to Wesleyan, and even I know that this is a well-known joke among Wesleyan students.

[matrachaque]

sad...

[darwinx0101]

this was a great speech. lucky students.

my commencement address was delivered by some old guy i never heard of.

[AKPsiChick]

same here but he wasn't old

[Waranle]

hypnotron2006 your right he gave a great speec, watch the whole speech if your not stupid naiv student.

[Dewardbowles]

Inside joke, you just don't get it.

I want to see the whole thing, not some snippet from somebody who does not have a clue what they are talking about.

[Erehyub]

Inside elitist joke?

Not a smart move.

[huncamunca218]

Actually, it's pretty damn smart to know your audience and make a joke they will appreciate. It's called wit.

[huncamunca218]

Actually, it's pretty damn smart to know your audience and make a joke they will appreciate. It's called wit.

[akhinaten]

inside joke (they got it, you did not)

[Hypnotron2006]

This was an amazing speech. I really hope you all get a chance to see the entire thing. This was one of the most inspiring speeches he's ever given and he really challenged these students to go out and serve this country.