Barack Obama wants to be president of these 57 United States

Ah, Oregon. The beautiful Northwest. Rain. Trees. Clouds. Rain. Friendly territory for Sen. Barack Obama, the leading contender for the Democratic Party's long-disputed presidential nomination.

So there he was in Beaverton today at the start of a two-day swing through Oregon, virtually ignoring his remaining Democratic opponent, what's-her-name from New York, as part of his new strategy to act like the actual nominee while she flails around way behind in numbers.

Naturally, this being the Northwest where everything is not ruined quite yet, his staff had Obama visit an eco-friendly company, Vernier Software & Technology, that makes products for science teachers. He could get education in there too, see?

In his prepared remarks Obama was ready to start blasting Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, to show the Illinois Democrat is moving on to the general election campaign.

But first the freshman senator had to go through all the....

...obligatory delighted to see you, delighted to be here part of stump speeches that also require that you actually know where you are.

Obama pulled that off O.K. But then he drifted away from the text a tad, as rookies are wont to do sometimes, forgetting how exhausting this primary process is and should be. And trusting in their instincts, their very tired instincts.

"It is wonderful to be back in Oregon," Obama said. "Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go. Alaska and Hawaii, I was not allowed to go to even though I really wanted to visit, but my staff would not justify it."

The Times' conscientious Robin Abcarian thought she heard something different there. She checked her tape recorder. It had captured what he had actually said -- 57 states now. A new Louisiana Purchase that's gone unannounced so far? Was he channeling his inner John Kerry-Heinz 57 personality?

(UPDATE: At a later stop Obama was talking with reporters and expressed concern he'd also mis-stated the number of potential cyclone victims in Burma. He said, ""I hope I said 100,000 people the first time instead of 100 million. I understand I said there were 57 states today. It's a sign that my numeracy is getting a little, uh." At that point, an aide cut him off and ushered journalists out. Before he could mis-speak again?)

Oh, and as far as Hawaii voters are concerned, they're probably delighted to learn that Obama's campaign staff doesn't think that tiny state can justify an appearance by his eminence, even though he did a lot of growing up there. Or maybe because he was there.

Let's see what they do with that in the Honolulu media, which the Republicans have probably already notifed.

Maybe it's Obama's age. He's getting up there in his forties, you know.

(ANOTHER UPDATE: Because of a new development in this situation another item on this subject has been posted here.)

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo Credit: AP / Joe Raymond

Comments

[florencio]

Could the other states be;

51) The U.K.
52) Canada
53) Australia
54) New Zealand
55) U.S./U.K Virgin Islands
56) South Africa
57) India

Remember the common languages....

[Sam]

Think about it guys - he said 57 states. He ALSO said he hadn't gotten to go to Alaska and Hawaii, and he had one more state to visit. So that's three states he hasn't visited. What's 50 minus 3? 47. Forty-seven and fifty-seven sound pretty similar. Getting tongue-tied and accidentally saying the wrong word happens to the best of us - even when we're not talking in front of that many people. Give the guy a break, he's doing a great job to have gotten this far.

[Sam]

Think about it guys - he said 57 states. He ALSO said he hadn't gotten to go to Alaska and Hawaii, and he had one more state to visit. So that's three states he hasn't visited. What's 50 minus 3? 47. Forty-seven and fifty-seven sound pretty similar. Getting tongue-tied and accidentally saying the wrong word happens to the best of us - even when we're not talking in front of that many people. Give the guy a break, he's doing a great job to have gotten this far.

[Obama/Richardson fan]

I think he meant to say 47 states instead of 57, notice he then said "I think one left to go. Alaska and Hawaii, I was not allowed to go to even though I really wanted to visit, but my staff would not justify it." 47+ "one left to go" plus Alaska and Hawaii equals the 50 states. However he might also have been including other areas. For example I notice that many people speak of the 51 states (when speaking of the general election presidential voting), because they are apparently including the District of Columbia as a "state". Further in the Democratic primaries/caucuses Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and other US territories, as well as DC, cast votes - I wonder if there are a total of 57 contests in the race for the Democratic nomination, however Obama did not visit those territories (though he did visit DC) as part of his campaign for President.

[Marc]

Stop making excuses for Obama. In one's most drunken stuper people who are government officials know the US has only 50 states. Territories are not states and they have never been mistaken for US States.

Get it through your head: Barry is short on facts and long on rhetoric. He was successful as a law student because without Lexus-Nexxus he'd be incapable of something requiring concrete facts off the top of his head.

As a Mechanical Engineer the man is the most mentally stunted of all the candidates in Hard Sciences.

McCain having gone through Anapolis is required to have a solid Science background.

Clinton has shown countlessly her knowledge of even the most rudimentary facts of Science, if not the applied theory.

Obama can't even get current events clear in his head and it's not as if he's been truly pressed seeing as his staff has barred any debates.

Guess what Obama fans: In the General Election you can't deny debates sactioned for the Main Event.

The man can't think on his feet without a teleprompter. This quick wit is crucial in diplomacy.

This isn't something you learn--you have this by the time your personality is fully developed.

[VOTE REPUBLICAN!]

He's an idiot-- a typical ..."govment" ...take care of me-- IDIOT!

[claspur]

NObama will implode in running for the General Election.
I heard about this gaff this morning, and a blogger posted this article off a post on Little Green Footballs regarding how NObama would meet with heads of terrorist nations, unconditionally.
Now, that's some good info reading there, on that issue....with video evidence of John "the Waffle" Kerry style waffling.
No....NObama will im'splode himself before November, folks.

[Kate]

Maybe the seven other states are Obama's seven other states of mind...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Hey, hey, vote Republican!!

[Kate]

Maybe the seven other states are Obama's seven other states of mind...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Hey, hey, vote Republican!!

[Mike]

Amazing. Obama admitted that Alaska and Hawaii were the only states he hadn't yet been to. And then your later comments made it sound like it was only Hawaii. What about Alaska voters? What about Anchorage media? Catch on -- there are 50 states, and it's time you started remembering that.

[MotherGinSling]

Their are actually 56 contests in the Democratic primary, all listed at RealClearPolitics.com:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/presi ...
Some folks aren't aware that the primary includes American Samoa, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, Democrats Abroad, District of Columbia
I'm not sure where 57 comes from instead of 56, but he phrased it with uncertainty like a question.

[matt smock]

No, it wasn't a joke and he wasn't referring to the territories. Sorry Why would a candidate waste time campaigning in territories that don't have delegates? It was a slip of the tongue. He meant to say forty-seven, not fifty-seven states; he said he skipped one contiguous state and Alaska and Hawaii.

[glo]

I AM SO SICK OF HAVING THIS GUY RAMMED DOWN OUR THROATS.....

He's stupid, arrogant, inexperienced, did I say stupid...he want's to be President and he doesn't even know how many states there are......A junior college graduate knows that......GET A CLUE FOOLS THIIS GUY IS A FAKE.

Go Hillary

[James]

How stupid are you people? It's a *JOKE* phrase that's been around for years, as is "That would be illegal in 57 states."

Maybe you also think the Beatles really thought there were 8 days in a week?

Get a life, or at least get a brain.

(Nice try, James. If you get a chance, watch the video. But then you'll see he wasn't joking. So, nevermind.)

[John Kenny]

It must be part of the Change thing he keeps talking about.

I guess in that unifying he will first divide a few states, into two or so.

[James]

Must be a Roschach test -- it sounded like an ad-libbed joke to me (and, it would seem, to the audience as well, from their appreciative laughter), but maybe I was already primed to hear "57 states" as a punch line, since I've heard it so many times before. It seemed like the kind of joke where you start to say something, realize it's close to a punch line, and just go with it. But I can see where others might not have gotten that.

So there seem to be three possibilities:

(1) It was a joke (70% chance, by my estimate)
(2) He started to say "50", attempted to correct it to "47" and it came out as "57". (30% chance?)
(3) A scholar and senator who's been to 47 states, has done the math to get delegates from them, and has done the math to get the required EV's in the general election, doesn't know how many states there are (less than 0.0000000000000000001% chance).

Why ignore the obvious choices when you can choose the absurd one?

Btw, what's the take on McCain's persistent confusion wrt Sunni vs. Shiite, and his confusion about which side Iran is supporting? (Oops, sorry, that would be a conversation about something substantive.) Actually, since I'm traveling, I can't follow up on this, but go for it anyway if you wish...

Btw, there seems to be another James who posted earlier. My only previous post was just before this one.

[fltii]

he apparently meant to say 47, and said fifty.

when he was asked about it again, he wasn't about to mis speak, but over speak. using the obscure linguistic term numeracy... numeric literacy, actually a word... new to me, but he may have been labeled as intellectual, if a slightly absent minded one after 15 months of 15+ hour days.

obama mis spoke once and works all the time...

what is bush the vacationer's excuse?

[Carly]

I guess Obama isn't smarter than a 5th grader...

BTW: Is ANYTHING ever Obama's fault?

[Ardeshir Dolat]

Where did he get number 57 from?? Have you wondered??

The answer is here:

http://ardeshird.blogspot.com/

[Fuldermox]

I guess if the phone rings at 3:57 AM, we'll be okay.

[MrUniteUs]

Let's see Obama was head of the Harvard Law review,
a Constitutional law professor, and unlike Hillary he past the bar the first time. He knows there are only 50 states.

Now who can tell us what other locations particpate in the Democratic primaries.

[molaske]

If there is 1 to go and he had to skip 2, then he obviously meant to say 47. Can you imagine that -- saying 57 when you meant 47?

Now Hillary's supporters have posted in 1000s of blog comments that this is clear proof he's not ready for the job of president. Of all the things they could post as an argument for why super delegates should support her against the pledged del plurality, this is what they chose to cut and paste.

This is why she has lost the nomination.

[Jay]

He sounds like a person on the street for one of Jay Leno's pieces! That is too funny!! But hey, he's for HOPE and THE FUTURE, so maybe he will convert some of the US possessions into states sometime in the FUTURE, or they can certainly HOPE! What an empty suit!!! Woohoo, I can't wait for the general election!

[submandave]

James, one possibility you failed to list is that he just spoke without listening to what he was saying. I don't buy either the joke or, in fairness, stupidity theories. It seems much more likely that he was just phoning in his appearance and not paying much attention to what he was saying. Not a particularly flattering picture of the candidate, but one that makes more sense for me than him being a total dunce or making a stupid joke that isn't even funny in theory.

As for the silly "states + teritories" nonsense, if his staff couldn't justify going to HI, a place the Senator lived, please explain how he's been to American Samoa, Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands. The fact that I saw the exact same thing verbatim in multiple posts indicates to me that this may a semi-official deescalation effort.

[Truth]

There are 51 US states (yes, Washington DC is considered a state) and there are 6 US territories. 51 + 6 = 57
Perhaps people should check the facts before they blow things out of proportion…do the math!

[Julia]

I believe Obama just misspoke, but the funniest thing about any of this on this blog is how furious his supporters get when you question Obama about anything. The outright indignation that anyone dares to question Obama about anything is absolutely hysterical. The more his groupies act like moonies, the easier it is to dismiss Obama as any type of serious contender for the Presidency.

[skindoc2000]

Look up the OIC...Organization of Islamic States)....There are 57 states in OIC...This guy is trouble.

[Heywood Jablome]

Do you think Obama has LOST HIS BEARINGS?

[Larry]

All you Barack Obama supporters out there need you heads examined.
This guy is the biggest "Lefty" we have serving in the U.S. Senate. He leaves something to be desired in the patriotism department also. How can anybody who associates with Terrorists, such as Bill Ayres and someone who has spent 20 years belonging to a church whose pastor preaches nothing but hate for this country even be considered to run for the highest office in the land and be the leader of the Free World.
If he is elected president I guarantee you will see "Change". I'm talking about the change you will have left in your pockets after he has raised your taxes. I for one think that I pay enough taxes right now and don't want to pay for anymore "Free-loaders". I'm 65 years old and have busted my butt to be able to retire and be comfortable and don't want to be taking care of people who want to live off the "Fat of the Land".

[Rick]

This is worse than the Dan Quayle "Potatoe" Fiasco. This guy is either an idiot or he is confusing the U.S. with the 57 Islamic States.

[MoKev]

He was referring to his Islamic Conference Membership which has 57 states. When he goes off his script the real story comes out.
Organisation of the Islamic Conference
Membership 57 member states
Leaders
- Secretary-General Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu
Website
http://www.oic-oci.org/

[Evelyn weatherhead]

i think if obama wins i will leave the democratic party.
what is america doing letting him even run?
anyone that won't salute the flag shouldn't even be allowed to run.
i know several hundred people that feel the same as i do
the only reason he got in there is cause he's sleeping with oprah.
and if he gets in there we will be so much worse off.
i thought it was bad with bush.
no one will have a chance.
espically if your white.
we are the minority already.

[mike]

Too bad it wasn't Mccain who said "57" because then the moonbats would be having a field day over questioning his age. BHO will win the dem nomination because blacks won't vote for anyone else - not that theres anything wrong with that!!!

[james granata]

Obama will not be a president of any states this year.

Posted by: Joe | May 09, 2008 at 08:58 PM

How about next year in late January?

[GB- in Florida- AND Yes WE CAN!]

You need to keep things in perspective- mis stating 57 versus 47 is really not a bad slip of the tongue when you compare it with Clinton saying repeatedly she had dodge sniper fire in Bosnia. For anyone that has lived through an invasion or war (I have) you DONT forget THAT moment you don't forget the bombs near you don’t forget that you have your little daughter Chelsea with you. She is a LIAR! As for Mc Cain our senator with the most experience confuses SEVERAL times Shiites (Iran) and Sunnis (al-Qaeda)...if Senator Obama would have made any of these "mistakes" the media would have not been as merciful. KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE We need leaders we can trust. Look at where we are right now with the economy the war etc... We need CHANGE and we need it NOW!!

[karl]

57 States ?

How can anyone be that stupid .....and be running for President of the United States. What are you protecting, a fool. If he is an idiot....admit it. Can you imagine Obama as our decision maker, duh?

Hell, I'll debate him and kick his ass! I have no respect for this political BS.

Hey, look the big mistake. Lets lower the bar....affirmative action.

[Karl]

Quit making excuses for Obama. He is as dumb as they come. Lets pass him to the fifth grade.

Affirmative Action in progress. Lets lower the bar so everything will be fair.....just like they did at Harvard.

Bush rides the short bus, too!

[Dinh Diep]

Are you puzzled that Obama could have mentioned 57 states for the United States of America ? Read the following link :
http://www.oic-oci.org/oicnew/page_detail.asp?p_id=52
He has in mind the 57 muslim states in the Organization of the Islamic Conference:
The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations which has membership of 57 states spread over four continents. The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world and ensuring to safeguard and project the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world. The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on 12th Rajab 1398 Hijra (25 September 1969) as a result of criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
Obame really scares me. That's the reason he has friend as Farakhan, visits Khadafi, and wants the be friend to Iran. And Most of all, he doesn't to wear the American flag pin.

[SS]

If McCain had said 57 states, its all over the news and he's fighting to get back. If Clinton had said 57 states, she's done. Obama says 57 states and its, "Oh, isn't he sweet." Wake up people! Obama is a sham, he's the man behind the white curtain in the Wizard of Oz. Don't believe the hype.

[goldilocks]

If McCain is senile, this clown is demented. Good luck you sheep.

[nana]

He "was born of a teen age mother who was on welfare for awhile...." Let's see, it is widely reported that his mother met his father while she was in college, so, she must have been at least 18 years old. 18 years old, or 19 years old, living with her parents, does not make her the typical "teen aged mother". She sounds more like a sexually active young woman, independent enough to leave her son in the care of her parents while she pursued her own interests and fulfillment, as did his father. He clearly has issues of abandonment, which may explain why he cannot abandon associations that are not good for him and why he cannot tolerate anyone who does not accept him or who challenges him.

[Frank]

The only 57 states Obama really knows about are the 57 Islamic states.

[Austin]

"What passes for politics in this country".... is very sad and pathetic. The way that our media covers all the political candidates, is like the school playground bullies laughing at the geeky kid who tripped and fell down. No one actually wants to discuss the campaign issues.

Are there really that many people who really still think Obama is a Muslim??? I can forgive the ignorant, because they are victims of the liars. But so many people (many who call themselves Christians) who think it's ok, and even fun, to spread outright lies about someone whose political opinions they disagree with. REAL Christians don't do that (read the Ten Commandments, genuises).

[Cryos]

I love how people project qualities onto Obama even though his actions contradict his words. For such “intellectuals” the brain drain evident in Obama support is pretty depressing. I guess some people are so caught up in an ideal they put blinders on to reality.

By the way I hope you obama supporters like Robocalls, telemarketers and targeted advertising. Lol your great leader who has your devoted attention is milking you for your personal information for personal gain. But I suppose there is some excuse for that too like everything else. Here’s some change you can believe in suckers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080428/pl_bloomberg/aw_qty8aivto;_ylt=AgGe54voz_hMunt9mll6Fses0NUE

http://www.barackobama.com/privacypolicy/

[Willard Morgan]

I would expect the President of the United States, even if he/she were called at 3:00 am, to know that there are 50 states. Obama is NOT "Smarter than A Fifth Grader".

[Tilmon]

Okay steve said he is a "feedom dupporter" hopefully meaning to say freedom supporter. How can you all try to clown Obama when you don't even kow what you support and nonetheless spell it. Hillary wants to be Billl and get hers in the Oval Office, maybe from Monica Lewinsky too and has filled the country with insurmountable lies. McCain is a pseudointellect and just another Bush who will push the country further into debt and we will have a depression and be at war at the same time, which will probably lead to a draft the way the government is now. McCain will also damge the efforts put forth by Jimmy Carter to have peace in the Middle East. The battle with Kim Jong IL and North Korea is not over and he will damage that even more.. shall I go further? Anyway, Obama is the best fit at this point because at least he has been honest so far and has made an attempt to balance the budget. Right now he is the best chance we have at improving the economy.

[Ryan]

This has been bothering me the entire time: You say that he meant the 50 states plus Washington D.C. and then the six territories. The problem is that he would still be quite off, because he has campaigned in only "57 states" but not 3 of them, which does not make any sense if there are 57 States/Territories. Here, I will try and clarify:

57 States/Territories minus Alaska and Hawaii - one state left = 54 states/territories. That makes absolutely no sense. I don't know if Obama truly meant the 57 Islamic states, but he certainly did not mean "States/Territories"

[Hillary Kitten]

It's not Obama's fault that he thought there were 57 states. His campaign staff forgot to brief him.

[William Saturn]

Obama says Hezbollah has "legitimate claims".

Obama says he will meet with the Iranian government without preconditions

Obama is friends with a man who tried to blow up the Pentagon with Weatherman Underground

And now he believes there are 57 states...
And he is right...
There are 57 Islamic states (http://www.iheu.org/node/2546)

[tk]

Whoever this evelyn weatherhead is, you need to shut up and sit down. You think you know what it feels like to be a minority. Wherever you go out do you get stares? Or no when you go home and get out the car do you have to watch your back to make sure no one is after you? No no do you hear shots every night when you try to sleep? I bet you couldn't say yes for either of those so be quiet. Most of these people who don"t want to support Obama are either wealthy, don't want to listen to him or let's face it racist! You haven't been the minority a day in your life so don't try to claim it.