The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.
Other Than That, the Story Was Accurate
“Correction: King Abdullah’s Dog Wasn’t Treated in Israel”–headline, YNetNews.com (Israel), April 6
Broccoli Complaints, on the Other Hand, Remain Common
“Vet Calls Egg Plant Complaints Rare”–headline, Portland (Maine) Press Herald, April 4
Breaking News From November 2009
“Turkey Awaits Obama With Mixed Emotions”–headline, Los Angeles Times, April 5
What’s Austrian for ‘Anschluss’?
The Associated Press reports on an exchange President Obama had with an Austrian reporter at a press conference after the weekend’s NATO summit:
Obama said he was “extraordinarily impressed” by the quality of leadership he witnessed at the organization’s 60th anniversary meeting.
“It was also interesting to see that political interaction in Europe is not that different from the United States Senate,” said Obama, a former senator. “There’s a lot of–I don’t know what the term is in Austrian–wheeling and dealing, and, you know, people are pursuing their interests, and everybody has their own particular issues and their own particular politics.”
Obama might not have meant it this way, but his reference to “Austrian” is a timely reminder of the incalculable moral debt Europe owes America. Had we not saved their bacon during World War II, is there any doubt the people of Austria would be speaking German? [NOTE: Mr. Tarano is being sarcastic here – there is no language called “Austrian” – Austrians speak German. What do you think would have happened in the media if President Bush had said this?]
For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.
