E&P: Bush's Iraq "comma" reference comes from religion, Gracie Allen

[DeepModem Mom]

Editor&Publisher: Bush's 'Comma': Courtesy of Gracie Allen?
The mystery of what President Bush meant when he likened the Iraq war to "just a comma" may be solved. It seems to have been inspired by current Christian teaching --and a quote from batty comedienne Gracie Allen.
By Greg Mitchell

(September 26, 2006) -- Like many others, I was initially confused – though appalled – when President Bush, in a CNN interview with Wolf Blitzer aired Sunday, stated that years from now, when the smoke perhaps settles, the Iraq war will be viewed as “just a comma.” Various wags have suggested that he actually said “coma,” or meant to say “asterisk” but did not know how to pronounce it. I thought that perhaps he meant “blip” or “footnote” – though that wouldn’t make the sentiment any less revolting, especially for the thousands of dead.

In any case, if you watch the CNN video, you will see the president stumbling a bit after making that statement, as if he hadn’t quite finished the thought or phrase, or was afraid to. That sent me googling in search of an answer, which I believe I have found.

This is it: He likely meant to finish it off by suggesting that, looking back, the Iraq war will be viewed as “just a comma, not a period.”

Not surprisingly, this is rooted in current Christian teaching, often in reference to Jesus’s death, or more generally as “Don’t put a period where God puts a comma.”

Where does this come from? Not directly from the scripture, apparently. A quote by comedienne Gracie Allen is cited on many religious Web sites: "Never place a period where God has placed a comma."...Rev. Philip Blackwell of a First United Methodist Church in Chicago opened a sermon last year with this: “I am wearing a comma lapel pin that was given to me by my good friend and United Church of Christ minister, Chuck Wildman. The comma is part of the most recent advertising campaign of the UCC. The punch line is, ‘Don’t put a period where God has put a comma.’ That’s a good line. I asked Chuck who said that, which famous theologian. And he replied, ‘Gracie Allen.’...Did (Bush) fail to finish his thought – linking the comma to the period – for fear of invoking his Christianity in discussing a murderous war? Or did he want to avoid being linked to Gracie Allen?

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003157235

[Nickster]

1. Good stuff. Looks like E&P nailed it. He probably had just seen it on

late night re-runs the previous evening and couldn't remember the punchline, but remembers that Gracie got a few laughs from it.

[gratuitous]

2. Whyizzit?

When Bush says something so callous, so absolutely dismissive of the all the bloodshed in Iraq, folks are lining up ten deep to explain what he "really" meant by his comment, and it wasn't really so bad, and gee, he's such a swell Christian man, and aren't you ashamed of thinking badly of him?

But a Democrat can have a moment in front of the microphone totally ripped out of context, replayed 800 times over two weeks, and firmly fix in the public mind that he's deranged or worse.

I suppose going back to Bush and asking him what he meant by his outrageous comment never enters anyone's mind.

[grytpype]

3. My thoughts:

1. The story about Gracie Allen is very probably bullshit, it's just another fake quotation (a pet peeve of mine).

2. Bush didn't want to say the word "period" because he can't face the fact that it's over for us in Iraq, we can't win without a massive mobilization of the country and escalation of the conflict and there is no public support for that.

[FormerDem06]

4. I interpreted it differently, but I could be wrong...

I though Bush meant that it would be a comma in the history books with regards to the War that is rising up between Radical Religion nuts (at this point Islamic) and modern culture. Iraq won't be the end, just a place in the middle and somebody else, besides Bush will have to put the period on this part of history (or if we don't fight it, have the period put on it for us).

But the religious thing makes sense too especially considering his background.

[T Wolf]

5. In defense of Gracie Allen, her "dumb" act was the

brilliant glue that made her and George so damn funny. For decades he said that all he had to do was ask her a simple question and then get out of the way.

They were one of the best and innovative comedy teams of all time.

And at least ten times as smart as any puke currently in power.

[Geoff R. Casavant]

6. Burns and Allen were a team for the ages

When they were starting out, George was doing his own solo comedy act, and IIRC Gracie was in a troupe. The first night they went on together, George saw how many laughs she was getting, set his ego aside, and wrote all their acts with himself as the straight man and Gracie as the star.

Must be why their marriage lasted until Gracie's death, too.

[MrCoffee]

7. My interpretation (FWIW):

Iraq is just the opening act for the shitstorm that will erupt after we invade Iran.

[hang a left]

8. But wasn't he reading his answers

to the scripted questions. I didn't see it but read that is what he was doing.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

9. Great. Next thing numbnuts will be telling us

is to get ready for the rapture.
This reminds me of the crap he pulled with the Dred Scott/slavery issue, using language the pro-life/anti-choicers would interpret in their favor.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/10/9/16460/5820