Transcript: President Bush's speech in Halifax today

WhiteHouse.gov ^ | 12/1/04 | Pres. George W. Bush

[My2Cents]

We should object to "Freedom Fries" being covered with stinky French cheese.

[youngtory]

The gravy is so hot that the curds melt.;)

[Wolfstar]

chs68: Mexicans, Canadians, Panamanians, and citizens of the other Central American penninsula nations are also North Americans. However, the short description for citizens of the United States of America is, and always has been, American. We take our short description from the fourth word in the full title of our nation.

As I mentioned in Post #55, the colonists who occupied the area that eventually became the United States (and Canada, for that matter) were called Americans by the world powers of the day long before there was a United States or a Canada.

The formal title of the Declaration is:
The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies
In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776

The date was followed by a subtitle ending in a comma, which led to the first paragraph. The subtitle is:
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

The concluding paragraph of the declaration begins as follows:
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled,

Notice that the founders used the grammatical formulation of a lower case 'u' in united, and capitalized 'States of America.' This emphasized that each of the states considered itself a sovereign nation, and that each of the sovereign states were united in declaring their independence.

The Declaration was, obviously, written in 1776. By 1787, after independence was won, and when the Constitution was written, the grammatical form changed to capitalize the 'u' in United, making that word part of the new nation's formal name. You can see it in the Constitution's preamble:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

You can also see it in the Constitution's last original article:

Article. VII.
The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.
done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,

Thus, we are Americans, not in the broader context of the names of the two continents of this hemisphere, but in the strict context of the 228-year-old formal name of our nation.

[Wolfstar]

Maybe C-Span will run it again at two am.

Probably more like 3:00am, just to make sure even insominacs are finally asleep.

[Wolfstar]

Miss. Beazley has to attend puppy school first, poor baby.

You mean before she even arrives at the WH? You mean she won't be with the first family for Christmas? Well poo on that!

[cyncooper]

And it was SEARED in his memory...


LOL

[My2Cents]

Man, that guy is never going to live that down. LOL

[GretchenM]

I loved this line; emphasis mine.

"The affection that appeared in an instant will always be there, and it runs deep."

[JudyinCanada]

Only in America are they "freedom fries".

Up here they are still "french fries". 8)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They've developed a better attitude after arriving in New Orleans. The chow is better, too.

[CedarDave]

The formal title of the Declaration is: The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776

You must not mention this scurrilous document. Don't you know it has been banned in at least one California school because it dares to mention a "Creator"?

[Grampa Dave]

I will be watching with popcorn and at least a good micro brew. I might upgrade to a California bubbly.

[Wolfstar]

You must not mention this scurrilous document.

I live in Los Angeles. In defiance of that stupid school ruling, the day the news broke, I posted the entire Declaration on that news thread. If I lived near that school, I'd pay for an ad in the local paper and have the entire Declaration printed in the newspaper.

[goldstategop]

Yes.... its like chili - as I said on another thread its fast food in French Canada. You either love it or hate it. Kinda like the "Red Bull" drink Rush described on his show today. (laughing)

[Wolfstar]

I think the occasion might just warrant breaking out the bubbly. There are fewer Dems, and the ones that are left are angrier than ever -- except for the ones in red states who are afraid of Dubya's coattails when they run for reelection in '06. Gonna be fun to watch. Most of the huge Republican delegation will be jumping up and down cheering about every three minutes. Chuckie Hagel will look for his chance to "separate" him self from the President. Arlen Specter will be looking over his shoulder to see who's coming after him next. Lincoln Chaffee will look as clueless as ever. Hillary will pretend to be interested. Teddy or "Sheets" Byrd will fall asleep. There will be a big hole where Daschle used to sit. Assorted phony Dem congress critters will fall all over themselves to be seen shaking the President's hand or patting him on the back. And Jim (who?) Jeffords will increasingly be the forgotten man.

It's gonna be the best theater in town.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I think you're on to something.

[NZerFromHK]

Yeah, a good speech. Well done (as usual), W.!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Must be an acquired taste.