President Obama of These Fifty Seven States of the Union

Recently, during a campaign swing in Oregon, Senator Barack Obama, candidate for US President, displayed a curious ignorance of geography of the country that he proposes to lead. He has increased the size of the United States by at least seven states.

Obama has the following to say at a stop in the town of Beaverton. "It is wonderful to be back in Oregon. 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."

Obama supporters ascribed the gaffe to fatigue on the part of the candidate, though some pundits wondered what would have happened had John McCain made it. The gaffe has already resulted in the marketing of US flag label pins with fifty seven stars.

The Obama campaign has been gaffe prone, likely because of the candidate's inexperience in national politics. Still memorable are the "Bittergate" remarks made to a group of doners in San Francisco in which Obama appeared to denigrate people living in small towns as "bitter" clinging to God and guns and what not. The "Bittergate" gaffe cost Obama a good thrashing in the subsequent Pennsylvania Primary.

Obama's wife, Michelle, stated that, "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change." That statement suggested that up until that point, Ms. Obama had not been proud of her country.

Hillary Clinton's most famous gaffe was the story of dodging sniper fire during a trip to Bosnia when she had been First Lady. Video evidence strongly suggested that story was not true. The gaffe became the source of endless jokes, especially explaining why Senator Clinton was late to an event.