Osama '08!!

[Upchurch]

Oops (http://timesunion.com/AspStories/storyprint.asp?StoryID=728326)

''No question this is an honest mistake innocently done,'' said Edward McDonough, the Democratic commissioner. ''We catch almost everything.''

''This was a typo,'' said Republican Commissioner Larry Bugbee. ''We have three different staff members who proof these things and somehow the typo got by us.''

[Ausmerican]

Do you think it is possible to feel more embarrassed than the mentioned "three different staff members who proof these things" feel today?

[Upchurch]

Do you think it is possible to feel more embarrassed than the mentioned "three different staff members who proof these things" feel today?
Before or after they have to apply for unemployment?

[corplinx]

Can we just call him Barry-O to reduce the chances of career ending typos?

[Ausmerican]

Before or after they have to apply for unemployment?

"And why did you leave your last job sir? Ohhhhh, I see...."

[geni]

Before or after they have to apply for unemployment?

I doubt that proof reading ballot papers is a perminant job in any case.

Typo? a is next to s and you might lose the b so maybe.

[Skeptic]

I can easily believe such a typo happened, since we tend to read (and write) whole words in context, not read letter-by-letter. I don't think mixing "Osama" with "Obama" -- both words seen often enough lately, God knows -- means more here than writing "they're" for "their" or "it's" for "its".

[Upchurch]

Oh, I can easily believe it was an innocent typo. What I have a harder time with is three editors missing it. I think geni is right that this was not a permanent job. I'd be willing to bet they weren't actually experienced editors.

I've worked with experienced editors. They will bloody up a piece I thought was near perfect.

Not that I think this is indicative of anything other than a mistake.

[Peephole]

When trying to hit the B key, my fingers also often hit the S key.

(for comic effect, check out where those keys on your keyboard actually are)

[jj]

Can we just call him Barry-O to reduce the chances of career ending typos?

Well, the last politician to go by "Barry" (G) was certainly one of the good guys.

[XBoxWarrior]

When trying to hit the B key, my fingers also often hit the S key.

I'll assume sarcasm...But what a BS answer...it's not an SB deal, it's BS. ;)

[Whiplash]

I've made the opposite mistake a couple times recently when discussion terrorism with friends and co-workers. Saying "Obama" instead of "Osama" and (honestly) quite unintentionally.

[Ausmerican]

I've made the opposite mistake a couple times recently when discussion terrorism with friends and co-workers. Saying "Obama" instead of "Osama" and (honestly) quite unintentionally.

I am outraged! :D

[Octavo]

I am outraged! :D

Look everyone. Ausmerican is outraged. :D

[tomwaits]

osama written on NY county ballot (http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=728326)

[The Painter]

At least they used his first name and not his middle name. Imagine; Hussein Osama, yeah that'll bring in the votes.


Kidding aside even Uncle Teddy has trouble with Osama, oops, I mean Obama's name;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YaRpx3LphI

[Puppycow]

Oh, I can easily believe it was an innocent typo. What I have a harder time with is three editors missing it.

That is hard to believe. On a ballot, what is more important to check than the spelling of the candidates' names? A typo anywhere else on the ballot is one thing, but misspelling the candidate's name? Especially this misspelling.

I assume they will send new ballots, right?

[Alferd_Packer]

Don't the campaigns proof them as well?

[Skeptic]

When trying to hit the B key, my fingers also often hit the S key.

(for comic effect, check out where those keys on your keyboard actually are)

(Shrug)

Most typos are not like that at all -- they're not the result of hitting a wrong key, but of typing one familiar word instead of another familiar word. We tend to think (and type) in words, not letters. This seems to be exactly what happened here: both "Obama" and "Osama" naturally appear frequently in politics nowadays.

Ever typed "their" instead of "they're" or "you're" for "your", Peephole?

[CptColumbo]

When I read about this in the paper yesterday I thought sarcastically, "well this is will probably blow over and be forgotten quickly."

Mistakes happen, but this is a stupid one given the recent troubles with ballots in other states. Hopefully the printer and the proofreaders eat crow for quite a while.

[geni]

(Shrug)

Most typos are not like that at all -- they're not the result of hitting a wrong key, but of typing one familiar word instead of another familiar word. We tend to think (and type) in words, not letters. This seems to be exactly what happened here: both "Obama" and "Osama" naturally appear frequently in politics nowadays.



Maybe but the a being right next to s is somewhat sugestive of what happened in this case.

[Meadmaker]

At least this was in a solid blue state. Imagine what would have happened if we had a situation analogous to Palm Beach County Florida in 2000?

I'm picturing Obama behind by 500 votes in order to get the Presidency, and arguing about whether they should revote any ballots where "Osama" appeared.

[gtc]

On Row 1A, Barack Obama's name is spelled Barack Osama — a name bearing an unfortunate resemblance to terror mastermind Osama bin Laden - but further down on the Working Families line it is spelled correctly.


What do they mean by the Working Families line? Is this a different party that nominated Obama?

[Damien Evans]

What do they mean by the Working Families line? Is this a different party that nominated Obama?

It's an addition by Kevin Rudd.

[UserGoogol]

At least this was in a solid blue state. Imagine what would have happened if we had a situation analogous to Palm Beach County Florida in 2000?

I'm picturing Obama behind by 500 votes in order to get the Presidency, and arguing about whether they should revote any ballots where "Osama" appeared.

That was my initial reaction. In New York it's mostly harmless, but something like that could be a real problem to say the least. (I mean, it's looking like it will not come to something that close, but it would still be unpleasant if even a state not necessary to win the election could be swung by such a minor detail.)

[gtc]

It's an addition by Kevin Rudd.

President Rudd, has a ring to it.

[Damien Evans]

President Rudd, has a ring to it.

Anything to get him out of Australia...

(Or, at least off the TV)

[gtc]

Anything to get him out of Australia...

(Or, at least off the TV)

Well, I figure he already spends enough time over there, he may as well become their leader too.