Redietz, I agree with you, this has nothing to do with a liberal versus conservative debate. Every president has made some ridiculous gaffes in their speeaches. I mean George W Bush Jr probably is the record holder in this, or at least in mangling the English language.
But I just don’t see this as a big deal. After I read your post, I went on the internet to read up on it. Yes, to the more enlightened Americans they are going to know the star spangled banner was inspired by the War of 1812. But I really believe average Joe American would probably associate the Star Spangled Banner with the Revolutionary War. I mean 1776 and 1812 are not that far apart. I real gaffe would have been putting it during one of the World Wars.
I could see a speech writer making this mistake, and it being missed by the people who proofread the speeach. I mean this was an off the cuff speech for Independence Day. It was not some State of the Union speeach. One speech writer probably made this blunder, and the proofers missed it. It happens. I don’t see the big deal.
For the record, I do think this history is far above 5th grader level. I’d bet you a lot of money most high school students would get it wrong if you’d ask them what war inspired the Star Spangled banner. I get for you it’s somrthing that is ingrained in your mind. It is for me too, since I’ve visited Ft Mchenry when my parents visited me. My dad’s a big history buff. But before I visited Ft McHenry, I don’t know if I’d have remembered the war that inspired the Star Spangled banner. Yes, we learned it sometime during grade school, but it’s not like we take refresher courses on this stuff.
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