“Put in context” doesn’t mean “excused.”

Do you really think he that the slips about the # of states or the profit & earnings ratio are “beliefs” (as opposed to “tongue outrunning brain”)?

LOL, knew this one would get you.

No, clearly these are slips of the tongue. But it seems as if its become the political norm to call someone stupid or take them at face value when they either make a slip of the tongue or are being sarcastic (which is not easily detected in print). For example, Sarah Palin was said to have believed that Africa was a continent and not a country, based on a slip of the tongue in which she referred to the “country of Africa” when she meant “continent of Africa”. I suppose I’m being too wry at the expense of being clear. But it would certainly be nice if everyone allotted each other enough space for verbal mistakes. Instead it seems as if each side catalogues the other side’s gaffes and then use the accumulated list as evidence of obvious stupidity.