Val Davydov-

No, but mangling our Constitution and lying to start a war are.

jim – chicago:

Only nitwits like you would think that this is a viable reason for impeachment.

To Kristy Sanborn

Talk about uninformed. The Taliban tried to ban poppy production while in power. All things dubbed profane including drugs and alcohol, which punishable by death. It's these same remote villages that you speak of that even the Taliban couldn't control. The laws of orthodox Islam strictly forbid these types of thing. It is the West's unquenchable thirst for hashish and heroin, that pushes drug production in a country whose inhospitable geography and climate will allow them to grow only the toughest plants. If America would allow it's own people to grow their own marijuana and opium, we wouldn't be once again, outsourcing another job to a foreign country.
Me being a marijuana user, I find it laughable that you think, because someone smokes a little hash or opium that they want to support terrorist organizations. What are the real reasons these zealots have so much money in their pockets. Can you say handouts from mosques in Saudi Arabia. Why has poppy production has doubled since the fall of the Taliban. Can you say it's a free country now! These people have been liberated and choose to grow poppy and marijuana. I wish Americans could be as free to choose their destiny. Farmers grows plants, politicians grow lies.

How about a ticker subject that amounts to something, other than a petty report of how the President gave out some wrong phone number, thank God he's human at least.
How about a ticker report on the latest headlines of "U.S. troops close on taliban town"?
I do note the headline gives credit to our U.S. troops, but not to the Afghan National Army going in with our soldiers, or to NATO, for this team effort get these terrorists.
This is team effort, and note how the taliban is bringing more in, and it just so happens that the town, Musa Qala, is in the world's largest poppy growing region.
The taliban protecting their drug crops.
Who and what feeds and funds the taliban?
Its a shame more Americans can't see this

mark from canada,,,, dont you have anything better to do than inter ject your oppinions into other countries affairs ? Your country is the model of efficency ? your country is asking patients to seek other means of care because Your healthcare system doesn't work. You answer to a country that is a fraction of your size,You sit back and watch other military's fight battles that you have a stake in too, then critisize every mistake that is made, all the while allowing terrorist to come and go through your country turning a blind eye to what is going on so they leave you alone. didn't work for france wont work for you either. We welcome your citizens to vacation at our beaches and visit our amusement parks like disney, we extend a hand of freind ship towards your country when ever possible. Your country is far from immune to all the same tradgedy and failures that come with being a large country like ours. I find it offensive to hear you compare my country to the demise of Rome ,,, and last I heard the British are still breathing !!!!

Bush should have given Americans a Toll Free Number for Prayer. Prayer in all languages is what Americans will need untill this Idiot is out of office. All Glimmer of Hope for America was extinguished when he was elected the first time!

impeach

I think it was mistake. Normally 1-800 is free number to call. Do not look for conspiracy. Let Liberals do their job

This is just another example of the incompetence of this administration. This is just plain embarrasing. The leader of the free world can't even get a phone number right. Some poor sap probably lost his/her job, but this is symptomatic of a level of incompetence that is staggering.

anyone else ever notice this too:
why is it everytime I see him- he has this I just crapped in my pants look- like constipation or something

or that dumb deer in the headlights look

cnn will probally not post from ol redbeard anyhow

The liberals are out in full force calling the president names over this mistake. Get real – this was an innocent mistake and was promtly corrected.

Leave it to liberals to turn a fly into an elephant and a non-story into news headlines. What a joke this bunch is. Good for nothing.

George Bush IS A WRONG NUMBER!

The Man is stupid – what else did you expect. We all know he does not really give a hoot about us Americans – look at war, look at Katrina.
Give me a break

This plan is similar to the Clinton plan. All poloticians are the same. People get a lower rate for 5 more years than the responsible people. Why not determine what rate these people can afford. If they can afford a higher rate then raise it. Freezing this rate for 5 years will only delay the problem for 5 years when hopefully neither Cliton or Bush will have any political influence.

For all you uniformed let me tell you about the investors. 401K plans, Companies whose stock is in 401K plans such as CocaCola. We bail them out and house prices stay high for 5 years. We let the economy work itself out and all our retirement plans lose value. I don't think this is a game we can win. Since I am young I vote to let me buy more stock at a lower price and drop the value of a home to what income can support for the average person.

Brian in Tampa,

Don't forget, he also had a higher GPA than Kerry!

Not to worry, my CONservative friends… Like everything else this administration does; the "bailout" is the ILLUSSION OF HELP !

President Bush’s mortgage relief plan was “set by the mortgage industry and Wall Street firms. The effort is voluntary and it leaves plenty of wiggle room for lenders. Moreover, it would affect only a small number of subprime borrowers.”

Thomas St Petersburg

1) Ronald Reagan was incapacitated most of his last term – is a FACT he lost it.
2) Gerald Ford was Clumsy – tons of video confirms that – tons – is a fact
3) Dan Quayle – my god are you for real you are defending Dan Quayle – he took on fictional characters from tv shows like they were real people – he was the dumbest VP EVER

but I give it to you the winner is George W. BUSH- his record speaks for itself… please, he started a war to get oil and he did not get any… wake up man…he makes this country look like we are all dumb for putting him in charge of the disaster they call administration.

So the man is s-l-o-w. It seems that those who voted him into office the second time didn't learn after the first term. (Talk about being slow). This proves that there truly is a dumbing down of America.

I love the way CNN offers these chances to "comment"….. but it seems if the comments arent directed towards Bashing Bush….they seem to rarely be posted. Thanks again CNN , u guys are great (Y)

I love the way us Americans stand behind our president even when some of us didnt vote for him !!! Im sure Gore would never make such an awful mistake.

Look folks, this is probably not an incident of a simple mistake. Bush is not known for his honesty, rather his deception (at least to anyone who pays attention). I don't think this was an accident at all. At first I thought it was just due to his incompetence…or just a simple error. That is, until I read the wrong number was for a company that sells CHRISTIAN HOME SCHOOL materials based in TEXAS. Does this seem like a wee bit of a coincidence to you? How much do you want to bet that we find out some connection between this company and Bush or his administration? It wouldn't be surprising, since Bush is very pro-private (esp. religious) school, homeschooling, and eradicating public education (you have to read behind the lines here since Bush never tells the truth – but he is).

What I find worse about this story is that CNN reprints the original number and where it goes – playing right into Bush's hands to advertise this place – instead of saying the old number was wrong and here's the new one!

Thomas of St. Petersburgh – My how your memory is selective. You need to open your eyes to what conservative politicians – not just people here on blogs – call liberals. If you think liberals are cruel you are completely blind. Wow.

Yes, I agree with you, jason smith. I'll go a bit further: Government bailouts, whereby the government takes money from responsible people and gives it to irresponsible people, is nothing short of legalized stealing.

GWB graduated from two ivy league schools. Was elected Governor of Texas and President on the United States twice. So for all of you liberals who love to crack dumb jokes I have one question. If he is dumb what does that make you? Your resume doesn't look near that good, does it. And spare me the rich connected daddy comebacks, there are lots of rich connected kids who never sniffed at those type accomplishments. Say, Teddy Kennedy, for one example.

Seriously, he is just so used to lying to the public that when it came to a simple factual message his sub-conscious would not let him say it with changing SOMETHING.

duh, which is the right number because you listed the incorrect number twice

Yes illegal immigrants can also apply. Wells Fargo gives mortgages to illegal immigrants.

All you need to know about Bush supporters is that Mark from Wilkes-Barre, PA spelled "rhetoric" as "rederick." Awesome.

I love how all the Bush lovers come on here and say either "big deal, wrong number" or "everyone makes mistakes"

This shows you the type of people who voted for Bush.

Did he get this number from his favourite book 'My Pet Goat' ???

The drooling, bible-thumping moron strikes again!

As an amatuer historian–I'm wondering just how this man will be remembered in history. Despised by a large percentage of his countrymen, shunned by his own political party, and abandoned by nearly all of his closest personal allies. It truly is lonely at the top.

God.. can this president EVER do ANYTHING right ????

A simple mistake. Move on people. Haven't you all made mistakes?

You know what Josh, I don't listen to these Bush bashers anymore. They make some good points, but most of their carping is nothing more than alarmist BS. According to them, EVERYTHING Bush says and does is horrific; EVERYTHING is Bush's fault. All Democrats are good and smart, All Republicans are bad and stupid. Yeah, right!!! I'm tired to hearing them cry "wolf" about the economy, our civil rights, global warming, oil companies, Halliburton, Iran, Iraq, a wrong phone #, yadayadaya…for that reason they themselves have lost credibility….and the ability to work in a bipartisan manner.

—You get their support by talking about shooting the president between the eyes. You will never hear a republican politician ever say that, see while liberals embrance such hateful, sick comments, conservatives find them repulsive.—

really doug from new jersey? I'm not sure I've ever heard democratic politicans talk about assassinating the president. The hate and anger that you refer to is hysterical to me. When Clinton was in office, the republicans were more angry and hateful than any point in modern american history. and was it because of an unjust war based on false intelligence that resulted in thousands of dead american soldiers, a foreign policy nightmare, a dreary situation with no easy resolution in sight (except for Dick Cheney, he thinks its just peachy over there), and the geratest rise in national debt in the history of the country outside of reagan (we're indebted to china, by the way, the conservative's newest target)?

Nah, the republicans of the 90's inexplicable anger centered around bill clinton's affinity for receiving oral sex. say what you will, but i'll take a competent peacetime president who oversees economic growth, runs a balanced budget, and bolsters the image of america in the world while getting blown to a dumbass retard who squanders taxpayer money on an unjust war based on lies, exacts political revenge on anyone who disagrees with the retarded positions he takes (see: the treason related to valerie plame)gives tax cuts to the rich in order to further pile on the already out of control deficit, fills important posts with his friends who are just as incompetent and unqualified as he is(read: harriet miers, alberto gonzales, the attempt at bernie kerik, etc. etc. etc.) and basically destroys the credibility and standing that this great country once enjoyed with regard to the rest of the world.

So yeah, check back in a year and a half when a democrat is in the oval office and see how much anger and irrational fearmongering is taking place in the editorial pages, on fox news and on the radio via ann coulter, hannity, oreilly and the other minions.

And i'm sorry, but wasnt it ann coulter who john edwards should be assassinated? Wasnt it Bill oreilly who said that san francisco needed to be attacked by terrorists?

Who exactly are the angry ones here?

This president is, by far, the worst thing that could have happened to this country at precisely the wrong time. Generations will be paying for his mistakes and corrupt practices. but maybe, just maybe – 8 years of it will be enough to prove to the american public that the political machine is in disarray. if bush can be elected (TWICE!!), then its proof that the system is broken. The media's coverage of the election process needs to be more thoughtful than a glorified horserace. Campaigns should be publicly financed to eliminate the crushing special interest influence. Debates shouldnt be about stupid remarks and 30-second soundbites, but rather substance and ability to comprehend, analyze and react effectively.

We as a nation are responsible for this. we have allowed ourselves to be lazy enough to be satisfied with the process as it stands, satisfied with the drastically reduced expectations of our leaders.

Again I see tons of comments to continue to support the fact that most americans have no idea what they are talking about and talk just because they like hearing themselves.

I agree that this is an honest mistake. It could have (and probably has) happened to us all at some point (it happened to me this week). HOWEVER, Bush is NOTORIOUS for almost every kind of error there is, which makes any little thing he does incorrectly just another notch in his idiot belt. Also, America and the world expect more from the "leader of the free world."

I don't think this was an accident. At first I thought it was just due to his incompetence…or just a simple error. That is, until I read the wrong number was for a company that sells CHRISTIAN HOME SCHOOL materials based in TEXAS. Does this seem like a wee bit of a coincidence to you? How much do you want to bet that we find out some connection between this company and Bush or his administration? It wouldn't be surprising, since Bush is very pro-private (esp. religious) school, homeschooling, and eradicating public education (you have to read behind the lines here since Bush never tells the truth – but he is).

What I find worse about this story is that CNN reprints the original number and where it goes – playing right into Bush's hands to advertise this place – instead of saying the old number was wrong and here's the new one!

FAIL.
*cue The Price Is Right failure theme*

hey juan, the Communist threat ended over 40 years ago. get some new schtick.

George W. Bush is such and idiot! Those of you who voted for this moron have helped to destroy our nation in many different ways. Thanks you bunch of dummies!

I'm sorry but any of you that are posting comments that are critical of people not retaining a lawyer and or a accountant for a loan or mortgage, your wrong. These predatory lenders were throwing money at them, not everybody is an economist, and or an accountant. Alot of the people that I know who had to foreclose in the last six months, had good jobs, and assumed their payments weren't going to increase by $1,200 to $2,200 a month. Your making excuses for Ben Bernancke and the other federal reserve thugs for depreciating our currency by 21% since 2002. Wages have stagnated and people; at least, here in the mid-atlantic are losing jobs left and right. Housesholds are foreclosing, or selling. The robber baron, land pirates and developers are snatching up family farms and the like, for pennies on the dollar because people are desperate. I can tell Kate from colorado, or Jon from texas, has never in their life had to live paycheck to paycheck before, or chose between bills or food? Has nothing to do with fine print and everything to do with out of control inflation, and lowered interest rates. A gallon of milk is $3.99, to someone like me who only makes $15 an hour or less, any deviation from a limited budget will break you. These bankers need to be held accountable because regardless of what sad stories they they're way better off than most people. It's going to be a cold winter, I fear some of us aren't going to be able to afford heating oil, is that my fault to? What because I couldn't afford an energy consultant?

Senator Kerry made a botched joke at a college awhile back. China exports toys with dangerous materials in them. Taco Bell poisoned people with contaminated food. Do these mistakes make them failures? Are they idiots for not catching it soon enough? People are too preoccupied with mudraking Bush and this overshadows his successes as president.

Now if it was just a wrong phone number, I'd write it off, a moron just being a moron, nothing to see here. Btu the fact that the specific "wrong number" he gave leads to a Texas-based organization that provides evangelical indoctrination materials??

I mean, c'mon, people… what are the odds?

I think all the people commenting here are idiots, not Bush. Almost 100 comments. What's the big deal about getting a phone number wrong. Not that I support all the mistakes this administration has made, but my point is why not go and comment on some real issues on CNN Tickers?

Just further proof that Bush has his facts right,,,,,,

Bush during a speech: Iraq has weapons of mass destruction!

Advisor after speech: Uh, Mr. "President", the prompter said Iran, not Iraq.

Bush: Well, shoot, no difference. We'll just take care of Iraq real quick then hit Iran.

So the faux President can't read cue cards.

That's the least detrimental action he's taken in years.

Another one from Mr. Bush… He is so folkloric.

"full me one, shame on me…full me twice…shame on ..err..me again!!!"

HEHEHEHEHEHE

Why would we expect different from him. What would the folks in New Orleans have given to hear his words of HOPE, not Hopelessness. Great President.

If "HOPE" is the message the President should have given out the number for the "Tower of Prayer" out there in "Okey Country" where all sins are throughly washed in the blood of the lamb…
It whould have boosted the prospects for the "status quo" so called Republicans and Democrats running for office who think religion makes a diffrence.
When you plan to continue the rape and plunder policys forgiveness (for sin) counts…

it's obvious that he was throwing his fundamentalist christian friends a bone on this one. and why isn't it a big deal that our president can't even read a cue card?

To Laura, Kate is right….people are either deliberately deceived when they know, if they can do simple addition, that a home is too expensive, and what do you mean she is unaffected…home prices were driven up to insane levels by all this speculative investing…people watching too many shows and reading too many magazines, hoping to flip their homes after a couple years and retire….it is like any other investment…perhaps you feel anybody who loses money on any stock, etc. should also get their money back….how about people who bought at the height of the market, probably like Kate, just to be able to live in a home….when you defend irresponsible idiots….that is very small-minded to not know how your decisions affect others….these same greedy people buy too large a home and then can still qualify for a free lunch program…if somebody in a million dollar home gets a free lunch, everybody should!!!!!yours is the absurd logic that is destroying this country….the selfish, narcissistic attitude, the materialistic, having to be better than your neighbor (or drive the largest SUV) mentality is at the crux of what is wrong with our society, and now the govt. just says don't worry about it (we'll just distract everybody some more by attacking somebody else)!!!! and you don't see how these bailouts are the wrong thing to do (when people don't learn their lesson)!!!!

In the old days, the sign of a good neighborhood was when a stranger was not afraid to reprimand your child if he/she was doing something wrong, now people don't even know their neighbor's name because of the insane paranoia spread by our govt., code orange, whatever….our whole society is now poorer because of the dollar's continual decline, not just a few who had to foreclose or those whose home values declined, since they bought in an overvalued market….OUR GOVT'S SHORT-SIGHTED STOP-GAP POLICIES AFFECT EVERYBODY!!!!

Don't you people have more important things to talk about, like why your nation is falling apart, why the dollar is slowly tumbling down, why your education and your health care is comparable to third world countries, why the rich still keep getting richer and the poor poorer, why corporations and banks control your government and your whole economy is actually financed by foreigners, why the elite use religion and rights to pit the right and the left against each other so you all forget about the real problems, and why your government is on the brink of destroying us all with their pro-war policies? Sounds to me like the empire is about to fall. Can you say Rome and Britain?

EVERYONE IS HUMAN. JUST BECAUSE HE IS THE PRESIDENT MEANS HE CANT MAKE MISTAKES?

And so the ineptitude of the Bush administration rears its ugly head yet again…

Thanks for reporting it, despite naysayers, Competent News Network.

Yes, we are allowed to make mistakes. This guy is supposed to have a staff that checks things out before he says them. They are not all on the ball there, are they? A wrong phone number is the least of his verbal mistakes. I think one of the biggest one is when he mentioned three countries in the "Axis of Evil" comment.

Most of you who posted to this blog probably need the incorrect number. It might dispel the hate in all of your comments you've posted. Maybe your future comments with regards to anyone, might not promote hate and evil. You need to get a life and that can only be gotten though JESUS CHRIST our Lord. May you all have a very Blessed Christmas Season.

Did anybody see the Middle East peace conference where Ohlmert had to tell GW, after five minutes of posturing behind the podium, "Mr. President, do you think we could actually come out from behind the podium so people could see us shaking hands?"…duh….Bush sympathizers say, so what, he is dumb…but it is not like he is Mr. Bean and is just fumbling around with no real harm with his silly antics…Bush's policies, refusal to recognize climate change, increase federal emissions standards, attacking Iraq for oil, destroying our economy, our standing in the world, our democracy, our health care, our educational system….affects all of us….I do not think Wall St. or the federal govt. should be in the business of bailing out greedy flippers and speculators, but then again, they do not want lenders to go bankrupt, that would affect EVEN rich people, that is why we are still in Iraq because rich people are not affected, and actually they are getting richer because of all the oil contracts, reconstruction contracts….why can we just attack a country with absolutely zero proof and when 99% of the country know the truth…number one, because Congress needs to grow a pair, and number two, because even now, a lot of people still refuse to change their wasteful behaviors and agree with the president to make sure we have access to oil in the Middle East…so it is not just a crusade but also a strategic decision to have permanent bases in Iraq, look how quickly we shifted from Afghanistan to Iraq for no reason whatsoever, except to protect oil….however, all Iraqi oil is now flowing to Russia and China, thanks to Bush's alienation of former allies, and his attempts to restart the Cold War….it is a self-fulfilling prophecy that, if you treat your friends as your enemies long enough, they will become your enemies…which is what our govt apparently wants, so it can use all its' military technology it has spent all our taxpayer money on, while it neglects everything else…..

I wouldn't be surprised if was trying to see just how many people he could try to convert before the correction was made, once again trying to push his faith on us….

Does anyone else think that this wasn't necessarily an "accident" by Mr. Bush? I'm not so sure that it was, considering his neo-conservative Christian agenda. Might be interesting to call that "Christian Group" and see what type of principles and philosophy they adhere to…

The prompter probably said 1800 no big deal we got the right number.

the poor guy needs a drink…

To Marilyn of KY who complains that while this bailout is great it is too late for people like her who have already lost their homes.
WAIT ONE FLIPPIN' MINUTE !!!!!
Why bailout any one you people who signed loan documents and make NO MISTAKE the details of these loans are in clear print.
You chose to live beyond your means in a house you couldn't afford and now you expect the government, i.e. the taxpayers to bail you out ?????
Go to hell.
There are many people living within their means, paying their own debts.
Grow up, get a second job, give up your giant TV, your over extended credit cards and don't burden other people with YOUR debts.
IF BUSH WANTS TO BAILOUT THESE DEADBEATS, LET HIS FAMILY FORK OVER THE MONEY LEAVE ME OUT OF THIS.

Disaster George Bush did it again, Another disaster. May be disaster George Bush was thinking about his good old days when boose was plentiful around him. Bravo Disaster George.
How lucky we are… disaster George Bush could have declared World War III… World War III against whom ? Hey !
What a lil Disaster George we have. That is our fringe benefit that no other mighty country has.
Amen.

He's such an idiot……

Your right Mellisa it was a simple mistake. My 2 year old sometimes messes up her numbers too.

Posted By JB post falls ID : December 6, 2007 6:11 pm

You mean, "You're right, Melissa…"
Posted By Melissa, Dallas, TX : December 7, 2007 9:17 am

=======================

Why weren't you there to correct "W" before he made his grammatical error? OK, it was a wrong phone number but, what's the difference you know what I mean.

speaking of the middle east peace conference, it was embarassing (and a little hilarious) when ohlmert was overheard telling GW after five minutes of posturing behind the podium "mr president, do you think we could possibly move from behind the podium so people could actually see us shaking hands?" duh…..bush defenders (apparently these still exist) actually say, so what, he is dumb…but he is also a neocon who is leaving a mess for the rest of us…he is destroying the world, our standing in it, our economy, our health care, our future….it is not like he is mr. bean and doesn't affect the whole world with his idiotic defiance and antics…..his fantasyland beliefs actually affect ALL of us….Wall St. shouldn't bail out all the homeowners, especially greedy speculators and flippers, but then again the federal govt., bernanke, etc. do not want to the lenders to all go bankrupt….which would affect EVEN rich people!!!! and in the end, that is all that really matters….right???

Everyone please calm down… "W" will need this number for his spring semester grammar and pronunciation classes, if he can even pronounce these words. Maybe that school can do better job of educating the dunce than Yale and Harvard did?

I can see the faces of the presidents of Yale and Harvard just wincing in agony every time their school names are mentioned in the same breath with "W".

Every Alumni should be up in arms while asking these schools how they let "W" get a degree. A degree that the Alumni had to pay outrageous tuition for and also had to do real college level work, while that silver spoon fed, daddy will take care of it or I can just go and cry to mama kid got to skip through what now should be called kiddie kollege.

That Ivy league degree sure takes a hit every time he opens his pie hole. The only thing worst is all those out there who think that he is not dumb and voted for him.

I agree with Kate (Aurora CO). The so called "aid" is going to coming out of your and my pocket. And add to that the 2 trillion dollars and the interest on that money for you know what. The US dollar has eroded about 20% in value in the last 3 years when compared to major international currencies. If China and the Middle East remove the so called dollar peg and diversify their holdings then it will be a free fall for the US dollar.

Hopefully, someone in the administration had the presence of mind to order the "Math & Memory" home schooling package from the Freedon Christian Academy while checking the phone number for accuracy.

at least it wasn't a phone-sex line – that would have been hilarious.

give the guy a break, folks. you all get your jollies for every little slip up that happens with the President – get a life.

Your right Mellisa it was a simple mistake. My 2 year old sometimes messes up her numbers too.

Posted By JB post falls ID : December 6, 2007 6:11 pm

You mean, "You're right, Melissa…"

Once again, Bush proves that he's the WORST. PRESIDENT. EVER. The guy can't even get a phone number right and he's still in the White House?!?

It is not about the wrong telephone number…it is about the prez doing something that will only help a select few, if he really wanted to do something other than make a political statement he would have helped millions of others…the actual number that will qualify reported by CNN is around 250,000 that is a small number compared to those that are facing or have faced foreclosure so why bother…the GW administration is so corrupt

I couldn't defend the President that he just made a mistake..what happened to his intelligent advisors??? What a joke…just shows once again what a moron he is.

I must be a slow day in the news if this is your lead off news story. We all know the guy is a boob, so what else is new….thanks for the news flash CNN…..keep up the great work!!!!!!! NOT

Anyone who makes a negative comment aboout Bush because of this a hypocrite. No one is perfect including CNN. How many times have you made mistakes?

This is much better than any comedian(s). between bushie and the comments, I get enough laughs to fill the day. It's the bushies who defend the bozo who are kind of a buzz kill, though.

Everyone on here is bashing bush. This guy catches flack from the leftest stating this guy is an idiot when he is actually trying to help the very people that make up the base of the democrats. I aggree he is not the best president, but the worst. Come on, people who agree with the intellegence reports stateing that Iran stop building nukes are the same people that jumped down his throat when he beleived reports in 2003. I might add that why is it that iran stop working on nukes in 2003. Guess it probably had nothing to do with us invading Iraq.

I COMPLETELY agree with KATE in Colorado.
And Mike, what do you mean the avg. middle class family cannot afford to hire an attorney or accountant? Think about your own statement. I am sorry, but it is ignorant.

You mean to tell me that you can justify spending one or two hundred thousand dollars on a house, but cannot justify a total of four or five hundred dollars for an attorney and accountant to make sure you don't get screwed on the house.

We are dumbed down, brainless consumers, bred for basic carnal stimulation to buy and do what we are told when and if we are told. We no longer think for ourselves and when we get into trouble we point the finger and demand help out, rather than accepting responsibility, learning from our mistakes, and in so doing prevent further occurence of the problem.

Bush screwed up the number, just like he screwed up the whole idea. By bailing people out, he prevents them from suffering the consequences of their mistakes and learning, and so they will simply do it again.

People make mistakes. He really shouldn't. He has the most powerful position in the world (well after Cheney). This may be a small detail….but remember….God is in the details!

Does anyone else find it ironic that the # he gave out was for a Christian Home schooling group? Since he is one of those radical born again Christian nuts.

I love the reference to "HOPE" in the phone number… We have been told to have "Hope" for the last 50 years by the polititions and those on the pulpit.
This message is a little thread bare now that there are informed people who seek to abolish the federal reserve and other extra-constitutional
creations fostered by the so called elite.
A return to lawful constitutional money is the cure for the economic woes facing the country.
The "New Deal" is not a good deal for we the people.

Maybe he'll blame it on faulty intelligence…..in this case, his.

Notice the organization Bush knows the number to … wonder if this is the group that sells his brother's educational software through …

Posted By Alice Newman Center Harbor NH : December 6, 2007 6:23 pm

My thought, exactly. I also wonder whether assigning a similar number was deliberate

At least the wrong number was something in the ballpark… if the number he incorrectly provided was something a bit less savory, then maybe this is news.

Either way, it's a toll free number, and the only real downside is that people waste a few minutes of their time and somebody might pick up some educational materials. In the grand scheme of things to criticize, this is a "no big deal".

I don't like Bush, but, by publishing this story and slanting it the way they have, CNN has created a joke that is looking for a punchline. It's the same as when they published news of his colonoscopy to the Ticker. All designed for the purpose of prompting Bush-haters to supply that punchline. But, we all make mistakes, even the precocious children who post to this Ticker. Perhaps we should all think about how we would like it if each little mistake we made was noticed by millions of people.

Poor Shrub. He loses his own house in 13 months!

Posted By rob : December 6, 2007 2:41 pm

He never should have been there in the first place. He's a useless squatter.

HHHmmmmmm…..let's see….accidentally gave out a TEXAS CHRISTIAN phone number….??? can you say, "SCORING POINTS" with the religious in the country? Geez.

I'm not sure why this idiot is allowed to speak at all. You Repubs sure know hot to pick'um. Let's us Dems pick th next prsidient.

You Childrens, shutupp!

We all make mistakes. I don't think any reasonable American would care. But when you are providing vital public information (which is just about every communique coming from the President's Office)the facts should be verified/reverified. I'm sure Bush didn't prepare the briefing himself–so he isn't directly to blame. However, the poor quality of the information (a la wrong number) is characteristic of the kind of care and precision he and his staffers put into critical information that is communicated from the White House to the American people. It is literally a culture of confused messages and slack oversight. The communication from his administration is handled by "such few" close insiders–that it doesn't get the kind of review warranted. So from his intelligence communications–to this wrong number, there appears to be a cavalier attitude of what is communicated to the American people! It is like a big cherry on a chocolate sundae of deceit,misinformation, communication failures–it gives us–yet another chance to say "told you so", and then listen as his "propaganda team" rushes to rephrase, correct, hide errors or oversights in clouds of obtuse explanations, smoke, mirrors and diversion. Thanks again Mr. Bush for providing yet another litmus test to us how attentive you and your team are to the information we receive.

yo

"I think that Bush is one of the worst things ever to happen to our country, and I can't stand to see his face or hear his voice."

++++++++++++++

Substitute "Clinton" for "Bush" in your statement and I would agree with you 100%. Believe it, or not, Clinton is not as loved as you might think. As for the wrong phone number, an honest mistake….give the man a break. Bush bashing is tiring, petty and childish.

If you've never given out a wrong number, or missdialed a number, or well, just plain ol' never made a mistake before then I suppose your critiques are not hypocrisy.

Perhaps he was relating the information given to him. Ever have your admin give you wrong information?

Oh, one might say "But not the President!" Yeah, that was my response when that blue dress was making the news.

I absolutely despise this protofacist idiot and yet even I think it's a non story. Good god, of all the things you could talk about when it comes to this guy, oh, for instance,like hundreds of thousands of people dead in Iraq and our civil liberties thrown out like garbage. But we are worried about him mispeaking? Get a grip. Thanks CNN for once again distracting us with tripe.

Accident??? leading us to a Texas Christian Academy? Oh, where is Freud when we need him?

You liberals at CNN are so dang cruel;

(1) You did it to President Reagan by calling him "senile" (years prior to his actual unfortunate condition which caused his actual memory loss);

(2) You did it to President Gerald Ford in the 1970s (calling him clumsy);

(3) You did it to Vice President Dan Quayle (due to his erroneous comment about the correct spelling of "potato" while visiting a school).

Doesn't President Bush deserve praise for assisting people who have bought more house than they obviously can afford through bogus loans, such as "interest only" and "ARMs"?

In summary, in lieu of debating on a mature level, liberals prefer to call their opponents "stupid".

It's been their strategy since televisions had rabbit ears.

If he were some other nation's President/Premier we would be having a ball with him. The sad fact is that he is OUR President. We can never let this happen again. How can people honestly believe that he has made some intelligent decisions. Maybe going into Afghanistan… make this embarrassment end soon. It's our own fault.

It's all strategy here folks. Just like he constantly nominates people to offices they have no right holding. That way when it all falls apart they with all honesty claim ignorance.

So what's new. That is not all he has put out that was wrong

pile on ,pile on ,to use a quote. Any little thing the haters can use to say see,see, Its all so old now. You all know that what your all dishing out every time a republican speaks is going to come back at your side at some point If or when you have a democrat in the whitehouse. your wasting valuable one-liners, jokes, and hate rederick on someone who won't be around for long. If you haters that I see posting day after day three times on one story sometimes, spent just a fraction of that time posting positive information directed at helping people learn about the candidates who ARE running for THIS ! election , WE would all be better human beings for it. I have no problem with anyone speaking out what they believe or think about someone running for office , it comes with the territory. I do have a problem with "pile on ' rederick designed to mold an opinion toward an entire party. The president mis speaks mis spells mis quotes all the time .To me its a funny part of his personality, to haters it stupidity. Well let me break the news to the haters. No one,,, and I don't care how much help or money or power they have stays in office two terms by being stupid. Wrong mabey,, stupid NO!!!!!

The gullibility of the American public never ceases to amaze me. The program i to protect the lencers, not the lendees. Those homes will belong to the lenders when there is a market for them and until then they will basically be renting them to the current buyers. In the meantime we taxpayers will susidize Bush and his republican cronies propping up this psuedo, debt based, republican economy.

Rarely is the question asked: Is our President learning?

hey, i am a bubble sitter, why not help me since i was RESPONSIBLE and didnt become a homedebtor for something i cant afford….

and for the last time, they do not OWN the home, they just signed up to pay for it but cant. just like an apartment. you cant pay, you get kicked out. pretty simple.

As with most of this President's "Plans", he has no real idea how the whole thing works. The Lackey's who put things together for our nearly literate Pres. give him the easy jobs, like giving out a 10 digit phone #. And this is the guy with his finger on the nukooloor button? We are doomed.

I love the conspiracy theories about this being intentional. I bet Karl Rove (wait–is he still a bogeyman now, or was this maybe Cheney's sinister plot?) had to work pretty hard to get the phone companies to assign those numbers that are exactly the same except for the 888 vs 800.

I for one have never heard a toll-free number referred to as an "800 number." …and it surely isn't coincidence that a Christian organization would use the word "HOPE" in their number without some steering from the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

Seriously, though, folks.. Disagree with the President's policies, judgment, etc., but this sort of childish hyperventilating over something so trivial really doesn't bode well for the state of political discourse in our nation. It's somewhere around the importance of the pronunciation of the word "nuclear."

OMG, why put out this headline, why not just put on the real number. I know you hate the guy and let me say CNN has never made a mistake or any other of you who wrote sly remarks on here. I see that he also spoke about the congress and the senate, doing nothing about the bills put foward. Why not tell the American people about these bills and check into them. NO, CNN has to find something to pick on. There are so many free telephone numbers out today who can remember all of them. Why don't you all just listen to someone who is trying to help these people who are about to lose their house. He made everything else clear, but this 800 number is your problem. Give me a break. I am not for Bush, but I am for fairness and truth

Thank goodness he gave out the wrong number… why should people who took on mortgages they couldn't afford receive assistance. They make Bush look like a pure genius.

Such hate from the national socialists. Want to know all you need to know about these current American liberal democrats?

You get their support by talking about shooting the president between the eyes. You will never hear a republican politician ever say that, see while liberals embrance such hateful, sick comments, conservatives find them repulsive. It is not that the GOP has some lock on religious people, it is just that it is virtually impossible for someone to fear god and participate in the kind of anger and hate that consumes the being of the average liberal democrat. Let's remember that there are some great people who are libs, they just don't understand what it is they are supporting.

Come on,you have to laugh.This guy could put Larry the Cable guy out of a job.Larry is making millions from people who think their own stupidity is funny.He may not make the giving speeches circuit after he leaves but he can always do stand up comedy! As for the money lenders,they knew exactly what they were doing,being greedy and making tons of money. This is a bail out for them and Wall Street not for average joe America.The number wasnt wrong,you will need a lot of faith if you think you will ever get help and keep your home.Lmao

You know, I don't think CNN should talk about making errors on LIVE TV, have you ever seen the mistakes they make? We should start posting CNN's mistakes on YouTube

I know they won't post this

Holy cr*p…what next?

It just does not matter, nothing he does has any relevance and now even he knows it.

Was it an accident? A Texas based Cristian Academy… there's something fishy about that.

Idiot

Any education group Bush promotes isn't worth looking into.

Democrats don't make any mistakes! Ever!

I completely agree that this was done on purpose – a Christian textbook company in Texas is not a coincidence.

You think this WASN'T planned?!?!? It just HAPPENED to be a fundamentalist christian education group. Right. This was a planned stunt. I'm SICK of this administration trying to shove their religion down our throats. I'm SICK of neo-cons trying to LEGISLATE religion. Politics and religion should be mutually exclusive. I want freedom FROM religion. As an American, I have that right … though no one seems to be respecting it – from G.W. Bush to Jehova's Witnesses at my door. The world would be a better place without it.

Kate,
do you think that life is "fair" in general? I don't think so. You should be glad that you're smart enough not be in this mortgage mess. Let's not forgetthat the gov't and greedy "fat cats" knew about this consequences all along and still didn't take any actions, because they knew that they could live their happy lives at that time… well, what a about the BILLIONS of DOLLARS that Bush is wasting in IRAQ… DO you think it's fair to all Americans… Where do you think the money comes from?>>>> certainly not just from "Smart people" like you, but from a lot of those that You call "idots" who had been paying hefty property taxes too……

The President made a mistake. A very common mistake at that. Everyone who criticized the President becuase of a simple mistake should be ashamed of themselves.

Bush is not stupid. When he is disinterested he disengages and that is mistaken for stupidity. He is truly uninterested in Americans, and that is what we see.

Why is it that CNN chooses to focus on this story instead of the fact that Bush lied to the American people and almost lead us into another war?

Everyday you seem to become a little more of a mouthpiece for the Bush Administration.

It is all a joke – why should people be bailed out while others work their tail of to pay for their homes. People bought houses they couldn't afford and helped drive this up by the spend mentality that is driving america. It is time to let people feel the pain of bad decisions – I don't live on credit and can't live the outlandish life that everyone else lives, but I go to bed knowing that I will be able to put food on my table tomorrow. That is more important than driving a new Mercedes and living in a 4-bedroom house

Laura/Tulsa – We may have made mistakes in the last 24 hours, but we didn't campaign – twice – to run the richest, most powerful country on earth. It's called a higher standard.

Bush truly is a clown!!!

Who will be blamed for this?

Why, Bill Clinton, of course!!!

His mistake probably would be more helpful than his plan. It won't help 1.2M Americans, it'll barely help 140,000 if that. It's hugely restrictive, it only affects a very few next year, and does nothing to help those homeowners (not asinine speculative buyers) who can't afford their mortgages because they got a 2% or 3% pay raise but gas went up 30%, heating up 20%, electric up 15%, milk up 15%, and so on. Those are the people who need help!

Oh, and never mind that his GOOD FRIEND and HUGE DONATION MAKER to his account was CEO of Ameriquest, the biggest more predatory lender, cheater, and deceiver of any mortgage company ever. And one that settled for peanuts on the dollar to the people they ripped off and ruined their lives all so said CEO could be given an ambassadorship by Mr. Bush.

Homeowners should know of this and understand how they were thrown under a bus by their President for money.

Well I definitely agree with Laura. . .I never said that Bush was great, but really, everyone makes mistakes and the press is so hard on him. . .can you imagine what it must be like to be him? "Before you criticise anyone, walk a mile in their shoes. Then criticise them, because you are a mile away andd have their shoes." JK. . .but still, be nice to the poor fellow. Its not as easy being president as you think. He's under a lot of pressure, and maybe all the rude stuff about him is what makes him mess up.

Just an innocent mistake heh – and this guy is holding the Nuclear Football!

Lord help us – we need it with the idiot in charge!

Yes, people do make mistakes, and this clown has made a ton of them. And a person can honestly read something wrong, however the simple mistake just happened to be a Christian Based home school supply number in Texas of all places is a bit troubling.

what else should we expect, he has put this country in the worst shape that we have ever been in. hell, he cant even spell hope

I just love this country. I feel so close to our president these days.

Now we have 800, 888 and 866 and it's confusing. President Bush probably hasn't dialed any toll free number for a very long time.

To Amanda who said she dont feel sorry for these people,of coarse not self centered selfish people never feel sorry for anyone.The government is corrupt and missleading to say the least.They keep everybody occupied with a trick question an answer game.They throw out all these possibilities for solving the problem and avoid the real answer.How about saying what ever the loan intrest rate that was used to bait these people into an underhanded sceme like this.
The only fair answer is what ever the intrest rate that was offered to net these victims is the rate it will remain throughout the entire loan.WHAT? and let the rich take a hit for once? Never.The government wouldnt have to spend the republicans treasure money,if the lenders would be made to suffer for thier tricky ways.If brains were dynomite Bush and the republican party wouldnt have enough to blow thier own noses.But they sure think they do.The only reason why he said anything at all is because it is the christmas season and he wants everybody to feel better so they go out and shop so he can generate revenue to fund his little war dream.And he wants the retailers to have a merry merry christmas.Show these poor people you care and make this year the worst christmas sales season on record.Dont let them spin us around.The lenders can survive on a 5,6,or7 percent return on thier investments.They only give us 5 percent on the money we put in thier banks.Why do they think they deserve 19 percent?Because the government will let them that is why.And even back them up with taxpayers money they risk nothing one way or the other.If it were me I would burn the home in question and wait for the police and tell them I aint playing this game no more you feed me.

Why should i feel sorry for the idiots who got an ARM? Why are my tax dollars bailing them out? I'm sure it was explained to them how an ARM works…perhaps these financial gurus should have purchased a smaller house!!! When will Americans start taking care of themselves?

People should really read how the Roman Empire fell… there are a LOT of similarities to America today.

> Quality news by the Communist News Network…

What is it with Americans? ANYTHING & EVERYTHING that questions whoever happens to be ruling the place at the moment, or indeed ANY plan to change ANYTHING (Clinton with Health care comes to mind) you always call it "communism"? I don't get it. Wake up.

So just because he misread a phone number, you people have nothing better to do than rip him a new one for it on a meaningless political blog?

John C from Marietta, you say he made the most costly mistake in recorded history, um not really. Can anyone tell me which President was most hated while he was in office? Big Hint-He is one of the most beloved Presidents now and he quite literally split the country in half when he started the Civil War. Anyone have an answer?

Now I won't say that Bush hasn't made any mistakes in office but a simple slip of the toungue while reading a piece of paper is hardly something to spend so much time and effort on.

My greatest problem with this is that this will spend more time in the news than anything any democrat has done lately.

It's obvious the number was given to him by one of his staffers, who until recently worked at the HRC Headquarters, where she was finding people to plant questions at debates!

My Leader would never do that on his own!

John C,
Have the current President's mistakes equaled JFK getting us involved in Vietnam, or Johnson escalating that war beyond control? Bush has made plenty of mistakes, but people calling him the worst ever do not look very far in the past.

Of course all you Americans are like this. Unforgiving!
People do make mistakes and this one is very easy to make.
How do you think he would have tested the numbers to know the right one. Put your self in the position..normally things like this will not be set up by the president himself. Somebody set up that hotline and mistakenly gave him the wrong number which he had no way of verifying…well, maybe he would have had someone in the office to verify it but with so many things going on it can be hard to pay attention to such little details…

Leave this man alone and don't just focus on his negative experiences. He was trying to help with something he didn't have to do?

Is this why we invaded Iraq instead of Iran?
He just mispoke? It is kinda important that the Prez of the US gives factual info. Don't you think so?

Ohhhhh. Don't be rude and too mean to Mr. Bush. He is OUR President and we voted for him, didn't we? So …..

"…had to contend with a bit of temporary misdirection from the president himself."

At least this time it was only temporary…

He read it off a teleprompter. Someone obviously put the wrong number on there. Its not like the man set the thing up himself so chill with the dumb comments. He graduated from two ivy league schools, owned a baseball team, got elected Governor of Texas and twice President so if he is dumb what does that make you? Spare me the rich daddy comments, there have been plenty of rich connected kids who don't have near that resume including your beloved Teddy Kennedy.

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Some of you are pathetic for bashing my president!!!! I'm sure most of you voted him in to begin with. Get over it and catch the next election.

bush…make a mistake?

come on now……the world just didn't take down the right number

So President Bush gave a wrong number. What's a big deal? News nowadays are becoming really ridiculous. What will be next? President forgot to turn off the iron before leaving his home??

What would make you think this is an oops? I think that any "family values" group and/or corporation might possibly be seen as responsible for the subprime crisis.

Mistake My A!

Any of you losers with BDS make a mistake today?

Actually all of you have, as many of you mocking a simple mistake are the same uneducated losers that support Sillary and post about her greatness with no factual evidence and when she is proven to lie, like dumb as hell sheep being brought to the slaughter, you still follow.

By the way, the polls prove that the Obama people are far superior in brain matter to you. Sorry if the truth hurts.

Many conservative leaners (myself included) are not so jaded that we can't criticize this administration or even laud a Democrat when deserved, Clintonista's on the other hand see through one prism.

And like those sheep, you are leading the Democrats to slaughter by supporting her.

Experience? How about REAL experience and RESPECT that Biden, Dodd and Richardson have EARNED by actually DOING SOMETHING.

Keep supporting her, she will be easy to beat in the general, but the way things are going, she may not make it.

This is "fun".

While it is clear that our unfortunately President isn't very bright and could have made such a mistake, it is equally probable given his religious activism that it was intentional.

It is usual that CNN has nothing else to report and then these liberals pass their comments to fill your pages here. CNN is enjoying this charade every day. Wise up.. You do not have sense of fair reporting. I do not care if you do not publish my comments here. It looks like CNN and it's readers who are supporting are perfect ones.

I have a wide stance.

Now don't be hard on bush. He's come a long way. He can now pronounce two syllable words without trouble. I am proud of you, George! Keep up on your phonics!

Man,
I'm no Bushie, but you rabid anti-bush fans are as bad as the rabid pro-Bush guys. (I bet half of you were pro-Bush until that went out of fashion). All he did was say 1-800-whatever instead of 1-888-whatever. That doesnt make him stupid, that makes him just like the rest of us who have all dialed 1-800 instead of 1-888

A year ago I bought a Lexus. I really couldn't afford one at the time because I was already having a problem paying the monthly lease on my Geo. I said what the hell, I deserve it and signed the purchase papers anyway. Now I found out that I paid way to much for my Lexus and the 16% interest is killing me. Maybe the wrong number was given by Bush on PURPOSE. A little home schooling material may have been helpful.

Who cares about a silly mistake like this, its no big deal. Allowing a sub-prime bailout angers me though.

wow bush should think before he talks. well at least he will be gone at 2008…. some dumb head

The "Hope Hot Line" was NOT, repeat NOT, set up by the Bush administration. It is an already existing hotline for the Home Preservation Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mission that is self-explanatory. The hotline has been in existence for MONTHS now and the Bush administration has NOTHING to do with it. I didn't hear the press conference, but I hope that Bush didn't try to take credit for the hotline (although it wouldn't surprise me in the least). The folks at the Home Preservation Foundation would not be happy about their hotline being called the "Bush Hotline".

Does CNN have a home loan they have questions about? They why are you calling and wasting the time and probably slim resources of the hotline? Once again reporters thinking they are the world instead of just reporting the world.

I've never misspoke in my entire life. Anybody who has is a terrible person and deserves a news story.

Get a life people.

Aiding the people that are losing their homes will not affect ANYONE that is writing on this board. No new taxes, no higher rates on new loans…nothing. It is real easy to condemn people and real hard to help them. At least to the good republicans of america.

wrong hotline number from Prezza No.43. and baffled callers get through to the freedom christian academy in Texas. Simple error? If the wrong number was for Joe's Diner in French Lick, Indiana, Elmer's Gun Emporium in
Sand Point, Idaho, Marcel's Cufflinks Store on Fifth Avenue, NY ….. maybe. A Cristian academy in Texas …. hhmmm.
Have Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan from the CIA look into this.

laredo,

You guys really push it. Why report on something so trivial? I'm sure we all know why…

OK. So we are going to focus on the fact that someone who's job is to run the country messed up 800 vs 888 ( I do this all the time ), rather than the fact that he negotiated a deal with banks?

You should also understand that this isn't a bailout, which I would have been ticked off about, but more of a favor. This is similar to the president's power to negotiate during labor disputes. The banks are going to freeze the adjustable rates on qualifying mortgages.

Its so very disheartening to listen to people complain and moan about everything this president has done, is doing, and will do. Its getting to the point that if you accidentally wash a blue sock with your whites, it must be Bush's fault.

Seems like someone could of picked a number not so close to the Christian Academy one. I am sure it took months and millions of dollars to come up with though. I think that would be a real issue to cover not that he messed up a prefix.

Every party needs a clown!!

I think he did this on purpose. Makes sense, doesn't it? He doesn't really care.

What number should we call if we suspect that someone is trying to build a nucular bomb?

Mr. Bush is the worst thing that ever happend to usa and the world. I'm so ashamed that he is our President!

We all make mistakes, big and small! Unfortunately, it can be embarrasing when a mistake is made by an important person, and it's another excuse for those who like to pick on others to have laugh. It's not right!

What's truly sad is Bush probably did not know there are other toll free prefixes other than 800. This is a man who has not had to dial a phone call for himself in 16 years. What a yutz!

Agree with Kate from CO the government should NOT bail out people who made irresponsible commitments. I don't have any fancy lawyers or accountants, but doing the math on a home is easy. If you can't do a simple monthly budget, you don't deserve to own a home.

Many of us have been trying to save enough money to buy a home, only to have prices driven up to absurd levels because people kept bidding up prices in the hope of flipping them in a few years. We need prices to come down a lot to normal levels. How does it make any sense that a home today costs 60% more than it did two years ago in many places?

People with ARMs are just going to unload their homes, so someone else will be left holding the bag. They should be forced to sell or foreclose if they can't afford it – nobody has a right to a home they cannot afford. Frustrating to see irresponsible behavior rewarded this way.

Please people this isn't a poor reflection on our President or CNN. It is a newsworthy story because I am sure some people were very confused. I fail to see how this makes Bush dumb. Keep in mind this is coming from a die-hard Hillary Clinton supporter and not a huge Bush fan either. But I reserve my criticism for him on an issue by issue basis. Of course I also know how to respectfully disagree with people unlike most political bloggers.

u kant b serius

I posted a message about this hours ago. Where is it? I don't think this was an accident. At first I thought it was just due to his incompetence…or just a simple error. That is, until I read the wrong number was for a company that sells CHRISTIAN HOME SCHOOL materials based in TEXAS. Does this seem like a wee bit of a coincidence to you? How much do you want to bet that we find out some connection between this company and Bush or his administration? It wouldn't be surprising, since Bush is very pro-private (esp. religious) school, homeschooling, and eradicating public education (you have to read behind the lines here since Bush never tells the truth – but he is).

What I find worse about this story is that CNN reprints the original number and where it goes – playing right into Bush's hands to advertise this place – instead of saying the old number was wrong and here's the new one!

To Kate: if you are not selling your home you have nothing to worry about. The value of your home has gone down, which means you will be paying less in property taxes.

The businesses that supplied these loans are in trouble as well as the people losing their homes. There is a lot of blame to go around. I think the people who are hurting the most are those that have to sell their homes due to circumstances but can't because there are all these cheap houses that are in foreclosure around them. What about help for these people.

Ok, I guess it's an honest mistake, but,man, glad I'm not the only one who saw the incredible irony of the wrong number connecting to the FREEDOM CHRISTIAN ACADEMY!

Freedumb is on the march.

Someone explain to me how there is not massive demonstrations of outrage in the streets of this country over just how badly this dude has screwed us over?

Apathy kills.

hmmm!! Provides Christian education home schooling material. I wonder which friend or family member runs this business.

ha ha ha ha

I can't stand the man but, c'mon, it's a mistake that's easily made. What I do have a problem with is CNN calling the correct number just to see how long the wait was, thus forcing others who truly need the relief to wait that much longer to start the process. Nice job CNN.

This guy has been giving out wrong numbers for more years than he can even count. Seems his whole administration has a problem with numbers and (ac)counting. When it comes to body counts, they don't have a clue.

a hotline? for hope?

what have we become?

Wake up America, we cannot rely on the government to solve our problems. It is dangerous.

anyone else find it amusing that CNN points out bush giving the wrong phone number, but the photo caption says "tuesday" when it was really thursday?

all in good fun…i still like you cnn

I think it all makes sense. The Rapture is close, it is better to convert than to think about silly financial matters. That's why the incorrect number was provided.

Drew from Oakland…i reckon you are a just a young college whippersnapper when you state that bush is the worst president ever..it is a fact that jimmy was the worst and will ever be the WORST ex-president ever unless 'her royal majesty' is elected.

thsi is what I have been talking about, he can't get anything right!

"Yeah, Bush is dumb… (hee hee hee). Bush is goofy (hee hee hee)."

Geez, you guys sound like a bunch of petulant, sniveling 14-year-olds. Grow up.

Who among us has never verbally mixed up "1-800″ and "1-triple-eight?" Who among us has never dialed a wrong number? Ever transpose a number or a letter?

"Yeah, but Bush is still dumb… (tee hee hee, tee hee hee…)." Go back to your iPods, kids.

Your caption under the photo says President Bush made his speech on Tuesday. Duh!

Notice the organization Bush knows the number to … wonder if this is the group that sells his brother's educational software through …

Is this really news or just pandering against the GOP?

It's been seven years now and can anyone remember Dubya ever getting anything right.

He'll never be late for a "Mensa" meeting, maybe a kindagarden Reading Class, but certainly not a Mensa meeting.

Your right Mellisa it was a simple mistake. My 2 year old sometimes messes up her numbers too.

How many people who criticize the President have not made a mistake in the past 24 hours?

I think that Bush is one of the worst things ever to happen to our country, and I can't stand to see his face or hear his voice. That said, his mistake with the phone number is a common one, and very easy to make. It does not make him stupid or an idiot; almost everything else he's done does.

Firstly, retaining the services of an attorney for maybe the max 3 hours, is not as expensive as you would think and if you can't afford to pay $300 for an expert to help you understand one of the most important financial decisions of your life and to not fall victim to shady lenders, then perhaps you shouldn't be signing on to repay a $500K mortgage. The home prices in So. Cal soared to record highs in 2005-early 2007. This coincides with the low interest and artsy mortgage deals people were getting. Companies were offering mortgages to unemployed people. So now you think its fair that the rest of us who made wise decisions, pay for that? Where do you think the "aid" to the poor victims is going to come from?

What makes you think it was a mistake?

888 instead of 800 ?? Big deal. We had to change the prefix in our office from "9″ to "8″ to dial out because people kept dialing "911."

See what you get for trying to help people Mr. President?? lol

Give the guy a break, will ya? After all there are one heck of a lot of digits to keep straight when reading that cue card. Just remember how well he keeps the budget deficit and national debt numbers straight. Not to mention all those numbers he smoked during his college days.

We need more people like GW's in this country. He's a patriot.

He is such an embarrasment to this country.

Freedom Christian Academy in Texas? Hmmmmmm…….sounds tooo coincidental to me.

1 more year of America being embarassed by the most powerful idiot in the world!

It is times like these that I miss Jon Stewart and the daily show!

I don't blame lenders, I don't blame the economy, I don't even blame the president for giving out the wrong number. My issue is with the millions of Americas who were DOPES for signing onto these ridulous ARM's and committing to payments they could barely afford, just because buying a home rather than renting was such a fad five years ago. Anyone with half a brain knows that ARM's are risky, and I can't believe so many people would buy into the home-buying craze with complete disreguard for the reality of their financial limitations. It's not an investment, it's a gamble. A gamble that a lot of people are now losing, a lose that is now being dumped onto tax payers. If you thought that buying a home even if you couldn't afford the payment was a wiser financial decision than renting YOU are the idiot. I don't feel sorry for these people at all.

Of course the president would give out a christian evangelical hotline. if you are in financial trouble, he'd like you to turn to the church and be a good little lamb.

President Bush today unveiled a foreclosure relief plan that he said could help 1.2 million distressed homeowners.
Does this include the speculators that got multiple properties under the cheap up front ARMS hoping to sell for big profits prior to balloon? If thats the case, its wrong. Only single homes for borrowers should see any relief. That is if you believe any of them should.

Posted By Kate, Aurora CO : December 6, 2007 3:35 pm

But Kate, not everyone is as intelligent, well-educated, or savvy as you are. I know it is hard to believe that someone would sign a mortgage just because someone told them that they'd have "no problem" affording it. But some people are very trusting. Or perhaps they had a job and were laid off, etc.

Another example. You wouldn't imagine getting in a car and driving without car insurance. It would be extremely unwise, even foolish to do so. Yet, even though it is required by law, there are millions who drive without buying car insurance.

However, protecting the mortgage companies and their investors from their employees making loans to people who can not afford them is important. This bailout is to help save the mortgage companies as much as the people who took the loans.

To Kate, Aurora CO

To some extent, I agree with you. I purchased my home, took the time to understand my responsibilities, retain a good job, etc.

However, look at your own statement. You said you hired an attorney and an accountant to make sure that you were doing things right. Don't you think that is a bit expensive? I mean, your average middle class family/middle class single-parent family/middle class single person cannot afford to hire an attorney and an accountant to buy a home.

Yep honest mistake I didn't see the difference in the numbers at first glance either. Just like all those zeros in his paycheck, and all those zeros on Iran's nuclear capability, and all those zeros in the weapon inspectors reports for Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. He did get it right though that North Korea wouldn't have a nuclear weapon in ten years. They have them now! It's clear this man is a vessel of divine intuition.

W, the gift that keeps on giving…to comedians

Kate – I don't see how other people's buying a home with a sub-prime mortgage affects your ability to buy a home at all. Interest rates are very low and the actual price of the home is something completely different and wildly variable.

Also, not everyone can afford to hire an attorney to buy a house, and not everyone understands the finances involved. Are you saying they should be denied the American dream?

I'm a homeowner as well and I can tell you that I was seriously PUSHED to buy more than I could afford. Because I have a very strong will and work in the real estate field I understood what I could afford and resisted. Not everyone is like that.

It went to a Christian home school textbook supply place… in TEXAS? And we're supposed to be believe it was an accident?

Really this is no big deal, tis is a mistake anyone could easily make.

This is a man that has made more costly and deadly mistake than any president in recorded history. This one is not even on the radar.

Is our children learning?

Bush, you are a miserable failure as a president and as a human being.

What outrages me more than his two-digit mistake (easily preventable by this invention called a cue card) is that Bush felt the need to insulate both the foolish buyers who bought something they couldn't afford and greedy lenders who took advantage of them from the consquences of their actions. Maybe I'm a bit harsh, but as Kate pointed out, anyone looking to buy something as expensive as a house should be willing to shell out the comparatively minimal expense of hiring a competent real estate attorney and enlisting the help of a realtor. When will we learn as a country that we, not the government, are responsible for ourselves? Thanks, Great Society.

Kate from CO, I couldn't agree more.

Not only will the rest of us not be rewarded, we will be punished. These homes not foreclosing (which would have) would have been the appropriate reaction to a bad financial move. The foreclosures are the proper corrective action. Those people would have gambled and lost. The lenders will be able to sell the property, aiding in the retrenching of prices.

Instead, that is further money tied up. Lenders will need to charge higher interest rates to offset their "losses", and the "Fed" will print even more "money", thus further taxing us all through inflation to pay for the ARM-indiscretions of 1.2 million.

I feel as though I should be able to throw a bunch of money into an options play, and if it doesn't work out, I should charge everybody for a portion of my mistake.

ALSO: I think G-Dub is the worst president of all time, but this was not just him/them. Both sides of the aisle were lining up for this one. Very un-American, very un-equal, very socialist.

WHERE the original number leads a person, not actual See, we all makes mistakes. But methinks this was deliberate on Bush's part.

And shame on CNN for reprinting where the ACTUAL number leads a person. You've just advertised this for Bush! You played right into his hands!

I couldn't help laughing at this. Not at President Bush, just at the situation. Picturing a dude calling for mortgage help and getting advice on home schooling.

It's probably not Bush's fault. He's most likely reading from a tele-prompter which had the error. Even if he misread it, not a big deal.

Wow – what a weird "coincidence", huh? Normally I'd say this was just an example of Bush's incompetence – or just an honest mistake – but WOW. The incorrect number was a CHRISTIAN HOME SCHOOL materials group IN TEXAS? Who wants to bet that we find out some connection between Bush or someone in his administration and this company?

This is right up his alley too. It's no secret to me that he's pretty much for home and private schooling, especially religiously-based schooling, and decimation of public school education in the U.S. (Bush isn't honest about anything, so you have to read between the lines here and actually look at his behavior to make this connection…).

This is what happens when you take a dolt that couldn't manage a Denny's and use his daddy's connections to make him president. So much for democracy…..

I like the angry left…they all get together and talk about how the government left us down and there are simply not enough entitlement programs….people today talk about the "mortgage crisis" – we used to call it people buying beyond their means….and the Democrats will discuss the "Healthcare crisis" – we used to call it people who made a choice to not work for Walmart, Staples, Starbucks or others that provide healthcare – I guess healthcare wasn't that important to them…..now we are also being asked to help the people in New Orleans who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina – we used to call that "people who built below sea level and decided not to buy flood insurance are plain dumb" – we seem to be asking for public funding for bad choices…making your bad choice my tax liability….what happened to JFK's party "ask not what your country can do for you" – all the Democrats are embracing a socialist model…very scarey….its time you take accountability for yourselves

Does his plan include teaching lenders and borrowers addition, subtraction and the ever feared multiplication.

Oh, 1-800 vs 1-888.. big whoop. Even I misread it.

So what's the correct number? And was it similar to the incorrect number?

Like no one here has ever misread a phone number. C'mon.

Well, what did you expect. This guy is NOT the sharpest tool in the shed and his driveway does not go all the way to the road. The U.S. will be looking forward to 'Scrub' and Dick ' used car salesman' Chaney leaving office and NOT finding their way home… another example of 'lost in disgrace… I mean space'.

I think it is ridiculous our government is doing anything to aid irresponsible people. No one forced you sign a mortgage you couldn't afford. Please don't feed me the line about the lenders being shady. You are adults. You should read before you sign and you should do the math before committing to a purchase as significant as a home. Thanks to you irresponsible idiots, people like myself who knew better, couldn't afford a starter home because of the whole madness. I had to wait almost 3 years for the prices to go down. Even then, I hired an attorney to help me understand everything I was getting into and an accountant to make sure I could afford my home and still live comfortably. Since Bush is helping those who were irresponsible and ignorant, maybe those of us who did the right thing should get a check. Whatever happened to personal responsiblity?

War or finance…when Bush opens his mouth, inaccurate information spews out. He will be gone soon, his (Bush 43) perverted intepretation of the U.S. constitution will hang on Americans backs like over-wieght apes.

He probably was deathly afraid of saying "1-666…" and offending his ultra-right-wing base!

Well he knows all the words of "Hail to the Chief". Hm..hm…hm, hm,hm,…hm,hm,hm,hm,hm,hm….hm,hm,hm,hm,hm,hm,hm,hm,hm,hm…hm,hm,hm,hm

Drew, Good one!! But who says Juan is self-respecting? He couldn't be if he is still shilling for bush. And doesn't he know that there is no more communist threat? Now it's those pesky environmentalists. He's so behind the times.

So what else is new? Isn't there anyone in this administration who can do anything right? It/they would make a very fine, very funny musical comedy if they weren't messing up the U.S.A. and the world so tragically.

What else would you expect from the idiot in chief.

What's Brad Pitts number? Anyone??

It wasn't the wrong number it was just botched intelligence. Jeez it's not like we went into a war or something with false pretexts???
Bush will bail his buddies out (Scooter Libby, Alberto Gonzales). But you, you better look for a second job to pay that rising mortgage. Relax I hear the Army is hiring part-time.

Good God…help us all!

What is the big deal about him giving away the wrong #?His whole life has been a wrong #!

Dubya misinforming the public? Say it ain't so!

Sigh–What do we expect? The guy has a middle east peace conference that was supposed to salvage his entire presidential legacy and can't even pronounce the two principal leaders' names.

What do you expect from a man than has trouble speaking a grammatically correct sentence. Go Yale ! I am amused that he talks about not wanting to bail anyone out, yet Wall street keeps getting in the form of rate cuts from their do boys at the Fed a huge handout.

Oh, yes- hauling out the "communist" card again.

Anybody who doesn't agree with Bush is a commie. Hmmmm…sounds a bit oppressive to me, kinda like Stalin and Hitler.

LIAR!!

This is a big surprise from a guy who has been attacking the wrong country for five years.

America, are you serious?

http://www.golden-lamp.com

This really isn't a big deal. He mixed up 1800 (which is what all the toll free numbers used to be) with 1888 (which many are now). We all know he's slow, and the White House corrected the mistake promptly.

Wow, Juan from Florida, I didn't know any self-respecting American still shilled for George W. Bush, demonstrably the worst President in American history. Guess you showed me! Facism and ignorance are WAY easier than participatory democracy and critical thought! Ooh, FoxNews is on, pass the Cheesy Poofs. What were we talking about again?

How could we have elected him twice. He is not the fool, we are!

I think it's wonderful the President is deciding to do something about the mortgage crisis but it's a little too late for those of us who have already lost our homes because of it.

It should have been 1 888-BIALOUT!!!

Juan… you seem to be blaming CNN for reporting this. How come? Should they have left the mistake uncorrected? Shouldn't people be informed of the correct phone number?

Iam so glad he spoke to tha nashun–and give us a good number to call fer hep"

President Bush is such a dunce. Is he really this dumb or is this a stratagem? This man can't get anything right. Stumbling into the Presidency was his most clever feat. After reaching the apex of presidency popularity he found a way to screw that up. What a waste.

this guy is NOT a genius

Typical Bush… Why do I keep hearing the Benny Hill theme song?

Such a goof he is…..We couldnt expect anything better from George.

Poor Shrub. He loses his own house in 13 months!

Quality news by the Communist News Network…

Bush proves once again that he is a D-O-P-E.