What's Russian for "Idiot"? (Wizbang)

I think the Obama cast needs a "gift giving" czar to handle all the diplomatic formalities.

In addition to Obama's cringe-worthy trinkets he gave to Prime Minister Gorden Brown, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov a button with a wrong Russian saying printed on it.

From Politico.com:

GENEVA--Secretary of State Hillary Clinton opened her first extended talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by giving him a present meant to symbolize the Obama administration's vow to "press the reset button" on U.S.-Russia relations.
She handed a palm-sized box wrapped with a bow. Lavrov opened it and pulled out the gift: a red button on a black base with a Russian word peregruzka printed on top.

"We worked hard to get the right Russian word. Do you think we got it?" Clinton asked.

"You got it wrong," Lavrov said.

Instead of "reset," Lavrov said the word on the box meant "overcharge."

Clinton and Lavrov laughed.

"We won't let you do that to us," she said. Trying to recover, Clinton said the new administration was serious about improving relations with Moscow. "We mean it, and we're looking forward to it."

Lavrov said he would put the button on his desk and he and Clinton pushed the button together, before sitting down for their meeting.

A State Department official said the misspelling on the button was being corrected, in time for the post-meeting news conference.

Wonder if anyone in the the Obama administration knows which red button to push at 3:00 am if the need arises.

Comments (46)

Dear God,Someone s... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by ExSubNuke | March 6, 2009 4:38 PM | Score: 16 (16 votes cast)

ExSubNuke:

Dear God,

Someone save us from the Amateur Hour at the White House.

Posted on March 6, 2009 16:38

вновь устанавливать = Reset... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Socialism Sucks | March 6, 2009 4:43 PM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)

Socialism Sucks:

вновь устанавливать = Reset
I used google. Wasn't all that hard.

Posted on March 6, 2009 16:43

"Overcharge" ... they must ... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Michael Laprarie | March 6, 2009 4:47 PM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)

Michael Laprarie:

"Overcharge" ... they must have mixed this up with the gift meant for the head of the IRS.

Heh. Smart diplomacy at its finest.

Posted on March 6, 2009 16:47

Why do I have the feeling t... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Michael Laprarie | March 6, 2009 4:51 PM | Score: 10 (10 votes cast)

Why do I have the feeling that the next place we'll see one of those "reset" buttons is at the top of our Constitution?

Posted on March 6, 2009 16:51

Hillary actually thought it... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by hermie | March 6, 2009 4:52 PM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)

hermie:

Hillary actually thought it was an 'Easy' button, so she wouldn't have to work too hard at being SOS.

Posted on March 6, 2009 16:52

I was going to say that, Ex... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by pjay | March 6, 2009 4:53 PM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)

pjay:

I was going to say that, ExSubNuke! Isn't there someone in this administration who knows something about protocol???

Posted on March 6, 2009 16:53

OverchargeАнглийск... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by retired military | March 6, 2009 4:55 PM | Score: 12 (12 votes cast)

retired military:

Overcharge

Английский

Go to MS Word

Type overcharge
Right click and highlite
Click on look up

have it translate it into russion for you.

I mean it was proven that liberals were able to use MS word in 2004 with the fake Bush NG documents. Maybe someone should have told them about the advanced features.

Posted on March 6, 2009 16:55

bah it didnt cpy and paste ... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by retired military | March 6, 2009 4:59 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

bah it didnt cpy and paste right for some reason

Posted on March 6, 2009 16:59

We would have gotten this r... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by retired military | March 6, 2009 5:00 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)

We would have gotten this right if John Kerry were president. Of course then it would have been translated into French.

Posted on March 6, 2009 17:00

See, the whole gift-for-PM-... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by Master Shake | March 6, 2009 5:02 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Master Shake:

See, the whole gift-for-PM-Brown screwup was just a translation problem....

Posted on March 6, 2009 17:02

Wait I was using it wrong, ... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by retired military | March 6, 2009 5:03 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

Wait I was using it wrong, the word is

возврат

for RESET. Word didnt seem to have a translation for overcharge unless you split it into over charge

which is

Излишек обязанность

Posted on March 6, 2009 17:03

Obama "What do you mean I l... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by retired military | March 6, 2009 5:06 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Obama "What do you mean I launched a missile at China?? All my handlers said that Bush called it Nukelear not nuclear"

Posted on March 6, 2009 17:06

Overcharge is what they hav... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by 914 | March 6, 2009 5:16 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

914:

Overcharge is what they have done to future generations so subconciously it comes out in there cheap gift.

After the Clintons cleaned the Whitehouse of all fine crystal and everything accept a blue stained dress You'd think they would learned how to present a proper gift?

Ms. Manners where are You?

"Wonder if anyone in the Obama administration knows which red button to push at 3am if the need arises?"

Yes they do. Its on Obamas back. They push it everytime He is to be in sync with the teleprompter.

Posted on March 6, 2009 17:16

Somewhere, someone at State... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by epador | March 6, 2009 5:17 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

epador:

Somewhere, someone at State is ROFL their AO with their colleagues sharing high fives.

Posted on March 6, 2009 17:17

Some things are just too ni... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by Eric | March 6, 2009 5:25 PM | Score: 13 (13 votes cast)

Eric:

Some things are just too nit picky to get worked up over, but there does seem to be a trend of incompetence surrounding this administration. Particularly when they boasted so much during the election of how professional they were going to be.

But when you add the constant flood of nomination disasters/withdrawals, the stock market declining faster each time Obama opens his mouth, the embarrassing leaked letter to the Russians, news that the White House is coordinating attacks on critics, the snubbing of the Brits, misspeaking "profit to earnings ratio", news that Obama can't go 5 minutes without a teleprompter... when do random dots become a picture?

Posted on March 6, 2009 17:25

"Wonder if anyone in the th... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by Kenny | March 6, 2009 5:58 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Kenny:

"Wonder if anyone in the the Obama administration knows which red button to push at 3:00 am if the need arises."

No. But I'll bet they're all carrying white flags they're ready to wave at anyone except conservatives. (remember who they consider truly evil.)

Posted on March 6, 2009 17:58

Idiot/stupid in Russian is ... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by Michael K. | March 6, 2009 6:02 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Michael K.:

Idiot/stupid in Russian is "dirac". Yes, just like the famous physicist Dirac. Though, he wasn't an idiot by any means. People who have names like this are usually Jews who were assigned to them by the authorities.

Posted on March 6, 2009 18:02

Is getting wrong a Russian ... (Below threshold)

18. Posted by STaylor | March 6, 2009 6:06 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)

STaylor:

Is getting wrong a Russian phrase on a stupid ceremonial button an international crisis?
No.
Should the State Department have the translators, resources and where with all to accuratly tranlate a single word into Russian?
Yes.
Incompetant thy name is....

Posted on March 6, 2009 18:06

Where are the trolls to def... (Below threshold)

19. Posted by Falze | March 6, 2009 6:06 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)

Falze:

Where are the trolls to defend this? I'm really curious what they can come up with to explain why the Department of State apparently can't translate a single word into Russian but the government should be controlling all our health care.

Dis new 'ministration sure ... (Below threshold)

20. Posted by GarandFan | March 6, 2009 6:15 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)

GarandFan:

Dis new 'ministration sure do gots a lot of class. Dem bein' da eeelite an all and knowin' 'bout everythin.

Posted on March 6, 2009 18:15

Just think this idiot was a... (Below threshold)

21. Posted by Stan50 | March 6, 2009 6:27 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Stan50:

Just think this idiot was almost a heartbeat away from being nominated to be the Vice-president. The country would have been lead by dumb and dumber. Oh wait they are already in office. Lots of blonde jokes are coming along shortly.

Posted on March 6, 2009 18:27

"Is getting wrong a Russian... (Below threshold)

22. Posted by retired military | March 6, 2009 6:30 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

"Is getting wrong a Russian phrase on a stupid ceremonial button an international crisis?
No.
"
Well it may not be in this case. Suppose at the Mideast peace talks Obama says say something like "today is a great pig day" instead of "big day". Dont you think the Muslims will be a tad bit upset?

BTW a little history on "Small things"

Look up the history of the korean war peace talks. The 2 diplomats met in a tent. The one diplomat pulled out a small flag and set it on his side of the table. The other diplomat immediately got up and left due to not having a flag. The next meeting the 2nd diplomat brought a bigger flag. The first diplomat walked out.

Eventually they had to have a meeting just to discuss the height and size of the flags. NK complied with the dimensions but their flag stand was more decorative.

So small things can be a big deal.

Posted on March 6, 2009 18:30

What is Kenyan for Idiot?</... (Below threshold)

23. Posted by retired military | March 6, 2009 6:41 PM | Score: 9 (11 votes cast)

What is Kenyan for Idiot?

Obama

Posted on March 6, 2009 18:41

Details are important - I t... (Below threshold)

24. Posted by JLawson | March 6, 2009 6:47 PM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)

JLawson:

Details are important - I tried to impress that on my son after his latest math test. Dumb mistakes can cause a LOT of trouble.

But something like THIS - that's something that should have been checked and double-checked along the line. As many jokes as were made about Bush - something like this wouldn't have happened. Might puke in someone's lap because of the flu, but you can bet a button like this would have used the correct word.

Oh, something else - have you noticed that we're seeing a lot MORE stories of this type? Could it be the MSM's gotten to a point where they're going "You know, much as we luv the Big O, there's just too much going on to ignore like we have in the past"? Or do they realize they'll tank along with the rest of the country?

Posted on March 6, 2009 18:47

"...have you noticed that w... (Below threshold)

25. Posted by GarandFan | March 6, 2009 7:37 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

"...have you noticed that we're seeing a lot MORE stories of this type?"

I'm sure Ram will be right on it. Something about all future televised events will have a built in 5 minute delay factor. Ram will remind the MSM who's side their supposed to be on. And it sure ain't the American public's.

You can bet Hillary! has already sent word out to cut the balls off "the button" translator. Here they were all set for a 'rub it in Bush's face' moment, and it backfires.

Posted on March 6, 2009 19:37

retired militaryI ... (Below threshold)

26. Posted by STaylor | March 6, 2009 7:43 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

retired military

I actually agree completely. My point is in this case the mistake was no big deal but still shows the looming incompetency we can expect in future diplomatic efforts that can become a big deal.

Posted on March 6, 2009 19:43

It's Obama.<... (Below threshold)

27. Posted by irongrampa | March 6, 2009 8:12 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

irongrampa:

It's Obama.

SOMEBODY had to say it.

Posted on March 6, 2009 20:12

I am not the oldest kid on ... (Below threshold)

28. Posted by tyree | March 6, 2009 8:19 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

tyree:

I am not the oldest kid on the block, but I cannot remember an administration that tried to hard to insult, denigrate and trash the previous administration outside this country. It is almost as if they are trying to say that Democracy doesn't really work.

Red button? Does no one in President Obama's administration understand what a Russian pressing the red button means to most Americans?

Posted on March 6, 2009 20:19

"when do random dots bec... (Below threshold)

29. Posted by apb | March 6, 2009 8:54 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

apb:

"when do random dots become a picture? "

This one's already lookin like a freakin' Seurat masterpiece!

Posted on March 6, 2009 20:54

Somehow, I can't help but b... (Below threshold)

30. Posted by iwogisdead | March 6, 2009 9:06 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

iwogisdead:

Somehow, I can't help but believing that the Russian word for "idiot" is the same Russian word for "my ass is three feet wide."

Posted on March 6, 2009 21:06

Russian for Idiot: 'Durak' ... (Below threshold)

31. Posted by Clint | March 6, 2009 10:02 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

Clint:

Russian for Idiot: 'Durak' (Doo-rock).

(You can also say "Idiot" (ih-dee-oat)

Posted on March 6, 2009 22:02

but I'm sure they'd ... (Below threshold)

32. Posted by macofromoc | March 6, 2009 10:11 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

macofromoc:

but I'm sure they'd run healthcare just fine

sarc

Posted on March 6, 2009 22:11

Please use real russian dic... (Below threshold)

33. Posted by James Cloninger | March 6, 2009 10:39 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

James Cloninger:

Please use real russian dictionaries, guys:

Overcharge (n): перезаряд (pyerezaryad)
To Overcharge (vb): перегружать (pyeregruzhat')
Reset (n): сброс (sbros)
To reset(vb): сбрасывать (sbrosivat')
Reset button: кнопка сброса (knopka sbrosa)

спасибо! (spasiba)

Posted on March 6, 2009 22:39

Perhaps she should have stu... (Below threshold)

34. Posted by James Cloninger | March 6, 2009 11:04 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

Perhaps she should have stuck to a Staples "Easy" button in Russian:

"этот лёгкий!"

Posted on March 6, 2009 23:04

I agree that a gift-giving ... (Below threshold)

35. Posted by Lisa | March 6, 2009 11:45 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

Lisa:

I agree that a gift-giving czar is certainly needed. Such a czar would have to be a southerner. A southerner would be mortified if, after the exchange of gifts, theirs was found lacking. Therefore, a southerner errs on the side of "over-gifting" Cheap playsets, DVDs, gimmick button? Even my trailer trash branch of the family can do better. But, when you put a Chicago-land politician in the White House all you get is crass, crass, crass. Grace, tact, class - AWOL. As an American (first) and a southerner (second) - I am ashamed!

Posted on March 6, 2009 23:45

Ok, this must all be a bad ... (Below threshold)

36. Posted by Pretzel Logic | March 6, 2009 11:52 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

Pretzel Logic:

Ok, this must all be a bad dream...somebody wake me....

Posted on March 6, 2009 23:52

If only someone had warned ... (Below threshold)

37. Posted by Tony B | March 7, 2009 12:04 AM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Tony B:

If only someone had warned the nation about how inexperienced this guy is.

Posted on March 7, 2009 00:04

James"Please use rea... (Below threshold)

38. Posted by retired military | March 7, 2009 12:25 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

James
"Please use real russian dictionaries, guys:"

Hey James if Microsoft word was good enough for the dems with the Bush NG papers that it is damn sure good enough for me. :)

Posted on March 7, 2009 00:25

"What is 'Kenyan' for Idiot... (Below threshold)

39. Posted by Ronald | March 7, 2009 11:58 AM | Score: -4 (4 votes cast)

Ronald:

"What is 'Kenyan' for Idiot?

Obama."

Actually, the person who wrote this is the idiot, because there is no "Kenyan" language.

"Kenya" was created by the British and other Western European states in the late 19th Century when they drew lines on a map and divided the African continent amongst themselves.

There is a Kikuyu language and a Lua language and several other indigenous languages, and then there is the official language of Kenya: English.

Posted on March 7, 2009 11:58

OH MY EFFIN' GOD, WE'RE ALL... (Below threshold)

40. Posted by max | March 7, 2009 12:25 PM | Score: -5 (5 votes cast)

max:

OH MY EFFIN' GOD, WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!11!!

ODS

Posted on March 7, 2009 12:25

Obama is an idiot needs no ... (Below threshold)

41. Posted by 914 | March 7, 2009 12:38 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

Obama is an idiot needs no translation.

Posted on March 7, 2009 12:38

"Hillary actually thoug... (Below threshold)

42. Posted by marc | March 7, 2009 2:22 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

marc:

"Hillary actually thought it was an 'Easy' button...."... because it was a present meant for Monica. Not the Russians!

max - "OH MY EFFIN' GOD, WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!11!!"

That may happen... when and if you EVER post something on topic or the slightest bit sane.

Posted on March 7, 2009 14:22

Ronald"There is a Ki... (Below threshold)

43. Posted by retired military | March 7, 2009 3:19 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Ronald
"There is a Kikuyu language and a Lua language and several other indigenous languages, and then there is the official language of Kenya: English.

What is English for idiotic socialist?

OBAMA

Posted on March 7, 2009 15:19

"Peregruzka", the word they... (Below threshold)

44. Posted by JB | March 7, 2009 6:10 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

JB:

"Peregruzka", the word they used actually means overload ( or overcharge in the physics/electricity meaning of the word.)

Posted on March 7, 2009 18:10

To "retired military":... (Below threshold)

45. Posted by Ronald | March 7, 2009 11:02 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)

To "retired military":

One of the great things about the United States is that it costs absolutely nothing to make a fool of yourself in a public forum.

Obama is about as "socialistic" as all of the capitalists who voted for him.

Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and a bunch of other folks--including yourself--are the only folks who can see through Obama . . . Please.

That means that all of the entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals (and card-carrying Republicans) who voted for him are dupes. Perhaps they see what you are too myopic to see . . . Obama represents a section of capitalism that sees the need to shift toward a "green" and high-tech economy that is based on alternatives to fossil fuel. You think capitalist can't disagree and fight amongst themselves? Have you ever heard of World War I?

You want to talk about socialism? Seems to me that the way in which the richest five percent of the U.S. population controls more of the nation's wealth than they did 10 years ago is "socialism" . . . Marx and Engels thought of socialism (not communism) as "from each according to his ability, to each according to his work." Perhaps you favor a variant of that . . . "Take from the workers according to their ability and give it to the fats cats according to their greed" via corporate tax breaks, refusal to increase the federal minimum wage, gutting the regulatory mechanisms that could put a check on Madoff-like schemes, and supporting a predatory healthcare industry.

Posted on March 7, 2009 23:02

The Associated Press would ... (Below threshold)

46. Posted by rebellionbrewery.com | March 8, 2009 12:34 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

rebellionbrewery.com:

The Associated Press would like Americans to believe that our representatives have no clue what they are doing. Judging from comments on the various message forums Americans are gullibly buying the simplistic explanation that our State department supposedly doesn't know how to translate the word "reset" into Russian. Nonsense! The Russian word peregruzka appears at the top of the button, spelled in latin letters. If this was meant to be a literal translation, why would the letters be in Latin? The english translation for this word is "overload" and anyone that knows how to type a few letters into an online translation website can easily figrue that much out. An english word appears below the button and that word is "reset". These words do very much make sense together: when something is overloaded (like a circuit), you reset it.

Continued here: