The difference is (with Amy) Carter actually was and is from the South. Bush not so much.

I guess we need another president who tries to find many definitions of the word "is".

swbones - Sorry for misspelling your ID! :) It's that spelling thing! :)

sawbones - Thanks so much for your words! I am so happy to find another parent who has experienced the same frustration we have with the teachers actually coming right out and saying they are not counting off on spelling! It absolutely boggles my mind! Without trying to negate any of our youth who work exceptionally hard to get good grades and stay at the top of their class, how are our children supposed to find spelling to be important if the teachers are not teaching that it IS important? Anyway, this is just one of my many soapboxes with our education system.

To salazaa: LOL

Ah, but it all fits right in with all the data having to do with how monumentally stupid U.S. citizens are becoming - doesn't it?

WE all can use better writing skills. I, most likely, am at the top of the list.
I have two Sons in the Navy; they are 5 years apart in age. When the oldest was in high school I had a hard time with his writing, grammar and English teacher. She would not count points off for spelling or grammar. I was told their new goal was to allow the child to be creative. We had weekly “Discussions” on the subject.

Salazaa,
The President might be attempting to communicate with you. (LOL)

To be sure, Bush is not eloquent. But he's no worse than another president from the South who moaned on national TV that his daughter Amy was concerned about "noo-kyoo-lar" arms. I'm pretty sure Ike botched a word or two at the podium. But all this is beside the point. Few excel at public speaking. The real test of linguistic acumen shows in written communication. Clearly, there are a LOT of lazy people.
"Language is the dress of thought." - Samuel Johnson
In other words, don't walk around naked. Dress properly.

Bush's grammatical skills notwithstanding, I see this almost everyday. I've seen such slang as "ur", "b4", and "cuz" used in everything from posts on this website to, of all things and to my horror, job applications!
I use some slang and abbreviations in my own posts here sometimes, I must admit, in an attempt to communicate some ideas in the spirit in which some comments are made. We live in an electronic world where texting, instant messaging and email have become a huge part of our interactions with others. It's often difficult to convey the emotions of one's written ideas that would come across in person with one's tone of voice or facial expressions so I can accept some emoticons and slang in informal written communications. "How's it hanging?" just doesn't have the same familiar connotation in written form as does, "How's it hangin'? :-)" But the apostrophe indicating the writer *knows* he's committed a grammatical non sequitor is telling.
I think the lack of the ability to produce proper English and grammar in more formal written communications is symptomatic of a deeper problem; the gradual "dumbing down" of our society. A very intelligent teacher I had in HS at one point told me something I'll never forget. "It is not only the school's job to teach facts and figures to its students. It is arguably the school's primary job to teach its students how to THINK!"
I believe way too many students graduating from our high schools today have no ability to *think.* When so many Americans can't string two logical thoughts together well enough to make a coherent sentence it gives me serious concern about our country's ability to remain a super power for much longer.
Ernie

This should be expected from a society that elects a president who cannot speak in complete sentences.