Today is the five-year anniversary of President Bush II landing on the USS Abraham Lincoln, standing in front of a banner that read "Mission Accomplished" and said, "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." 
Anybody remember that?
Well, NPR (White House Clarifies 'Mission Accomplished' Sign) and others remembered it.
Evidently the banner was meant as a congratulations to the Lincoln's crew rather than a statement about the President's speech. The two being together at the same moment in time and space was a happy accident. How foolish we, the voting public are, to think otherwise.
Especially when no clarification was offered, nobody thought there would be confusion.
Wait a second. Nobody? Nobody thought there'd be confusion?
If I see a sign at a car dealership that announces "Free Cars to First 10 Customers" and the latest model cars are displayed doors and hoods open under the sign, I'm going to think I or at least somebody is getting one of those cars. If ten customers already got a free car I'll strongly suggest the sign be changed to "We just gave free cars to 10 people. Come on in and see what we can do for you!". If you tell me I'm one of those ten customers then tell me that I can choose from any of the cars on the back lot where the wrecks are kept...
Ah, the old Bait and Switch.
Perhaps it's time for me to stop clarifying things so much, to stop working to make sure there's no confusion in what I'm writing about or stating or presenting.
Funny that we'll accept the collective wisdom of the general public on Wikipedia but not in understanding what was meant by "Mission Accomplished".
As in shopping so in politics, me thinks: Caveat Emptor. Buyer Beware.
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- International Communication Association's Communicating for Social Impact, the 58th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association at Le Centre Sheraton Hotel, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 22-26, 2008
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