…read this Politico story on that “reset” button. Blame for the embarrassing mess is being laid at the feet of Hillary Clinton aide Phillippe Reines.
The error appalled some in the State Department, because the button – which was inscribed in Latin script, not Cyrillic – hadn’t been assembled with the help of State’s cadre of Russian speakers and professional translators, but rather by Clinton’s small political team. The day of the event, people involved said, Reines showed the finished product to officials who spoke Russian, but who weren’t native, or up-to-date enough to catch the error in a word out of computer terminology.
Y’know, I’m not “native, or up-to-date enough to catch” something out of computer technology. But it only took me ten minutes to figure it out.
Here’s my favorite part of the story:
Pressed Monday on the button incident, Reines denied that he’d ever blamed McFaul, and sent over a joking statement taking responsibility for the gaffe.
“Ultimotely [sic], this was my soul [sic] risponsibility [sic], nobody else’s in or out of the building. While the Russians laughed off the error and accepted the gift in the spirit of cooperation that it was meant, I’ve been sic [sic] about the mistake since, especially that I let down the Secretary and the fine professionals at the State Department,” he e-mailed.
What a pro! And he’s helping to steer foreign policy with places like Russia, and Iran, and Venezuela, and China!
I feel so very well served!