Orrin Hatch accidentally compares Iraq to Vietnam

December 1, 2005

While discussing his reasons for opposing immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) had a slip of the tongue, accidentally referring to Iraq as Vietnam. "The Democratic Party seems to be taken over by the Michael Moore contingent in their attitude toward Vietnam, and they continually call for a withdrawal of troops at a time when we haven't finished the job." Hatch was speaking on Fox News. His spokesman, Peter Carr, said that Senator Hatch became confused because he had been reading an article earlier in the day comparing the two conflicts.

Hatch has been a Utah Senator since 1976, when he defeated Sen. Frank Moss (D) on a platform of term limits for U.S. Senators. He is currently running against Democrat Pete Ashdown for another term, and is expected to win re-election.