'Mistakes were clearly made': Christie kicks off SOTS speech in passive voice

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie alluded to the Bridgegate scandal in the first sentences of his State of the State speech Tuesday afternoon, saying, “The last week has certainly tested this administration. Mistakes were clearly made, and we let down those we were supposed to serve.” Suddenly it seemed everyone was an English teacher.

"Mistakes were clearly made." Mr. Straight-Talk opens with weasely passive voice formulation.

— Paul Begala (@PaulBegala) January 14, 2014

"mistakes were clearly made." passive voice?

— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) January 14, 2014

Christie reverting to passive language: "Mistakes were clearly made."

— Jon Ward (@jonward11) January 14, 2014

"Mistakes were clearly made" <– masterful use of the passive voice #bridgegate

— Ben Wrobel (@BenWrobel) January 14, 2014

Christie lapses into passive voice on Bridgegate scandal: "Mistakes were clearly made."

— Democratic Governors (@DemGovs) January 14, 2014

"Mistakes were clearly made," said Christie today, 'fessing up (in the passive voice) only because his office coverup fell apart.

— Dick Polman (@DickPolman1) January 14, 2014

"Mistakes were clearly made." Nice use of passive voice @GovChristie

— Andrew Brokman (@AndrewBrokman) January 14, 2014

"Mistakes were clearly made," says Christie. Boy politicians love that passive voice, huh?

— Adam Jacobson (@adamdjacobson) January 14, 2014

"Mistakes were clearly made…" This, dear children, is called passive voice, used by politicians the world over to obfuscate.

— Sarah WEAR YOUR MASK Littman ?? (@realsaramerica) January 14, 2014

#NJ Gov. Christie: "Mistakes were clearly made." Great use of the passive voice. via @washingtonpost

— Kehinde Togun (@KehindeTogun) January 14, 2014

.@GovChristie's State of State embracing passive voice on #bridgegate: "Mistakes were CLEARLY made…what has occurred." #StrunkAndWhiteWeep

— Matthew Chayes (@chayesmatthew) January 14, 2014

For what it’s worth, Christie did slip back into active voice, saying, “I am the governor and I am ultimately responsible for all that happens on my watch — both good and bad.” Does he deserve credit for that?

1. "Mistakes were clearly made"

2. "Cones were put in place"

3. "Presidential ambitions were thwarted#PassiveVoice

— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) January 14, 2014

Chris Christie had the balls to utter the Nixonian words "Mistakes were clearly made?" Okay – now he's just trolling. #ChrisChristie

— David Hines (@dbh1ne2) January 14, 2014