Will Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley Recover from 'Not His Brothers or His Sisters' Fallout?

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley is under fire for exclusionary religious remarks he made on Monday. The same day as his inauguration, Bentley commented to a group at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery that anyone who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior were not his brothers or his sisters. A look at other beginning-term gaffes can predict if Bentley can recover from the media fall-out.

Governor Bentley has since apologized for the remarks, saying that "If anyone from other religions felt disenfranchised by the language, I want to say I am sorry. I am sorry if I offended anyone in any way."

Joe Biden's Judge Roberts Joke Falls Flat

Vice President Joe Biden is no stranger to political verbal gaffes. On Jan. 21, 2009--after just one day in office--the new vice president, right before swearing in the new White House staff, asked for a copy of the oath. Biden joked that, "My memory is not as good as Justice Roberts."

This was an obvious joke at the expense of Chief Supreme Court Justice John Roberts, who just the day before flubbed the word "faithfully." This botched President Obama's oath of office, rendering it invalid.

While some thought Biden's quip was funny, others lambasted the new vice president for having the temerity to joke so soon about such an embarrassing situation. Granted, Biden's verbal blunder was a misplaced joke, while Bentley's had deeper connotations toward other faiths, but the four-year term governor may want to take note of how the 2012 presidential election goes.

George W. Bush Starts Off by Embarrassing the Nation

The 43rd president of the United States, George W. Bush, carried out his two terms in office (2001-2009) with the same, sometimes verbally confounding and semi-illiterate speaking he showed the country in his first month as president.

"I appreciate that question because I, in the state of Texas, had heard a lot of discussion about a faith-based initiative eroding the important bridge between church and state." -George W. Bush, speaking to reporters, Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2001

"You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.'' -George W. Bush, Feb. 21, 2001

Even when President Bush touched upon hot topics, such as the separation between church and state or slavery, it was hard to concentrate on his meaning, as opposed to how he was saying it. It was an oratory style that coined the term "Bushisms" and alternately embarrassed and amused American voters. Given that he was re-elected, it also did not hurt his candidacy. The same cannot be said for his legacy.

Gov. Robert Bentley, who is a clear and concise orator, may not be as forgiven for his "brothers and sisters" remarks.

Senator Rand Paul Could be a Comfort to Bentley

Gov. Bentley can take some consolation in Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who has recently been in the news for verbal gaffes this month. Just sworn into office on Jan. 5, 2011 (by Joe Biden, no less), it only took Sen. Paul, an ophthalmologist, five days to make a public verbal blunder.

On Fox News, Paul choose to "diagnose" Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' suspected shooter, Jared Loughner, with a serious mental illness. Not being a qualified to make this diagnosis didn't stop Sen. Paul from stating, "I've looked at some of the writings of this young man, and from a medical point of view, there is a lot to suggest paranoid schizophrenia, that this man was a really sick individual."

Sen. Paul is taking heat for diagnosing without being a medical doctor in that field, a dangerous practice. Not a comfort to Bentley is that Paul is know for making unwarranted pronouncements that his constituents are quite familiar with. Gov. Bentley doesn't have that cushioning.