The "Try And..." Epidemic

In my never-ending quest to document every single human foible that gets under my skin, here's the latest...

While I realize that we often say things like, "I'll try and be there on time", what we're really saying is "I'll try to be there on time." In fact, the first version doesn't even convey the same meaning, if you actually parse it out. The "and be there on time" portion sounds like a commitment is being made, whereas the whole point of the statement is that there exists some doubt as to whether it'll actually happen (it's mostly about the "trying" part).

Now, hearing that sort of thing spoken (even coming from my own lips), is no big deal to me. Who doesn't adopt all kinds of weird slang and examples of laziness in the immediacy of verbal communication, after all? But when I see it in writing, it's disappointing... especially so when I see it in places where I'd expect them to know better. Take this recent entry on the White House Blog, for example:

"A reminder about why we are here to try and undo some of the fiscal mess that we are in."

Setting aside the fact that the sentence isn't a complete thought (it sort of works because it further elaborates on a point from the previous sentence), why in the world would someone in the Office of Public Liaison write up a press release and include the words "try and undo"? Is the education system in the U.S. really that bad? What kind of message does that provide to the people reading those words? I expect better from someone in Obama's administration, personally.

(If you page down at that White House link, by the way, you'll see a picture of a woman named "Buffy." I kid you not!)