They can hear you. Ten of the worst political gaffes

Nick Clegg might be regretting the moment that he badmouthed his team. But at least he can reflect that he's in good company.

Here's Comment Central's list of ten politicians who forgot a cardinal rule: we can hear you.

John Major

John Major was already having a bad month. But labelling his rebellious cabinet members 'b******s' and promising to 'crucify' them live on air really didn't help. The open mic at this ITN interview also caught this slightly despairing statement:

Even as an ex-Whip I can't stop people sleeping with other people if they ought not

José Bono

The leading Spanish politician blotted his copybook when he labelled Tony Blair un gilipollas integral. You can look up the translation for yourself. But rest assured...it didn't do his career any favours.

Jesse Jackson

There were gaffes aplenty on the 2008 campaign trail (including the moment when Joe 'foot-in-the-mouth' Biden asked a wheelchair-bound supporter to stand). But Jesse Jackson's open mic words about Obama caused one of the biggest firestorms. The Revd noted:

He's talking down to black people ... I want to cut his nuts off

John Kerry

Slating your own team is bad form but badmouthing the opposition doesn't do you any favours either. John Kerry discovered in 2004 when a microphone broadcast this statement: 

These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group of people I've ever seen

He said he was talking about political attack dogs. The Republican party assumed he was slamming the lot of them.

Jacques Chirac

Brits will happily support any moaning about our politicians. But only we're allowed to complain about our food. Jacques Chirac put his foot in when he slated British cuisine in front of a reporter. Worse still he tried to get Schroeder and Putin to join in the rant:

The only thing they have ever done for European agriculture is mad cow disease," Mr Chirac said...

After Finland, it is the country with the worst food.

George Bush

There's many a W. incident that could make this list but here's one from the 2006 G8 summit. His infamous 'Yo Blair' was bad enough. But then George Bush offered up this little gem of Middle Eastern analysis:

You see the irony is what they need to do is get Syria, to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it’s all over . . .

The global economy was forgotten as every paper parsed the leader of the free world's words.

Jean Chrétien

This Canadian Prime Minister and the microphone were never the best of friends. There was the famous incident in which his communication secretary labelled Bush a 'moron.' And then this Chrétien statement about American democracy.

...they are selling their votes, they are selling their votes. 'You want me to vote for NATO? Don't forget the bridge in my district.' ''

...''It's incredible. In your country or in mine, all the politicians would be in prison.''

Dick Cheney and George Bush (again)

Bashing journalists is never a way to endear yourself to the media. Although the right-wing George Bush and the left-leaning New York Times were never destined to be the best of friends, this little exchange between Bush and Cheney in the 2000 campaign season certainly didn't help:

There's Adam Clymer -- major league asshole -- from the New York Times," Bush said.

"Yeah, big time," returned Cheney.

Al Gore

Sighing loudly into the microphone is one way to make your feelings known. But when Gore did it during a presidential debate with George Bush, it simply made him seem petulant and patronising. Many think it contributed to his ultimate defeat.

David Miliband

First he set himself up as a Brown rival. Then he denied it. Then he gossiped loudly at the Labour Conference. Miliband's statement that he had toned down his speech 'to prevent a 'Heseltine moment' was widely ridiculed. The first takeaway lesson: Don't speak loudly in front of the whole lobby. The second: Don't pose with pieces of fruit.

Comments

[Evan]

Surely Silvio Berlusconi ought to be included here... perhaps with some sort of lifetime achievement award?

[Peter]

Of course, a journalist who writes "The global economy were forgotten..." isn't exactly gaffe-free himself.

[Atticus Finch]

He is not on the same pedestal as some of the people mentioned above, but RR Patil, the home minister of the state of Maharashtra in India in charge of Mumbai's security said on TV after the recent terror attacks to the world at large that "In big cities, sometimes small stuff like this happens". He had to resign instantly, but still, the gaffe leaves you reeling, given he was in charge of the city's security when the terror attacks happened.

[Dave Hands]

Whilst I agree on one level, there is something refreshing about honesty. Perhaps if these leaders were able to say as they felt, the resultant debate would achieve more.
If the Right Honourable Gentleman feels his opponent is a donkey and were to say so, the end would justify the means. It would, if nothing else, reveal the nasty and two faced for what they are.

[Martin]

Just because it is perceived as a gaffe, does not mean it is wrong. I looked up "gilipollas integral". Seems a fair description of Bliar to me.

As for John Kerry, I think history has proved him right. W and cronies are a lying bunch of crooks.

Ditto with Jean Chretien. Just because the Americans didn't like it, doen't mean he was wrong.

Personally I prefer politicians who say what they think and mean it. At least you know where you stand.

[Glenn]

"an end to boom and bust" - Gordon Brown.
I can't remember the exact words but it was a TV debate where Blair said "trust me" about WMDs in Iraq - he claimed he was privvy to irrefutable proof that he couldn't make public. I can't think of a worse lie than one that thousands of people die for.

[Les]

I thought it was Jose Boro, but never mind.

[dave]

Ed Ball's "So what?" overheard in parliament in response to claims that Britons were paying more tax than ever before.
He denied making the remark, saying he was misheard..

Prince Charles declaring to his sons his dislike of Nicholas Witchell: “I can't bear that man. I mean, he's so awful, he really is ”.
Came across as rather superior and unkind. A bad move for a Prince who tries to put himself across as 'for the people'.

[Patrick Whitman]

And now, something with oomph - Australian scandal-magnet MP Belinda "Do You Know Who I Am" Neal overheard in Parliament saying to a pregnant member of the Opposition -"your child will turn into a demon if you have such evil thoughts".

[Michael]

Not forgetting Neil Kinnock on the campaign trail.. "Alll-riiight! Alll-riiight!". The only thing worse was his continued justification afterwards that he was "trying to calm the crowd down". Yeah, right.

[Graeme]

What about George Gallaway's infamous "Would you like me to be the cat?"

[Colin Hoad]

I can't believe the illustrious Mayor of London hasn't been included here. Gaffes are his speciality, after all.

[Jon]

Gordon Brown - "an end to boom and bust"

[Rob]

"When your back's to the wall there's only one thing to do, turn round and start fighting."
John Major

[Adam]

I just have to ask, why is there nothing from the infamous Palin on here?

[Colin Haslam]

Surely the great Ronald Reagan should have got a mention!

[Liam]

Er, Al Gore won the election.

[Chris Garfio]

Corpulent Peruvian president, Alan García Perez, at a party rally a couple of years ago, was caught on camera angrily hoofing a supporter squarely up the arse with his size 12s. When questioned later, he claimed it had been an accident. See what you think?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2NhIjBPex_M

[germaine botterell]

Just thought I'd take the opportunity to say loudly:

" All leftists are complicit in the death of our previously workable society. The leftist view has destroyed the kinds of personal responsiblity that make a civilized society work.

They have handed power to people from failed family, tribal, religious, and ethnic cultures.

The left are traitors to humanity, and should be given their very own country --let's watch them feed, educate, govern, police and defend themselves on their own bill.

Chuckle.

[Niko2]

Helmut Kohl promising that the German reunification "will not cost the tax payer one pfennig".
Ronald Reagan with his infamous Russia bombing joke.
Sarah Palin not so much, she is not important enough I'd say.

[Michael Burkinshaw]

John Major preaching about "family values" backfired on him when his affair with a married minister came to light,the one that got the boot for telling the truth about eggs.

[Chris Garfio]

Here's a Freudian slip of a gaffe: A newly elected Peruvian congressman, while being sworn in in 2004, said 'Juro por Dios y por la plata' (I swear before God & for the money), before rapidly amending & correctly completing the phrase '... y por la Patria' (& the Motherland).

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NHxIETWQJx8

[A.Alaalas]

Gore won, the Supreme Court de-invested him.

[Chris K]

Ironically, most of the "gaffes" have proven to be remarkably accurate in hindsight, from Kerry's description of the Republican party to our own gilipollas integral.

[Big Liz]

"I just have to ask, why is there nothing from the infamous Palin on here?" - Adam

Palin Who?

[Niko2]

Not the worst but still iconic:
Thatchers "We are a grandmother".

[awhit]

I forget his name, but the the Australian politician who, in a parliamentary debate on Asian immigration to Australia, stated "two Wongs don't make a White"

[james francis]

Er and David Cameron. See The Sun.

[Joe]

I think it was a miners' leader I heard on the radio: "It's time to gird our loins and tie up all the loose ends." Ouch.

[fabio]

unfortunately berlusconi's are not gaffes... that's the way he actually is!

[Paul Brooks]

Surely the Times doesnt print swear words??? Thanks guys, nice

[C Bozner]

Sorry wingnuts, Gore lost the 2000 election - he did not even win his home state and Florida actually did have more votes tallied for Bush (blame Ralph Nader, not the Supreme Court). And Bush's comment on the Middle East, although stated in a way only he could, is rather accurate. No, I am not a Bush supporter but fair is fair.

[Alex C]

I too think Berlusconi should be in this list somewhere. However his worst political gaffe is himself. Or all of the people who voted for him.

[Nobby Clark]

11. The UK allowing an unqualified bean counter to become Prime Minister without election, either by his peers or by the electorate.

[stuart munro]

NZ political hopeful and momentary Prime Minister Mike Moore suffered, late one election night, from a surge of enthusiasm that sadly, the voters had not shared in sufficient numbers.

"If he was a race horse, one commentator noted later, you'd have swabbed him."

[John Miller]

Brown's disgusting "joke" when his mobile rang? "Och is that another bank gone bust?" That wasn't a gaffe was it? Nobody in the MSM reported it that way, but many folk outside the loop felt it showed how barmy the PM is.

[Stephen]

I have to agree that Bush's comment on the Middle East is pretty fair. These so-called complex disputes are remarkably simple to outsiders who do not share the combatants' religious beliefs. Simply stop doing that shit is enough. It worked in N Ireland. If anyone can work the same magic in the Middle East, it is Blair.

[Pat]

" this counry was on the brink of a precipice, but thanks to my governement, we have taken a giant step forward".

by a french president I think, not sure.

[Alexej Buergin]

Berlusconi got reelected because Prodi was not even able to have the trash collected.
And how can anyone still believe that Gore was cheated by the vote counters from his own party?

[G.Margaret]

We should not leave out good old Bill`s " I did not have sex with that women " (not lady you note) always a gentleman is Bill

[Robert H]

It's hard not to laugh at this article. What great examples of the fact that a political "gaffe" is accidently saying something true.

1) Bono (not my favorite politician) and Chretien both hit the nail on the head
2) Jesse Jackson is still reeling. Give him time to assimilate his political obsolescence
3) The local food in the UK is revolting. Of course there is wonderful food to be eaten, but like most of the good things you enjoy, it's been appropriated. And what has the UK done for UE unity?

[pats]

'We should live in such a way that our grandchildren would envy us,' - Victor Chernomyrdin, Russian Prime Minister in 1990s.

[Geoff]

Nobby - please don't malign us accountants by suggesting Brown is in any way a beancounter - he's a history graduate and politics lecturer, he's never had a proper job.
Shame he hasn't learned from history that anyone who tried to spend their way out of a recession
(a) failed and
(b) left the rest of the country to pick up a massive tab
But win or lose he'll waltz off with a gold plated pension.
A better gaffe is Gordon's real name - look it up and sing along!

[Jurgen]

Says a lot for our concept of honesty when a politician finally speaks without a forked tongue it is labelled a Gaffe, and Prince Charles is right, Witchell, a once well respected newscaster, is bloody awful in a fawning kind of way.

[Dylan]

Sorry but Jose Bono was spot on

[Marchchild]

"David has left a large gap to be filled." Replacement to disgraced MP David Mellor caught in flagrante delicto.

[JA]

It wasn't John Major who wanted 'Back to Basics' to mean victorian values. It was his ghastly spin doctors.