Covering a number of the bigger foul-ups by politicians, ABC news’ coverage of this years political blunders highlights thing such as the unravelling of a Presidential candidate to a former candidate’s poorly made joke to hunting with the VP. Here are just a few highlights.
- Rebuilding a Metaphor
New Orleans Democratic Mayor Ray Nagin, during a City Hall tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. last January, committed one of the year’s earliest flubs when he called on the African-American community to rebuild a “chocolate New Orleans” in the post-Katrina landscape.
I can tell you that I was surprised when I heard this comment. New Orleans is far too hot and humid to make for a good chocolate manufacturing city. Not that I ever recall the city being involved in the production of chocolate before Katrina hit. And what else could he possibly mean by this?
- When Congresswomen Attack
McKinney claimed that a white police officer grabbed her when she walked past a checkpoint to enter the Longworth House Office Building, bypassing a metal detector, which House members are allowed to do. She admitted to not wearing her congressional pin but said the officer should have recognized her.
Left out of this story are her claims of racism. I suppose that is alluded to, but I remember this one well.
- Driving Under the Influence
After an early-morning Washington car crash, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) was written up by Capitol Hill police in May for driving with his lights off after barely missing a police cruiser and crashing his convertible into a security barricade. Kennedy was observed staggering when he got out of his car and claimed he was late for a vote though the House had adjourned three hours prior.
I thought all Kennedy’s got a free pass on driving under the influence. Is it insensitive for me to say that? While I’m at it, I believe the Kennedy men also don’t have to follow traditional rules such as opening a car door for a lady, especially after driving said car in a lake. These are the kinds of things Miss Manners won’t teach you. But that’s why you come to me for knowledge instead of Miss Manners’ site.
There are a number of other good bad moves by the year. In case you missed what John Kerry, Sen. Joe Biden, or Sen. George Allen said, those are highlighted as well.
[tags]2006 review – political gaffes, The biggest political blunders of the year[/tags]