Mandate Top 7: unguarded comments by public figures

Posted by Theo Blackwell at Thu, 17/09/2009 - 2:53pm in Political commentary

At number 6:  unguarded Obama swats fly

Following Obama's off the record "Jackass" comment concerning Kanye West storming the stage at the MTV awards, Mandate has compiled our 'Top 7' list of unguarded comments in public life:

 1.  Ronald Reagan - We bomb Russia in 5 minutes.  Sound-checking before a broadcast Ronnie almost turns the Cold War, hot.  Wins hand down because we could all either be dead or wandering a radiation-scoured wasteland if it had been taken seriously. 

2.  'Yo Blair!' - Unguarded conversation between Bush and Blair at the G8 in 2006.  Bush didn't actually say "Yo Blair" but it's gone down in history as if he did.

3.  John Major's "Bastards!" - luckily for his legacy, before You Tube, but had an impact on his image during his premiership.

4.  Prince Charles' "awful man" comment.  Of course, he learnt from the best - his father is an un-PC master at this.

5.  John Prescott "bloody Norfolk" - so many to choose from, but this one I'd forgotten:  "Why would I want to go and live in bloody Norfolk? Nothing good ever came out of bloody Norfolk since Cromwell."  We also chose Mandy the crab - Prescott lets his thought wander about his hard-shelled colleague.

6.  POTUS Obama kills fly.  Ok not a comment, but he makes a tasteless joke at the expense of one of God's creatures.  Looking like an early 'quick win' if healthcare doesn't pass Congress, Fox News would probably say.

7.  Nick Clegg slates his own cabinet.  One example of how politicians should be careful what they say on planes and trains.  Are you listening everyone going up to party conference?

Tagged with: Tony Blair, Prince Charles, John Prescott, Jackass, George Bush, gaffes, Barack Obama