Politicians who spend any amount of time around reporters are bound to say something, every now and then, that gets them into a bit of hot water. An ill-timed disclosure can lead to all sorts of unpleasantness, but a quick clarification can cool things off and put the matter to rest before any real damage is done to livelihoods and reputations.
That’s how it’s supposed to work in theory, at any rate, but in practice, clarifications almost always complicate matters further and implicate the clarifier in another round of questions under the hot lights.
I know that we’re only midway through the year, but I have a hard time believing that any public figure will be able to top the clarification recently offered by British MP Harry Cohen.
Let’s let The Guardian set the stage:
Leading the support was Harry Cohen, MP for Leyton and Wanstead, who had embarrassed Mr Prescott by revealing the remarks, made in a private meeting on Tuesday.
Mr Cohen reported that Mr Prescott had described the Bush administration as “crap” in its handling of the “road map” negotiations to reach a settlement between the Palestinians and Israelis, and referred to the US president as “a cowboy with his stetson on”.
Okay, Mr. Harry Cohen. You’ve done embarrassed yourself and your deputy prime minister. How are you going to rectify this situation?
With a priceless clarification, that’s how!
Oh, that should settle the matter. Well done, sir!
One Comment on "Clarification of the Year"
The Heretik:
Crap Update…
Tony Snow says Bush has been called worse than crap and that’s part of leadership. Deputy British PM Prescott says this crap is “”an inaccurate report of a private conversation and it is not my view.”
The guy who originally sa…
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