Artful Dodger:

I picked on Palin's gaffes simply because they are the most talked about. However, I think all politicians say things that they later wish they could take back.

Here is a funny one from Barrack Obama during the electoral campaign in 2008:

"Over the last 15 months, we've traveled to every corner of the United States. I've now been in 57 states? I think one left to go."

I suppose if Americans divide California and Texas into smaller states then the US might make it to 58 States!


Here is a funny one from Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay:

"... he suggested British Columbia and California shared a border in front of the state's former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger during a stop in Winnipeg, MacKay sought to reassure Canadians that his grasp of geography actually isn't that bad."

That's almost as bad as saying that Alska and California share a border!


Here is one from French President Nicolas Sarkozy:

"I can accept distortions of competition from China or India, but not from Germany. I'm not saying that simply because I'm in Germany. "

The problem is that he was in France at the time, in the border region of Alsace. No wonder all the farmers in the crowd booed him!

One from George W. Bush:
"Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease"

Sarah Palin:
"You can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska"

George W. Bush
"Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease"

Sarah Palin
"You can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska"

John McCain
"We have a lot of work to do and I'm afraid that it's a very hard struggle, particularly given the situation on the Iraq/Pakistan border." (Did Iran just disappear off the map?)

Rep. Hank Jonhson (Dem.) speaking about the island of Guam:
"My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize." (I guess Guam must be made of styrofoam!)

Dan Quayle during a speech as vice-president:
"I love California, I practically grew up in Phoenix."

Dick Cheney, in a TV interview speaking of Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela:
"The people of Peru, I think, deserve better."

Here is a classic:
Tim Kayne (Dem.), former Governor of Virginia:
"Well, first, Joe [Biden] comes from a state, Delaware, that borders Virginia."
The problem is, Delaware and Virginia share no borders. One supposes the governor of the state would know that.

We could go on and on. That is the problem with unscripted public appearances. Anything can happen, and once it happens, there is no way to take it back.