Top 20 Dumb Things Said by American Politicians

Top 20 Dumb Things Said by US Politicians

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 20 most ridiculous, absurd, or factually incorrect things said by US Politicians. #20: “I took the initiative in creating the Internet.” Al Gore In a 1999 interview with CNN journalist Wolf Blitzer, Almost U.S. President Al Gore stated that he took initiative in creating the Internet. This led to a firestorm of ridicule and controversy against Gore, who was widely misquoted as claiming to have invented the Internet himself. It had never been Gore’s intention to make that specific claim. He was simply trying to highlight various initiatives and policies he had been involved with that helped foster the right environment for the Internet to grow. Gore’s poor word choice left him ripe for the attack, however. Let this be a lesson to all you current or future politicians watching today: phrasing matters. #19: “My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.” Hank Johnson On March 25, 2010, as is tradition, the House Armed Services Committee met to discuss the 2011 defense budget. The otherwise routine hearing had a moment of unusual ridiculousness while discussing the Guam military base. After giving a way-too-detailed report on the island’s size, Georgia representative Hank Johnson cited his worry that adding more military personnel would cause the island to “tip over and capsize.” The Admiral on the other side of the bench was quick to dispel that concern. After all, we live in the real world and not a Nickelodeon cartoon. Johnson’s office later put out a statement that he was simply being humorous and metaphorical, but that was one joke that just didn’t land. #18: “The Internet is not something that you just dump something on. It’s not a big truck. It’s a series of tubes.” Ted Stevens Ted Stevens had a 40-year-long U.S. Senate career defined by such highlights as a 2008 corruption scandal and a 2006 Net neutrality speech. In that speech, he had been arguing against an amendment to ban providers from charging higher rates for faster Internet. Stevens got a bit too colorful describing how the Internet works. He clarified that the Internet was in fact not a truck where you can dump things en masse, but rather, a series of tubes that can apparently get clogged up like a rush-hour freeway. The comment was widely mocked and derided, notably by Jon Stewart. If only there was some worldwide tool Stevens could have used to look up a better description of the Internet. #17: “Stand up, Chuck. Let em see you…” Joe Biden In the year 2000, Eminem asked the real Slim Shady to please stand up. Eight years later at a campaign event, Joe Biden asked Missouri state senator Chuck Graham to do the same. The only problem was that Graham required a wheelchair due to his paralysis. So, standing up wasn’t really an option. Biden realized his mistake and awkwardly tried to pivot away from his gaffe, asking everyone else to stand up instead. Thankfully, enough people obliged that Biden was able to apologize and the incident passed with some self-deprecation and little additional fanfare. #16: “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford administration.” Gerald Ford You have three choices when asked a question during a presidential debate: you can give a right answer, a wrong answer, or just plain confuse everyone. Gerald Ford chose the latter when asked about Soviet domination in Eastern Europe in the second 1976 presidential debate. His incredible response that there was none forced the moderator to ask him again. Ford doubled down, insisting there would be no Soviet domination during his presidency using specific countries as examples. It’s interesting to note Ford likely wasn’t so much wrong as simply belting out U.S. foreign policy which refused to acknowledge the Soviet empire and insisted every nation was independent. Unfortunately for him, though, most people didn’t catch that subtle distinction and he ultimately lost the election. #15: “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.” Bill Clinton The Clinton-Lewinsky scandal first broke in 1998 and quickly dominated media headlines. A few days after the initial reports, Clinton gave the now infamous press conference where he categorically denied having any relationship with Monica Lewinsky. During his grand jury testimony hearing, he was asked about statements made by his attorney denying his relationship with Lewinsky. Clinton stated that the veracity of those statements really depends on what the word ‘is’ means. This Simone Biles-worthy feat of verbal gymnastics wasn’t even Clinton’s only attempt to use semantics in his favor as he tried to dodge the consequences. While Clinton’s presidency is largely viewed in a positive light, the scandal remains a significant part of his legacy. #14: “As Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America…” Sarah Palin Sarah Palin dramatically rose to the national stage when she was selected to be John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 U.S. presidential elections. While her selection was initially certified fresh, Palin soon began to get called out for her apparent inexperience. To combat this, she tried to bolster her foreign policy credentials by citing Russia’s proximity to Alaska. Palin further emphasized this point in an interview with Katie Couric by describing how Alaska is Putin’s target as he rears his head and enters U.S. airspace. It was a statement that did absolutely nothing but give people an absurd image of Putin as a dragon getting out of bed in the morning. #13: “Binders full of women…” Mitt Romney There are plenty of good ways to highlight the gender pay gap, and then there’s what Mitt Romney said in the second 2012 presidential debate. When asked a question on pay equity for women, the Massachusetts governor described receiving “whole binders full of women” while trying to fill his cabinet. Romney had managed to somehow take a topic as dull as resume files and sound like a sleazy talent scout looking for “America’s Next Top Model.” The quote went viral, garnering significant attention from the media, becoming a meme, and putting Romney on blast for his supposed misogyny. It certainly didn’t help matters when Obama added the quote to his campaign arsenal. #12: “Life is indeed precious, and I believe the death penalty helps to affirm that fact.” Ed Koch They say if you love something, let it go. A philosophy former New York City mayor Ed Koch clearly embraced when he pontificated that the death penalty helps affirm the preciousness of life. This oxymoron was included in a 1985 essay by Koch published in the New Republic in support of his pro-death penalty stance. This stance often put him in conflict with fellow Democrats and civil rights organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union. Koch’s main argument in favor of this assertion was that the death penalty would deter those planning to kill or commit other violent crimes. The argument falls flat when you consider that most criminals aren’t really planning on getting caught or may be equally deterred by alternate penalties. #11: “If Lincoln were alive today, he’d roll over in his grave.” Gerald Ford Gerald Ford’s presidency got off to a rough start in September 1974 when he granted Richard Nixon a full pardon following the Watergate scandal. He then stumbled into a reputation for clumsiness and was an early and regular target of “Saturday Night Live.” Among his many slips, trips, and gaffes was the declaration that if Abraham Lincoln were alive today, he’d be turning over in his grave at the status of current affairs. This butchering of a classic punchline serves as a prime example of someone speaking faster than their brain works. Or Perhaps Ford had thought Lincoln enjoyed rolling around in empty coffins during his leisure time between Gettysburg Address preparation sessions and trips to the top hat store. #10: “Every month that we do not have an economic recovery package, 500 million Americans lose their jobs.” Nancy Pelosi It isn’t unusual for politicians to slightly bend the truth or employ hyperbole to pass legislation or enact policy. Nancy Pelosi, however, took it to another level when she claimed in early 2009 that 500 million Americans would lose their jobs every month if Obama’s stimulus package is not passed. Given that the total U.S. population at the time (including children) was just over 300 million, we’re fairly certain Pelosi momentarily forgot how math works. Even taking her statement global, the entire world would find itself out of a job in about a year. But, given that this was Nancy Pelosi, maybe the bill just had to pass for us to understand her unique logic. #9: “The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation’s history…” Dan Quayle Dan Quayle’s vice presidency is largely defined not by any policy or initiative he spearheaded, but by the cornucopia of bizarre statements he made while in office. One of his most confounding statements, however, came when he referenced the Holocaust in 1988, calling it the most obscene period in American history. Quayle attempted to correct this snafu, but only dug himself deeper as he discussed World War II and “this century”... where he may or may not have lived. Quayle concludes this epic monologue by defining the term “Hitlerism,” which sounds like a term he created. What do you expect from the man who once “fixed” a student’s already correct spelling of the word potato? #8: “Trees cause more pollution than automobiles.” Ronald Reagan If there’s one thing Ronald Reagan was a fan of during his presidency, it was deregulation. The former governor of California gutted federal regulation for numerous sectors, including the environment. To promote anti-environmental policy, Reagan even claimed in 1981 that trees are responsible for more pollution than automobiles. The comment was widely mocked by critics who joked about the presence of “Killer Trees,” which surprisingly did not become the title of a Stephen King novel. To be clear, research has shown that some trees do release organic hydrocarbons that contribute to air pollution. However, saying they pollute more than cars is misleading and ignores all the good trees do for the environment. #7: “I’ve now been in 57 states. I think one left to go.” Barack Obama Many politicians are known for being highly skilled and charismatic orators, including Barack Obama, who often gave memorable and captivating speeches. Unfortunately, he doesn’t always get it right. During a 2008 Oregon campaign rally when he was first running for president, Obama described how he had been all over the country having apparently visited 57 states. Yeah, you heard that right: 57 states. But, wait it gets worse because it seems he still had one to go and had not visited either Hawaii or Alaska. It was later suggested that he meant to stay 47, but we’re just going to pretend he had included the great states of Narnia, Westeros, and Middle-earth in his count. #6: “...the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” William Todd Akin Abortion has always been a divisive issue with people often not afraid to express and fiercely defend their views. One such view came from former Missouri Representative William Todd Akin, a known abortion critic. In a 2012 JACO report interview, he gave the startling view that the female body is capable of automatically terminating pregnancies after ‘legitimate’ sexual assaults. The backlash was immediate, with many decrying the statement as both highly insulting and very scientifically inaccurate. Akin was also heavily criticized for his use of the word ‘legitimate’ to describe sexual assault as if to question the veracity of some survivors. While he initially apologized for his remarks, he later walked the apology back after losing the 2012 senate elections. #5: “I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.” George W. Bush An important part of the U.S. president’s job is to better inspire their citizens, to help them believe they can achieve their full potential and do great things. During a September 2000 campaign event, George W. Bush tried to show America he could rise to that task while still practicing good governance. While discussing his energy policies, Bush passionately proclaimed his belief that humans and marine animals can live side by side in peace and harmony. That may not be entirely realistic given the almost 9 billion pounds of shrimp people consume annually but it's always good to dream. With all due respect to Bush, though, if peaceful human-fish coexistence is how we get the Deep, then he can keep it. #4: “We’ve got to stand with our North Korean allies.” Sarah Palin The early 2010s were filled with rumors about a Sarah Palin 2012 presidential run. During an interview with Glenn Beck around the same time, Palin was asked how she would handle rising tensions with North Korea. She concluded a long-winded answer involving sanctions with the statement that we must stand with our North Korean allies. A statement that is 100%, without a doubt, factually accurate… if you take out the word ‘North’ and put in the word ‘South’ instead. Beck quickly corrected her and the interview proceeded. While this was likely a simple slip-of-the-tongue from Palin, it unleashed a bounty of criticism on her foreign policy inexperience and her 2008 troubles with their myriad “SNL” sketches. #3: “When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.” Richard Nixon The Watergate scandal rocked the U.S. in the early 1970s before ending with Nixon’s resignation and pardon. Nixon had spent most of those tumultuous years maintaining his innocence and hindering investigations. In 1973, he vehemently announced to a roomful of journalists that he was not a crook… six months before he was required to pay over $400,000 in back taxes. During his 1977 interview with David Frost, Nixon was asked if the U.S. president had the authority to commit illegal acts “in the nation’s best interest.” His reply that anything the president does is automatically not illegal perfectly encapsulated his arrogance while ignoring a key tenet of democracy. If only that 2024 Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity had come five decades earlier. #2: “Too many OB-GYNs aren’t able to practice their love with women…” George W. Bush It’s no secret that the U.S. healthcare system has a lot of issues, including high medical bills, trouble getting insurance, and a shortage of qualified doctors. George W. Bush addressed the latter issue during a Missouri rally in a way only he could. He lamented doctors leaving the profession and OB-GYNs no longer able to “practice their love with women.” We’re not entirely sure where Bush got this idea from, but we think it might have had something to do with some rumors he heard on the Internets. We have to give Bush credit though. He’s taken this quote and all his other famous Bushisms with humor and good spirit. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions: “I think that gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman.” Arnold Schwarzenegger “I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don’t always agree with them.” George H.W. Bush “We did not have a terrorist attack on our country during President Bush’s term.” Dana Perino #1: Nearly Everything Out of His Mouth Donald Trump In June 2015, Donald Trump made history when he rode down an escalator and announced that he was running for president. It wasn’t his first public foray, but it launched an era of Trump that gave whole new meaning to the words bizarre and insane. Whether it's letting UV light in the body, liking Taylor Swift’s music 25% less, or just not wanting pronouns anymore, Trump’s statements have defied all semblance of common sense and logic. He admires Hannibal Lecter and talks about getting the “bad hombres” out. His racist and misogynistic attacks have been aimed at numerous undeserving targets. Trump’s aim is always to make America great again, but he will likely be remembered for the three-ring circus he left. Which of these sayings had you shaking your head the most? What other unbelievable or idiotic quotes should have been on the list? Let us know in the comments below.