We’ve all done it… whether at a party chatting someone up, or in a job interview, or at a major presentation. That moment when your mind goes blank, and you realise you have absolutely nothing coherent to say, but everyone’s still looking at you. Most of us at least have the comfort of knowing onyl a few have witnessed our mortification. Not so the politicians.
The latest victim is the Republicans’ Arizona Governor, Jan Brewer, who — when given one minute to shine in front of an expectant nation — realised she had absolutely nothing to say. And seeing her squeeeeeze that nothing out for 60 seconds is pretty excruciating:
(Also available on YouTube here. Hat-top: Political Wire.)
For our second clip, let’s revert to the UK, and savour again that moment when then Tory Welsh secretary John Redwood realised he would be expected to sing the national anthem of the country he was governing:
(Also available on YouTube here.)
And finally, one from even further back in the archives, and again over the pond — Admiral James Stockdale dries up completely in the 1992 Vice-Presidential debate. Relish especially the moment he manages to emit an embarrassed chuckle when mentioning the words Vietnam War. I don’t know a huge amount about US politics, but I’m guessing that’s considered something of a no-no:
(Also available on YouTube here.)