In the most recent scandal in the age of caught-on-tape moments, Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was taped during a conversation with his girlfriend. Unfortunately for Sterling, the conversation went viral, and his racist, bigoted views were exposed to the world. Some of the conversation was recorded as follows, “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to? You can sleep with (black people0. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that…and not to bring them to my games.”
Source: TMZ.com
Back in August 1984, when Cold War tensions were at a high between the U.S. and Soviet Union, Ronald Reagan was having a bit of fun during a sound check before a weekly radio address. Unfortunately, the tape went live, and the American public, along with the international community, heard this: “My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I have signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.” Oops.
Source: Edition.CNN.com
U.S. President George W. Bush was attending the 2006 G-8 summit in Russia, and went to greet his ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Reporters happened to catch the exchange, however, and heard the two discussing the crisis in the Middle East. Bush went on to offer his advice, “What they (Israel) need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this s*** and it’s all over.” Good idea, Dubya.
Source: Edition.CNN.com
During the bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, London and Paris were both contenders. Then-president Jacques Chirac made the following comments in a private conversation that somehow went live, “The only thing that they have ever done for European agriculture is mad cow disease. You cannot trust people who have such bad cuisine. It is the country with the worst food after Finland.” The joke ended up being on Chirac. London won the bid and hosted the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Source: WindsorStar.com
In 1993, British Prime Minister John Major gave an interview to Michael Brunson, a political editor for ITN. Afterwards, he didn’t realize his mic was left on, and went on a bit of a rant about several members of Cabinet, referring to them as “bastards” and making promises to “crucify” them. He also made several self-deprecating comments, laughing at those that voted for him, and confessing that he had no idea how or why he had won.
Mike Duvall, a conservative Republican state representative from Orange County, Calif., was overheard by reporters at a legislative hearing in July of 2009 describing his non-family values regarding extramarital affairs. So as not to be too graphic, here is a tidbit of the less vulgar portion, “So, I am getting into spanking her. Yeah, I like it. I like spanking her. She goes, ‘I know you like spanking me.’ I said, ‘Yeah! Because you’re such a bad girl!’”
Source: TalkingPointsMemo.com
Following the passage of health care reform in the U.S., it’s understandable that Vice President Joe Biden was pretty excited. At the bill-signing ceremony in 2012, Biden turned to Obama and whispered, “This is a big f***ing deal.” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs backed him up in a simple yet poignant Twitter post in support of Biden. It said, “And yes, Mr. Vice President, you’re right…”
Source: Content.Time.com
The U.S. National Security Agency NSA had a rough 2013 when its spying program on American citizens was revealed. NSA officials spent a fair amount of time in congressional hearings defending their actions. NSA Director Keith Alexander had about enough of it all, and turned to Deputy FBI Director Sean Joyce after a particularly brutal hearing in June 2012. “Tell your boss I owe him another friggin’ beer,” he said. Understandably, Americans weren’t entirely pleased with the statement from the already-embattled institution.
Source: Mediaite.com
The Israeli conflict has been frustrating for all parties involved, but some world leaders had about enough of it in 2011. At the G-20 Summit in Cannes, France, Sarkozy voiced his annoyance, “I cannot bear Netanyahu, he’s a liar.” Rather than back up his Israeli ally, Obama seemed to agree, returning with, “You’re fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you.” Not a good look, guys.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, American civil rights activist and Baptist minister Rev. Jesse Jackson didn’t seem to be a huge fan of the way then-presidential hopeful Barack Obama was speaking to black people. Jackson was in the midst of a Fox News interview but seemed to forget that his microphone would pick up whispers as well. He was overheard criticizing the manner in which Obama “talked down” to black people, and mentioned to another news pundit, “I want to cut his nuts off.”
Source: WashingtonPost.com
