12:34 p.m. - 2003-03-01
To Err Is Human...And Newsworthy
Politicians are people, too.
You might disagree with me, but underneath the political posturing, rampant rhetoric and sleazy dealings, politicians are blood and bone. You prick them, they will bleed. You hurt them, they will cry. You put a microphone in front of their face, they will inadvertently say something stupid.
I am, of course, referring to the recent sound bite faux-pas made by a Canadian MP that�s made front page news for last couple of days. Canada is, apparently, in an uproar over this grievous slight, and the collective news agencies are all over the incident like an American president on a middle-eastern warlord.
There are a couple of things that confuse me about this whole situation.
#1. Why is it that Canadians are so concerned over one MP's careless remarks, when it would seem the US could care less?
The sad fact is this huge political blunder hasn't ever registered on the US's radar. They're much too busy worrying about things like Gulf Wars 2: Bush Strikes Iraq and Osama "King of All Evil" Bin Laden to take any kind of slight from the Great White North to heart. Canada's own preoccupation with the situation is more a cry for attention than a real scandal.
#2. Why are Canadian politicians so adept at making off-colour remarks when there is a microphone around?
This is certainly not the first time this has happened. Remember Chretien�s on-air complaints about Clinton�s tardiness at a NATO meeting a couple of years ago? It was front page news that a Canadian Prime Minister might actually call the almighty American President out on his lack of manners. And then just a little while ago, Chretien�s right hand man was caught with his verbal pants down calling Bush a moron. Perhaps not the nicest thing to say, but I challenge any Canadian to say they haven�t accused George Bush Jr. of being two sandwiches short of a picnic at one point in their life. And then there�s good ol� Mel �Nooooooobody� Lastman, who isn�t so much predisposed to slip ups, as he is just an idiot who can�t keep racist mouth shut.
Which brings me back to my original point, for all hype and controversy that surround politicians, they are but simple humans who have the overwhelming capacity to err. With all the newsworthy troubles that exist today (war, terrorism, poverty, etc. etc. etc.), It seems to me that one MP�s careless remarks caught on camera don�t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy, mixed up world. And frankly, I hate those Americans bastards, too.
