Top political blunders caught on tape

The controversy surrouning Mitt Romney’s comments made on an open camera are nothing new to politics. Here are some other notable blunders involving open microphones:

1984

Prior to his weekly radio address, President Ronald Reagan warming up stated:

“My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”

2000

Then-Presidential candidate George W. Bush was recorded saying to VP candidate Dick Cheney at a labor day speech in Illinois:

“There’s Adam Clymer, major league asshole from the New York Times”

2005

While lobbying for Paris to host the 2012 Olympics, French President Jacques Chirac was caught critiquing Paris’s rival London:

“The only thing that they have ever done for European agriculture is mad cow disease. You cannot trust people who have such bad cuisine.”

April 2008

At a fundraiser in San Francisco then presidential canddiate Barack Obama was caught saying that some people:

“Get bitter, they cling to their guns or religion or antipahty toward people who aren’t like them…”

July 2008

Following up on his criticism that then-Presidential candidate Barack Obama “talked down to people” Rev. Jesse Jackson stated unknowingly into a TV microphone:

“I want to cut his nuts off.”

March 2010

While congratulating President Obama on signing the health care overhaul legislation, Vice President Joe Biden was overheard whispering to Obama:

“This is a big f—— deal.”