View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

Top 5 political funnies of 2011

Herman Cain doesn't know what he thinks about Libya, Ed Miliband thinks "these strikes are wrong", a

By Samira Shackle

1. Herman Cain struggles to recall details of Libya conflict

Here is presidential hopeful Herman Cain unable to say whether he agrees with Obama’s actions in Libya: “Got all this stuff twirling around in my head,” he says to explain his confusion. Remember, this man wanted to be PRESIDENT. Of AMERICA. He has since suspended his campaign after a string of sexual harrassment allegations.

  

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

2. Ed Miliband tongue-tied on strikes

Oh, Ed. This video of Miliband repeatedly telling a BBC interviewer that “these strikes are wrong” and “both sides should get round the negotiating table and put aside the rhetoric” might be evidence of him staying on-message, but it did nothing to help him shake the ‘weird’ thing.

  

 

3. Rick Perry forgets which government agency he would axe

The Republican primaries were the gift that just kept on giving in terms of hand-on-forehead moments. Here is Texas governor Rick Perry struggling to recall the name of the government department he would axe if he was elected. It’s a masterclass in how not to draw attention to your failings.

  

4. Miliband forgets name of Scottish Labour candidate

If the Republicans had more than their fair share of “oops” moments, so did the Labour leader. Here he is, unable to name all of the candidates for the Scottish Labour leadership.

 

5. Nick Clegg’s on-mike gaffe

Let’s not forget Nick “punchbag” Clegg being caught on tape confirming every Lib Dem’s worst fear about coalition. “If we keep doing this we won’t have anything to bloody disagree on in the bloody TV debates,” he tells Cameron, after another chummy press conference. Of course, this was before the AV referendum and Europe came along to create trouble in paradise.

 

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU