The late-night comedians may have made an early exit from the scene, but fortunately there was no shortage of political punch lines in 2007. From tapping toes and UFO encounters to prostitution scandals and $400 haircuts, it was a year in which politicians did their best to satirize themselves. As a salute to our nation’s fine public servants, here’s a look back at the year’s most memorable feats and foibles. The envelopes, please.
Winner of the George Orwell Award for Outstanding Achievement in Historical Revisionism: Karl Rove, for claiming that Senate Democrats prematurely forced President Bush to go to war in Iraq when Congress passed the war resolution in 2002. It was the White House’s position, Rove insisted, that the issue should not have been politicized right before an election. On hearing that claim, Andrew Card, former White House chief of staff, laughed and said sometimes Rove’s “mouth gets ahead of his brain.”
Runner-up: Bill Clinton, for claiming he opposed the Iraq war from the beginning, although fortunately in Clinton’s case, at least it was only his mouth that got ahead of his brain.
John McCain
Best Debate Sound Bite From a Republican: “In case you missed it, a few days ago Senator Clinton tried to spend $1 million on the Woodstock concert museum. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I wasn’t there. I’m sure it was a cultural and pharmaceutical event. I was tied up at the time.” —John McCain, referring to the years he spent as a P.O.W.
Joe Biden
Best Debate Sound Bite from a Democrat:
“I mean think about it, Rudy Giuliani, there’s only three things he mentions in a sentence—a noun and a verb and 9/11, and I mean, there’s nothing else.” —Joe Biden. The rest of Dan’s 2007 awards…