Read more about the worst political decisions in American history!
When Hollywood stars make some questionable decisions, the results of their actions are negligible. A bad contract for a movie or a bad role is not that important for us after all, right? But what happens when politicians make mistakes? Bad political decisions are something else, and they affect the citizens of this country.
The results of unwise political decisions can be disastrous and lead to career-destroying scandals, ruined administrations, and candidates who seemed good on paper and then turned into national punchlines.
In this article, we are focusing on the worst political decisions and not on the policy mistakes, so you are not going to read about the War on Drugs or the Defense of Marriage Act. Instead, you can find out more about what can happen if someone is too proud, lies, and makes political decisions that literally changed the course of history because of how bad they were.
These are the worst mistakes that happened in the past 50 years of U.S. history. Have we learned anything from the past?
Trump’s dangerous COVID-19 suggestion
It was April 2020 when President Donald Trump declared some unsettling things during a televised White House coronavirus task force briefing. His words made the headlines, and more than that, they didn’t offer the comfort and clarity Americans were looking for while going through such difficult times.
Trump was discussing potential COVID-19 treatments, and this is when he started to speculate about a dangerous idea. He asked if disinfectants that are used to clean surfaces might be used somehow “inside the body” to kill the virus. Trump’s exact words were more graphic about some disinfectant injection and how we can use light inside the body to treat the infection.
His comments caused immediate concern across the medical community and the public. Healthcare professionals had to publicly warn the population that ingesting or injecting disinfectants like bleach or cleaning products is extremely harmful and also very ineffective.
When Donald Trump decided to say these words on national television, it was, for sure, one of the worst political decisions ever made. This is a prime example of how the words of a politician can create chaos among the masses.
A missed opportunity for Clinton in 2016
When talking about bad political decisions, we need to mention this one. During her 2016 campaign, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton made a terrible strategic decision, and in the final stretch of the presidential campaign, she simply refused to campaign in Wisconsin during the general election. Until this day, people still look over her decision, and for good reasons.
Wisconsin was a key state during the 2016 election and actually in most electoral races because it has a long history of visits from both major parties. But during that time, Hilton was leading in the polls, and her team decided that everything was safe and she didn’t have to properly campaign here.
Well, they were terribly wrong, and this is one of the worst political decisions ever made during the presidential race. The growing support among white, working-class voters for Donald Trump was not predicted, and this is how Clinton lost Wisconsin by just 22,748 votes. This is such a small margin that contributed to her overall Electoral College defeat.
The tank ride that derailed a campaign
Michael Dukakis was the Democratic presidential candidate back in 1988, but bad political decisions are not forgiving, and by making a well-intentioned but ultimately disastrous move, he literally blew up his campaign.
Wanting to show people the strength and military competence of the country is not bad, but how you do this matters, and Dukakis is a prime example when it comes to this. During a campaign stop in Detroit, he climbed into an M1A1 Abrams tank, put on a helmet on his head, and posed for the press.
With this photo, he intended to show everyone his support for defense policies and set things straight, countering any voices telling the public that he is weak on national security. Unfortunately, this plan didn’t work out great, and this photo is one of the most ridiculed things in modern American political history.
People described Dukakis as awkward and out of place with the big helmet with his name printed boldly across it. Also, his smile made him look exactly like a child on a field trip and not a serious presidential candidate who is ready to protect the country.
The Bush campaign did not miss this opportunity, took over the footage, and incorporated it into a series of brutal attack ads that painted Dukakis as unfit to lead the military or the nation.
Reagan’s “Best Intentions”
In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan was known for his charm, optimism, and ability to connect with the American public. He had a fantastic talent for avoiding political scandals, but political decisions don’t forgive anyone, and the Iran-Contra affair was one of the most controversial moments of his presidency and proof of this affirmation.
This huge scandal involved the covert sale of weapons to Iran as an effort by the state to secure the release of American hostages in Lebanon. But what sparked the conflict is what happened to the money they got after selling the weapons. The proceeds from these arms sales were directed to support Contra rebels in Nicaragua. With a congressional ban on such assistance, you can easily understand why this is one of the worst political decisions ever made.
What is even worse is that Reagan denied knowing about the operation for months, and as the investigation continued, it was clear that even if he was not involved, the administration at least turned a blind eye to what was happening.
On March 17, 1987, Reagan finally addressed the nation, and what he said was perceived as quite odd and inappropriate. “My heart and my best intentions still tell me that’s true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not.” This is a remark that greatly damaged his public image.
The roast that may have sparked a presidency
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is generally perceived as a lighthearted affair where politics and comedy combine gracefully, and everyone is happy. But this is not the case. When you put political decisions and jokes in the same place, things might turn out badly.
In 2011, Obama fired some well-aimed jokes that had some long-lasting consequences. It was during the time Trump used to be one of the loudest voices questioning Obama’s birthplace, and with all of this, some racially charged conspiracy theories.
In front of all journalists and televisions, Barack Obama, then president of the United States, had a charming approach and dismantled the “birther” claims with poise. Obama attacked Trump using his TV show, The Celebrity Apprentice, and he made some jokes about Trump’s judgment in firing Gary Busey instead of Meatloaf or Lil Jon.
Trump chuckled, but insiders made it clear that he felt humiliated. Some claim that this was the exact moment Trump seriously considered a run for the presidency.
If you want to learn more things about this topic, this book might help!
You should also read more about: How Americans Feel About Trump Now
