Grab your popcorn: Here are the dumbest political statements you’ll ever hear!
Prepare to be amused and shocked as I delve into a world of verbal missteps and political blunders that have left many of us scratching our heads.
I’ve decided to put a spotlight on the dumbest political statements that you’ll find hard to believe came from the mouths of elected officials.
Politicians, the people entrusted with shaping the future of our nations, constantly make headlines for their cringe-worthy remarks and notorious gaffes. These moments are a clear reminder that even the most influential figures aren’t immune to verbal misfires.
From abnormal policy proposals to absurd vocal blunders, I’ve managed to comb through the internet to bring you a curated list of the most jaw-dropping, head-scratching, and, at times, side-splittingly funny quotes uttered by those in positions of authority.
Join me on this journey as I unveil the dumbest political statements that have left us here at Light On Politics both dumbfounded and, occasionally, in fits of laughter. Our editors couldn’t ignore these 10 astonishing verbal slip-ups.
”We had no domestic attacks under Bush; We’ve had one under Obama.”
This political blunder comes from none other than Rudy Giuliani. He served as the mayor of NYC between 1994 and 2001.
The September 11 attacks, were a sequence of suicide attacks and airline hijackings that happened in 2001 by 19 militants connected to the Islamic extremist group known as al-Qaeda against targets in the United States of America.
It also marks one of the deadliest terrorist attacks on American soil in our history. The attacks targeted New York City and Washington, DC, caused vast destruction and deaths and triggered a massive US effort to combat terrorism.
Over 2,750 people were killed in New York, 184 at the Pentagon, and 40 in Pennsylvania, where one of the planes crashed into the ground after the passengers tried to retake the plane.
And who was president in 2001? You guessed it… George W. Bush. Sorry, Mr. Giuliani, you misspoke on this one. And that’s why you can find yourself on our list of the dumbest political statements!
“I think incest can be handled as a family matter within the family.”
Jay Dickey, Jr. was running for Congress when he said this, AND he still managed to win! He represented Arkansas in Congress from 1993 to 2000! He continued this absurd quote by saying, “But I don’t think it’s rape because of the awareness of it within the family.”
As a Republican from the “natural state,” Jay Dickey, through an obscure amendment, single-handedly prevented the federal government from investigating the public health effects of firearms-inflicted violence for over twenty years.
I think it’s safe to say that this might just be one of the dumbest political statements you’ll ever hear!
”The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation’s history. I mean in this century’s history. But we all lived in this century. I didn’t live in this century.”
Dan Quayle is a retired politician who happened to be the 44th vice president of our country from 1989 to 1993 when President George H. W. Bush was in office.
As a member of the Republican Party, Dan Quayle also represented Indiana in the House of Representatives between 1977 and 1981 and in the US Senate from 1981 to 1989. So… I need some clarification. Which century DID you live in, sir?
Is it possible that putting him on our list of dumbest political statements is a mistake? Did he simply make a mistake? YOU tell ME!
“…the very founders that wrote those documents worked tirelessly until slavery was no more in the United States.”
Are you really all that surprised that this is one of the dumbest political statements? Showing the world that she has no idea whatsoever about our country’s history and the role of the founding fathers, Michelle Bachman said this in 2011 and evidently didn’t know that slavery wasn’t abolished in the US until after the Civil War.
The country was already 90 years old by then! I also can’t help but note that many of those who left their mark on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were enslavers themselves.
”Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren’t able to practice their love with women all across this country.”
Listen, if we were to quote ALL the dumbest political statements George W. Bush has ever said, we might be here all week! But we did find a few other top gems. Here they are:
January 2000: ”Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?”
September 2002: ”There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”
October 2004, during the second presidential debate: ”I heard there’s rumors on the Internets that we’re going to have a draft.”
February 2005, to a divorced mother of 3 in Nebraska: ”You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn’t it? I mean, that is fantastic that you’re doing that.”
September 2007, talking about the No Child Left Behind Act: ”As yesterday’s positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured.”
“… I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. Bombing starts in five minutes.”
In 1984, Ronald Reagan said this during a sound check before a National Public Radio address. This statement never actually aired. But it was revealed to the public, causing panic in the Soviet Union and mortifying the President and the rest of his administration.
Kidding around about nuclear destruction isn’t exactly funny in general. But especially when it’s done by a person who really CAN do it! So saying this simply cemented his spot on our list of dumbest political statements!
For those who don’t remember, Reagan served as the 40th president of our country between 1981 and 1989. As a member of the Republican Party, his presidency comprised the Reagan era, and he’s considered one of the most notable conservative figures in American history.
”Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.”
Does it REALLY? This comes from Donald Rumsfeld, who was a two-time US defense secretary and was also a key architect of America’s painfully divisive wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
President George W Bush, whom he served for 6 years, led praises by calling him a man of integrity, intelligence, and almost inexhaustible energy, adding that he never paled before tough decisions or flinched from responsibility.
The former naval pilot’s career spanned decades of American political history. Rumsfeld was also chief of staff to President Gerald Ford in the mid-1970s, serving alongside future vice-president Dick Cheney, then became defense secretary.
I don’t know about you but as far as “dumbest political statements” go, this one just might take the cake!
”I’ve now been in 57 states — I think one left to go.”
Barack Obama said this at a campaign event in Beaverton, Oregon, on May 9th, 2008. Now, considering he served as president from 2009 to 2017, one would think he knew how many US states there were, right?
Now, even though he attended Columbia University in New York, majored in political science and DID graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree, maybe the rules are different for our country’s leaders. And perhaps that’s why they make some of the dumbest political statements!
“I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”
Umm, actually, yes…yes, he did. And thank you, Mr. President, for giving us this gem for our list of the dumbest political statements ever made! Who can forget THIS debacle? It’s decades later, and the world STILL hasn’t let Clinton live this down!
Looking the country directly in the eye back in 1998 while lying isn’t exactly a good look, especially when the truth always comes out.
If you ask me, this heinous lie hurt Bill Clinton’s reputation and credibility much more than the actual affair ever did. Of course, this is coming from the same guy who said, “I would never approach a small-breasted woman.”
”You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent… I’m not joking.”
On June 6th, 2006, Joe Biden made a private remark to an Indian-American male…and it was all caught on C-SPAN. Well, we have no words to defend this dumb political statement! Sorry, Mr. President, you’re on your own with this one!
Be sure to share your thoughts on the dumbest political statements we found. And let us know if you want to read some more…I can DEFINITELY get behind a sequel to this post!
And if you’ve ever wondered how certain presidents have managed to win their spot in the oval office, we found a fascinating read on Amazon we think you’d like: Spinner in Chief: How Presidents Sell Their Policies and Themselves
Meanwhile, if you wish to see more, Light On Politics has much more to offer, including: Shocking: Which 5 Royal Family Members Are the Shadiest?
