Barack Obama scares the life out of me because of all his spending commitments and his apparently certainty that the government throwing money it hasn't got at everything in sight is the cure to all America's woes.
But, when any Head of State has got the balls to go on national television and say unequivocally that they got something wrong, I'm impressed. And saying "I screwed up" in quite unequivocal enough for me. Admitting mistakes isn't something that comes naturally to politicians, so any that do it always benefit from the element of surprise.
It remains to be seen whether such honesty becomes the norm or whether it's just a one-off. I hope it's the former.
Who knows, maybe this departure from standard political behaviour will inspire others to similar candour. Maybe Gordon Brown is just about to follow the example, put his hand up and say "I screwed up" on the pointless VAT cut, the 10p tax debacle, the debt colossus and the run on sterling.
While we're waiting, I'm just nipping down to Ladbrokes to put a fiver on Porky Pig on the 3 o'clock Flying Stakes, taking off from the rooftop over the road from me this afternoon...
Looking Forward To A Labour Conference
15 years ago
1 comment:
He's new and fresh, give him a couple of years and he will be as unapologetic as the rest of them!
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