FOLLOWING NEWS YESTERDAY that French president Nicolas Sarkozy called the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a liar we’ve delved into the archives to pick out a few other memorable open-mic political gaffes.

Perhaps you know the feeling: You say something particularly controversial that is only meant to be among friends and presume your microphone is turned off but then to your complete and utter horror you discover it was not and all hell breaks loose.

Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown knows it only too well. It may even have cost him an election when he referred to Rochdale pensioner Gillian Duffy as a “bigoted woman” and became engulfed in a media storm right smack bang in the middle of an election:

(via ITN News)

Then there are conversations among friends like when George W Bush called out his chum Tony Blair at an international summit in the manner in which you might refer your mate down the pub. “Yo Blair,” he called out then proceeded to say this:

(via Petun29)

Speaking of US presidents, the present one Barack Obama was certainly evoking strong emotions amongst supporters during his election campaign. So strong in fact that one prominent backer, the Reverend Jesse Jackson wanted to maim him, he was only joking of course:

(via AmyBLUF)

Gaffes are not even above royalty as Prince Charles found out in 2005 when he had some rather unkind things to say about the BBC’s royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell:

(via bullshitnews)

Here in Ireland we have our own political gaffe storms most recently when Mick Wallace was caught talking about another member of the Dáil, referring to her as Ms Piggy while in conversation with colleagues. He later apologised.

(via suzybie)

And finally…

We have entirely intended remarks that perhaps don’t come across as we wish. This in turn leads to them being interpreted as gaffe-like when opposition and indeed the entire country believe you may have been more than bit under the weather as former Taoiseach Brian Cowen knows only too well:

(via RTÉ)

Read: Sarkozy “called Netanyahu a liar” >