Gaffes

gaffes July 12, 2022

Jill Biden Is Sorry for Comparing Hispanic Communities to TacosAnd presumably also for mispronouncing “bodega” in the process.

By Claire Lampen

foreign interests Mar. 28, 2022

Did Biden’s Gaffe About Putin Contain a Kernel of Truth?The president insists he isn’t pushing for regime change in Russia. But it’s not clear what endgame he is aiming for.

By Eric Levitz

gaffes Dec. 7, 2020

Here’s the New White House Tennis Court No One Has Been Waiting ForNot the first tennis-related gaffe at the White House either.

By Christopher Bonanos

gaffes Nov. 12, 2020

Incoming GOP Senator Apparently Doesn’t Know Basics of World War IITommy Tuberville said his father deployed to France to liberate Paris “from socialism and communism,” forgetting perhaps that Nazis were fascist.

By Matt Stieb

gaffes Feb. 3, 2020

President Trump Congratulates Wrong State After Super Bowl WinThe president congratulated the state of Kansas, though the Chiefs play in Kansas City, Missouri.

By Matt Stieb

democratic debates Nov. 20, 2019

Biden Campaign Sends Post-Debate Email Prior to Debate: ‘Did I Make You Proud?’The gaffe-heavy candidate’s campaign started with an early gaffe, sending a post-debate fundraiser — “Did I make you proud? — hours before the debate.

By Matt Stieb

hurricane dorian Sept. 7, 2019

Trump Won’t Rest Until We Accept His Sharpie-Doctored Hurricane MapThe president suggested on Saturday that we wants to put down the Sharpie, but the media won’t let him.

By Matt Stieb, Margaret Hartmann, and Chas Danner

gaffes Sept. 6, 2019

Amy McGrath Is Wasting Her Chance to Beat Mitch McConnellThe former fighter pilot and Kentucky Democrat wants to take down Mitch McConnell. But she can’t stop getting into her own way.

By Sarah Jones

vision 2020 Aug. 27, 2019

Should We Cover Biden’s Gaffes? Trump’s Lies Are So Much Worse!Yes, there’s a risk of false equivalency, but Democrats need the opportunity to compare candidates to each other, and not just to Trump.

By Ed Kilgore

vision 2020 Aug. 11, 2019

Note to Biden Backers: A Senescent Gaffe Machine Might Not Be the Safest BetIf Democrats just want someone who can beat Trump, they have safer options than an Iraq War supporter who seems to be losing a step.

By Eric Levitz

gaffes May 21, 2019

Ben Carson Confuses a Cookie for a Real-Estate Term He Should KnowIn a tense appearance before the House Financial Services Committee, Carson confused “an REO” for “an Oreo.”

By Matt Stieb

gone but not forgotten May 7, 2019

RIP Game of Thrones Coffee Cup, Which Has Disappeared ForeverHBO has edited it out.

By Kathryn VanArendonk

biffs Aug. 14, 2018

$100,000 Pyramid Contestant Explains How He Mixed Up Osama and ObamaAnd in front of Tim Meadows, no less.

By Halle Kiefer

roll clip! May 12, 2018

This Millionaire Host Suffered the Biggest Mistake a Millionaire Host Can MakeIs it (a) miming the answer (b) giving away the answer (c) saying the wrong answer (d) smoking?

By Devon Ivie

gaffes Mar. 9, 2018

Oxford Apologizes Over Photo of Female Janitor Cleaning Up Women’s Day GraffitiA female janitor was photographed cleaning up chalk graffiti that reads “Happy International Women’s Day.”

By Lisa Ryan

select all May 5, 2017

Emergency Men-in-Black Team Rushes in to Save Deflating PikachuPikach-oops!

By Brian Feldman

Sept. 29, 2016

Presidential Candidate Touts Inability to Name a Foreign Leader He RespectsAt an MSNBC town hall, Gary Johnson revealed that he cannot, off the top of his head, name a single foreign leader. Now he’s bragging about it.

By Eric Levitz

Sept. 12, 2016

In Shocking Act of Political Competence, Trump Doesn’t Mock Clinton’s PneumoniaOn Monday, Trump said he hopes Clinton gets well soon, while directing the media’s attention back to her “deplorables” remark.

By Eric Levitz

today in donald trump Aug. 8, 2016

It Sure Sounds Like Donald Trump Just Said ‘Titties’ on Live TelevisionHe was going for “cities.”

By Claire Landsbaum

gaffes June 2, 2016

Can You Find the Problem With Amy Schumer’s Gun-Violence-Awareness Selfie?The star’s newest snap is really #problematic.

By Gabriella Paiella

abortion Apr. 2, 2016

Trump Says Abortion Laws Shouldn’t Be ChangedHis campaign later clarified that he meant abortion laws should remain in place — until he becomes president.

By Chas Danner

early and often July 2, 2015

A Brief History of Presidential Food ControversiesWith a new election cycle well under way, here’s a look at past political flare-ups over food and drink.

By Chas Danner

gaffes June 25, 2015

Before ‘Undo Send’: 11 New Yorkers on Their Biggest Email Gaffes“I meant to let my old friend N. know that I was intending to go to Brooklyn to break up with the guy I’d been dating, whose name was also N. Sadly, that’s the N. that I emailed.”

By Tim Murphy

gaffes Feb. 16, 2015

Fox Affiliate Shows Photo of Obama During Story About Rape SuspectSomeone’s getting fired.

By Jessica Roy

gaffes Dec. 10, 2014

Scott Walker Responds to Letter Regarding Menorah: ‘Thank You and Molotov’In which Wisconsin governor Scott Walker confuses “Molotov” and “Mazel tov.”

By Jessica Roy

gaffes Nov. 19, 2014

6 of Don Lemon’s Worst TV GaffesFrom the black hole that swallowed Flight 370 to that awkward fight with Talib Kweli.

By Jessica Roy

drugs Oct. 17, 2014

Hunter Biden Still Gets to Be a Lawyer, Despite the CocaineNo conviction, no problem.

By Katie Zavadski

gaffes Sept. 12, 2014

Adorable Congressman Suggests Voters Get Out There and SextI don’t think that word means what you think it means.

By Jessica Roy

oops May 14, 2014

This Guy Is No Longer School Board President After Calling a Mom ‘Chubby Wubby’A small-town V. Stiviano put the hot-mike moment on YouTube.

By Joe Coscarelli

gaffes Feb. 26, 2014

Michael Grimm Has Some Advice for Bill de BlasioRemember “break you in half”?

By Adam Martin

dumb moves Jan. 21, 2014

Russian Socialite Sat on Black Woman ‘Art’ ChairYikes.

By Allison P. Davis

early and awkward Oct. 28, 2013

Nevada Assemblyman Should Steer Clear of Slavery HypotheticalsBad way to make a point.

By Adam Martin

gaffes Sept. 6, 2013

Grimm Says He Didn’t Mean to Fund-raise on Syria Flip-FlopSays a contractor put that part in.

By Adam Martin

private citizens just trying to enjoy private life Aug. 13, 2013

Hillary Clinton Nearly Says Name of Civil-Rights Icon CorrectlyMedgar Evans?

By Dan Amira

shmashmortion June 19, 2013

Trent Franks’s Abortion Bill Passes the House, With One Last GaffeThe masturbating fetus defense.

By Adam Martin

gaffes Nov. 12, 2012

Karlie Kloss, Victoria’s Secret Really Sorry About That HeaddressIt won’t be shown in the fashion show broadcast.

By Charlotte Cowles

election 2012 Nov. 1, 2012

Rape Comments Aside, Akin and Mourdock Are Flush With GOP MoneyRepublicans would very much like to take back the Senate.

By Adam Martin

todd achin’ Oct. 24, 2012

Todd Akin Tries an Awkward New Press OffensiveHe just can’t get media management right.

By Adam Martin

joetorious Oct. 18, 2012

Joe Biden Says Paul Ryan’s ‘Bullets Are Aimed at You’And inquires about soldiers serving in “Iraq or Iran.”

By Margaret Hartmann

gaffes Oct. 17, 2012

Kim Kardashian Stands by Her Transparent SkirtShe tweeted about it during the presidential debate last night.

By Charlotte Cowles

joetorious Oct. 2, 2012

Joe Biden Helpfully Offers Up New Gaffe on Eve of DebateNote to self: Next time don’t suggest Obama ruined the economy.

By Margaret Hartmann

regrets i’ve had a few Sept. 5, 2012

Unsurprisingly, Obama Has Some Regrets About ‘You Didn’t Build That’Not the part about the importance of roads.

By Margaret Hartmann

backlashes Aug. 3, 2012

Nina Garcia Has Some Misconceptions About Birkin BagsNamely, what percentage of your salary they might cost.

By Charlotte Cowles

stuck in the mittle June 20, 2012

MSNBC Not All That Sorry About Romney Pseudo-GaffeNetwork says it “did not edit anything out of order.”

By Margaret Hartmann

stuck in the mittle June 18, 2012

MSNBC Misrepresents Romney Speech, Invents Wawa ‘Gaffe’He actually wasn’t amazed by a convenience store sandwich.

By Margaret Hartmann

early and awkward June 14, 2012

A Taxonomy of GaffesThe six different kinds of gaffes we’ll obsess over for the next five months.

By Dan Amira

June 12, 2012

Vogue Does Damage Control on Asma al-Assad StoryBuck says Asma was “extremely thin and very well-dressed, and therefore qualified to be in Vogue.”

By Charlotte Cowles

politics June 11, 2012