Running for elected office and working in the trenches of political campaigns is not for the faint of heart. Opposition groups and individuals who oppose an elected official or candidate will sometimes do anything to discredit their opponent by catching them off-guard and using their response or actions against them. They have come to be known as “gotcha” moments and they can ruin careers.
“Gotcha moments,” have been around since the beginning of time. As recorded in the New Testament, the Pharisees tried many times to pin Jesus into a corner by asking questions that, regardless of the answer, would make Him look bad. For example, should people pay taxes or should they be allowed to stone the woman caught in adultery. But it never worked – Jesus always gave the perfect answer.
Unfortunately, not all politicians are so lucky.
There is no shortage of “gotcha” examples and we could go back into the 19th century to find excerpts than more than likely destroyed a candidate’s grand plan for higher office. If only the Lincoln-Douglas debates of the 1850s had been recorded.
However, more recent highlights can be found every day on the national news talk shows, in on-line and print news outlets and on everyone’s favorite; YouTube.
During the GOP presidential debates a couple of weeks ago in Ames, Iowa, Michelle Bachmann was asked by a moderator from the Washington Examiner it she would be submissive to her husband. She gave as succinct and politically correct response. Bachmann endured a similar line of questioning on NBC’s Meet The Press, when David Gregory once again tried to catch Bachmann off guard.
Did Bachmann provide the correct answer to the question? That depends on whom you ask. Some said if boasted her candidacy while others said she ruined her chances for the White House. The reality is, it probably didn’t make much difference one way or the other.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich scolded debate moderator Chris Wallace when Wallace made reference to Gingrich’s campaign being in a “mess.”
Gingrich countered, saying, ”I wish you would put aside the ‘gotcha’ questions,” as he went on to compare his campaign to Ronald Reagan’s.
Remember in the 1988 presidential race when former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis was photographed riding in a tank wearing an army helmet that was about five sizes too large? Maybe Dukakis was five sizes too small, but nonetheless, it hurt his image as being strong on defense.
But not to fear; President George H.W. Bush’s infamous comment, “Read my lips, no new taxes,” cost him a second term in the White House after it was played a gazillion times.
“No ‘gotcha’ moments in Palin emails,” read an article on National Public Radio’s (NPR) website in June of this year.
In July The New York Times ran a story about American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic organization whose mission it is to record every word that comes out of the mouths of GOP candidates, just looking for that one moment – that one lapse in judgment that could send their campaign spiraling out of control.
“Our obligation here is to get these guys on the record with what they really believe so they can’t walk away from their record,” said the group’s president, Rodell Mollineau, in The New York Times interview.
Of course anyone with a cell phone camera can catch a candidate off-guard.
Such an impromptu gaffe ended the presidential hopes of former Virginia Senator George Allen, who when addressing a young man filming him in hopes of capturing a “gotcha” moment, succeeded when Allen, with microphone in had, turned toward the camera and said, “This fellow here, over here with the yellow shirt, Macaca, or whatever his name is. He’s with my opponent. He’s following us around everywhere. And it’s just great. We’re going to places all over Virginia and he’s having it on film and its great to have you here and you show it to your opponent because he’s never been there and probably will never come.”
The term “Macaca” was associated with racial overtones and although Allen later issued an apology, the damage was done.
Mitt Romney, while speaking before the Iowa caucuses, was attacked by protesters asking him about his plans to tax corporations. The shouting match soon turned into a debate on whether corporations are made up of people or if the products they produce and services they provide are sent down by the same magical force that allowed Joseph Smith to receive his vision for what is now known as the Mormon faith. Again, nothing gained, nothing lost.
From now until November of 2012 there will be plenty to see from most every candidate. Only time and the voters will tell if any such moments will have any impact before Election Day.
