Sometimes politicians can be quite baffling. From the BBC we have the story of that cartoon Lord Adonis once thought was so - so what? Funny enough for a fairly prominent politician to share?
Labour peer Lord Adonis has apologised for tweeting a cartoon which appears to mock the new home secretary.
In the tweet, which has since been deleted, a figure purporting to be Sajid Javid is seen at his desk, with the caption: "I just want to settle in, get organised, then deport my parents!"
He responded directly to the former education minister, Lord Adonis, saying "you're better than this".
Lord Adonis then apologised to Mr Javid for the "poor taste" cartoon.
"Sajid, on reflection I think the cartoon is too personal and in poor taste. I have deleted it. I am sorry," Lord Adonis wrote.
Fair enough, Lord Adonis did the right thing once the flak came his way, but why did he not foresee the flak to begin with? "On reflection" he saw the hole he managed to dig for himself, but in these politically correct times how did he fail to see it immediately? Why did he need to reflect on it later?
A cynic might suggest he slipped a little drop of poison into the public arena, fully intending to apologise afterwards, knowing that once in the public arena it stays there. I don't think that's it at all, but there is something odd about obtuseness taken to this level. At least I hope there is.
3 comments:
Distinctly odd. If he created the cartoon himself, then my guess is that he was merely attempting a joke about friction with parents, with no racial overtones. Or maybe he was sent it, thought "Ha, ha! Mildly amusing - I'm not the author - no harm in re-tweeting...". Either way, he should have been aware that he was treating one of the greatest liberal obsessions with insufficient gravitas, and would be shamed for it. So, obtuse it is.
Interesting, isn't it, how things have changed. The grandee in the Lords mocking the politician of Pakistani descent would usually have been a multi-millionaire Tory. This time, though, it's a Labour pillock mocking the multi-millionaire conservative who is of Pakistani descent.
It is often said of the leaders of a political party that they hate each other more than they hate the opposition.
Sam - it is interesting, especially if we consider who is likely to be the more capable person.
Demetrius - seems to be generally true, not team players unless it suits.
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