Going South

Michael Kinsley once noted that in Washington, a gaffe is when someone blurts out the truth. Toward the end of his New Hampshire campaign, John Kerry made just this kind of error. Asked whether he could win votes in the South, Kerry responded: “Everybody always makes the mistake of looking South. Al Gore proved he could have been president of the United States without winning one southern state, including his own.”

The backpedaling began instantly. In his next words, Kerry said, “I think the fight is all over this country.” When southern Democrats complained that the senator was writing off their region, his spokesmen denied the charge.

About the Author

Ramesh Ponnuru

Ramesh Ponnuru is the editor of National Review, a columnist for the Washington Post, and a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

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Presidential Election

Michael Kinsley once noted that in Washington, a gaffe is when someone blurts out the truth. Toward the end of his New Hampshire campaign, John Kerry made just this kind of error. Asked whether he could win votes in the South, Kerry responded: “Everybody always makes the mistake of looking South. Al Gore proved he could have been president of the United States without winning one southern state, including his own.”

The backpedaling began instantly. In his next words, Kerry said, “I think the fight is all over this country.” When southern Democrats complained that the senator was writing off their region, his spokesmen denied the charge.