The foot in the mouth edition of The Month In Review
Goodbye to February, winter and standard time. Hello to March, spring and daylight savings time. On this first day of the new month, it's a good time to look back at February and some of the idiocy that was said. You might think that because it's the shortest month of the year, it couldn't be too bad, but unfortunately, you'd be wrong.
Here's a peek at some folks who sadly spoke these words and either regretted it or they should have regrets:
We start with Donald Trump, because why change. It began with Trump calling Putin clever and continued with this, "Of course he’s smart. But the real problem is our leaders are dumb. Dumb. So dumb.”
When the entire world is rallying with Ukraine and against Russia and Putin, the former guy doubles down. Nothing new. Remember Helsinki?
Next comes a Trump sycophant, Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. Here's his musings on the situation in Ukraine:
"I do think we need to take a look at what all led up to this. I don't think Vladimir Putin would have moved on Ukraine were it not for the weakness displayed ― certainly by the Biden administration, but by the West in general. Nancy Pelosi, Ret. Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and Rep. Adam Schiff used Ukraine as a pawn in their impeachment travesty."
This is from a guy who decided it would be a patriotic way to spend the 4th of July in Moscow...and not the one in Idaho.
Next is Fox News pundit Tucker Carlson. Before the invasion he came up with this:
“It may be worth asking yourself since it is getting pretty serious, what is this really about? Why do I hate Putin so much? Has Putin ever called me a racist? Has he threatened to get me fired for disagreeing with him?”
As things became dicier, Tucker tried to walk back this take, but as he should have known, once it's out there, it's always out there. Plus, Russian state television is now using his words as disinformation from the government to its people as a way to rationalize their attack on Ukraine.
Enough about Russian politics, although there are many more examples that can be used. Let's try sports and Middle East politics. There's a potential new Golf association that is based in Saudi Arabia and backed by huge Arab bucks. They've tried to poach current PGA players but have been met with almost unanimous turn downs. One exception is legendary player Phil Mickelson. Let's look at what Left had to say:
"They're scary motherfuckers to get involved with. We know they killed Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates,"
So this is all about the money, right? He was willing to hook up with murderers for more dollars in his pocket? Phil has made more than one hundred million dollars in PGA winnings. $100,000,000! When you add in his sponsorships that total grows to over eight hundred million. $800,000,000!!! And that's not enough for him? He needs to hook up with dudes he calls "scary motherfuckers" to add more to his already bulging bank account? To use his own word, 'greedy motherfucker!'
Since making this statement, he's tried to take a lot of it back. Phil said the interview was 'off the record' which still doesn't make his words any better. The blowback has been huge. He's lost most of his major sponsors. While he hasn't been suspended from playing, Phil will be taking some time off from golf to take stock of himself and try to become a better person. Good luck with that. It's incredible how a guy who was one of the most popular figures in Golf and just last year won a major tournament at the advanced sports age of fifty-one, has squandered all the goodwill he's built up over the last three decades.
Let's take a look at one more dude who opened his mouth and regrets it. That would be MOI!!! What could I possibly say that would cause this? Here ya go:
The day before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I needed to put gas in the car. I stopped by my local gas station and the gas price was $3.79. The next day, after the Russian troops crossed the border, I drove past that same gas station. The price of gas was $3.99...a twenty cents increase. In fact, I noticed all the gas stations in the area had the same price. These Mickelson-Esque words crossed my mouth:
"Motherfucking Putin! Motherfucking oil executives!"
Such lovely thoughts, right!?....even if I was talking to myself, which happens a lot! But after thinking it over, I came up with my own response to myself: "Twenty cents a gallon is a small price to pay for democracy."
I'm off the hook, right? HA!
There were so many more people regretting their words but let's settle on this group of five. Tom Cotton, Scottie Pippen and Marjorie Taylor Greene are off the hook. I'm sure you'll get another opportunity to embarrass yourselves in March. I'm looking forward to hearing those words.
That's it for the twenty-eight days of February. See you with the next edition of The Month in Review in thirty-one days.
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