It is certainly expected of a US president to know better than to make a careless media mistake when cameras and microphones are present. However, President Obama’s Red-faced moment came when he was recorded telling President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have more ‘flexibility’ after November’s elections to deal with petulant issues such as missile defense.
This comment came during an exchange between the two presidents in Seoul, South Korea. Russian President Medvedev, who is scheduled to step down in May, said that he would pass the message on to his successor Vladimir Putin.
Not playing politics, we note that a similar mistake was made by “lame duck” president, Republican Ronald Reagan as he ran for re-election in 1984. Joking during a sound-check he said, “My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.” This microphone gaffe was leaked later and the Soviet Far East Army was put on alert.
It seems that our heads-of-state are in need of executive media training, too, in avoiding careless comments that could result in heightening international tensions. As the wise old saying goes, Silence is Golden.