Full Version: "Unknown Unknowns"
With the subtitle
come this from across the Atlantic
The funny thing is I understood that as well the second quote mentioned (this was probably politically motivated but it's funny.)
Here's a good one from the article
Rum remark wins Rumsfeld an award
Any one else got any rubbish quotes from political figures (please no overplayed Bushisms, at least try and make them new to us)
QUOTE
"Unknown unknowns" win Rumsfeld top prize for talking rubbish
come this from across the Atlantic
QUOTE
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has won a "Foot in Mouth" award for one of his now legendary bizarre remarks.
Mr Rumsfeld won the prize for comments made at a news conference in February last year which left observers baffled.
Mr Rumsfeld won the prize for comments made at a news conference in February last year which left observers baffled.
QUOTE(Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld)
Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know
The funny thing is I understood that as well the second quote mentioned (this was probably politically motivated but it's funny.)
Here's a good one from the article
QUOTE
And European Commissioner Chris Patten came close with his remark that the British Conservative Party had committed political suicide and was now living to regret it.
Rum remark wins Rumsfeld an award
Any one else got any rubbish quotes from political figures (please no overplayed Bushisms, at least try and make them new to us)
Though they don't read very well, I think both the quotes you mention are actually rather witty and pertinent observations of what is going on in each situation.
There are lots more really stupid political pronouncements (anything Dan Quayle ever said, for instance), but my personal faves are ones that sounded perfectly reasonable at the time but later turned out to be laughably stupid.
Examples:
There are lots more really stupid political pronouncements (anything Dan Quayle ever said, for instance), but my personal faves are ones that sounded perfectly reasonable at the time but later turned out to be laughably stupid.
Examples:
- Read my lips - No New Taxes
- I did not have sexual relations with that woman
- The lady's not for turning Mrs Tatcher, shortly before her career ended because she wouldn't climb down over the Poll Tax
- I don't have a reverse gear Tony Blair a week or two ago, inviting comparisons to Mrs T in his hubris in the face of deep personal and political unpopularity.
Looks like some one's eyeing this year's award.
Upon being asked whether or not direct elections could be held in Iraq by June (per Ayatollah Sistani's demand) UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi responded
Translation: The US was right... but I can't be heard agreeing with them in anything that resembles decipherable english.
Deciding on Iraq's future
Upon being asked whether or not direct elections could be held in Iraq by June (per Ayatollah Sistani's demand) UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi responded
QUOTE
"The timing," Mr Brahimi said, "should not be a prisoner to any deadline... We need to organise elections as early as possible but not as early as impossible."
Translation: The US was right... but I can't be heard agreeing with them in anything that resembles decipherable english.
Deciding on Iraq's future
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