Thankfully, 2016 is about to come to an end, taking with it the presidential election cycle that took nearly two years of our lives we can never get back. Lucky for us, those two years gave us quite a list of spectacular communication fails. Or, as I like to say as a media trainer, “job security.”
For kicks and giggles, I’ve compiled a list of the 10 worst communication fails of this presidential election. But also, ’tis the season to fantasize about what we’ll resolve to do in the new year. Keep in mind the following examples fall into the “what not to do” category.
Without further ado, here’s my countdown leading up the most cringeworthy moment of 2016…
10. Ben Carson causing a traffic jam. Ben Carson reminds us of the kid who got left in aisle 4 at Walmart. “Are you my mother?”
9. That one time Ted Cruz spent seven minutes trying to filibuster a Trump supporter. Campaigning on the Stump 101: Never engage with people actively protesting you, especially with cameras around.
8. Chris Christie: The All-American Hostage. In 2016, we were all Chris Christie.
7. Bernie Sanders: “We don’t care about your damn emails.” Apparently, voters actually did care.
6. Trump mocking Fiorina’s appearance: “Look at that face.” Not even chocolate and flowers can make us forgive and forget, Donald.
5. “Basket of Deplorables.” Common Ground? We’re all going to hell in a handbasket.
4. Rubio mocking Trump’s spray tan/small hands/wet pants. Was he trying to out-Trump Trump or auditioning for a role in “Mean Girls?” Both options are plausible.
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3. Hillary Clinton’s “Like with a cloth?” comment. Yes, Hillary. How else would you wipe your server clean and delete your emails?
2. Donald Trump’s “Grab her by the p***y” remarks. The locker room talk that left no one unscathed, including Billy Bush. Trump’s takedown of the Bush dynasty complete.
Drumroll… Here’s what you all have been waiting for — the biggest communications fail of 2016…
1. Gary Johnson’s “What is Aleppo?” Yes, this was terrible. But we can’t decide which is worse: Gary Johnson, a presidential candidate, not knowing the name of the city at the center of our foreign policy battles or the fact that millions of Americans googled “what is a Leppo?”
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way … 2016, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Beverly Hallberg is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is president of District Media Group. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.
