Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - Politicians are animals too...

I want to celebrate all the politicians out there who get down and dirty; who show us that underneath all the ceremony and "dignity", they're human animals just like the rest of us.

I'm not just talking about sex scandals here, or towering hypocricy, or the lastest dreary partisan talking points. I'm talking about brawls, snubs, curses, entire-works-of-Shakespeare filibusters. In short, childishness. Post your favourites...

Americans - show me that the US Congress isn't THIS:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/...?from=storyrhs

Quote:

When the President addressed the joint houses of the US Congress earlier this year, the analysts divined controversy in the fact that Democrats only gave him 32 standing ovations, compared with 48 from the Republicans.

The Australians, passionate about their footy, love a good rolling maul - especially when they're protecting a political football as illustrious as the royal figure of George W. Bush himself.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/...?from=storyrhs

Quote:

The way Senator Ross Lightfoot tells it, he was the hero, ready to risk his own safety for the leader of his country and/or leader of the free world.

"I spontaneously rose from my seat when I saw [Green senators] Brown and Nettle heading for the President with some files in their hand. I don't know what was in those files. They could have been something dangerous. I couldn't take that chance.

"I prevented them from accosting the President and the Prime Minister. I assumed either [of the leaders] was deserving of my defence."

And defend them he did, backing into Nettle and flailing his arms. He later denied he had intended to strike either senator, although: " I think Senator Brown and Senator Nettle would have walked into my elbows."

The "dangerous" object the Greens were bearing was actually a letter written by Maha Habib, pleading for the release of her husband, Mamdouh, who has been held without charge at Guantanamo Bay for some two years.

It's good to see old Ross employing the Bart Simpson defence of "If my arms are flailing and you get it their way, it's your own fault". Nettle should have remembered Lisa Simpson's "kicking the air" defence.

<img src="http://www.smh.com.au/ffxImage/urlpicture_id_1066631560462_2003/10/24/lightfoot.jpg">

You can see it all on the far left of this picture. Lightfoot is the white haired red faced one with the stupid half grin on his face.

Meanwhile Australian Team Captain Prime Minister John stands out front with arms outstretched in a quasi-religious pose as if to say "look upon my Parliament and despair" or perhaps "Fill me with the light of your free trade agreement, oh lord!!". It's hard to tell from this angle.

Of course, the Japanese politicians seem to love a tussle too. Anyone have a good video of their famous brawls?