Hearts & Minds: Gaffes happen. It’s what happens next that matters

A company chair is in hot water because he may have ‘misspoken’ to an MPs’ select committee. Gaffes occur. Even the best-prepared can say something that is nonsense. Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor said so at the Nato summit last summer. This was when President Joe Biden was closing out the gathering and hailed the bravery of Volodymyr Zelensky. Turning to Zelensky in his war fatigues, Biden said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.’

What matters here is what happens next. Biden quickly corrected himself and Zelensky, a former comedian, used to quickfire quips, promptly made light of the howler, saying, ‘I am better than Putin.’ Along with other European leaders, Scholz leapt to Biden’s defence, ‘Slips of the tongue happen, and if you keep a close enough eye on everyone, you will find enough,’ he said.

They do take place; they’re a facet of human nature; often Freudian. Some people rehearse what they’re going to say and then say the opposite. Sir Keir Starmer, an experienced lawyer no less, uttered ‘sausages’ instead of ‘hostages’ in his speech to the Labour conference. Ronald Reagan called Princess Diana, ‘Princess David’. George H W Bush, said ‘we’ve had some sex’ before correcting the last word to ‘we’ve had some setbacks.’

Sometimes they are pure daft, others they have serious consequences. George W Bush moved the markets when after 9/11 he said ‘inflation’ rather than ‘deflation’. Politicians make them more frequently because they make more speeches and are subjected to cameras and microphones. The job with George W then of his comms team, as now, was to explain the mistake.

Context is important. With Biden, the backdrop was his health and ability to stand for re-election. He said Putin and not Zelensky two weeks after his disastrous TV debate with Donald Trump. His aides insisted he was fine and Biden seemed to be recovering lost ground, only, in that moment, to lose it again.

There is only one correct response, which is to move quickly and decisively. Accept it will go viral. There is nothing you can do to prevent that. If it is funny, live with it. Understand too, it will be replayed time and again. Occasionally the mishap is not so apparent. But once it is realised, correct it and apologise. Do not prevaricate, obfuscate or deny. The storm will pass; the comms adviser’s task is to ensure it does not develop and worsen.

Chris Blackhurst is one of the UK’s foremost business journalists. He was previously Editor of The Independent and City Editor of the Evening Standard.