Highlights
From Boris Johnson’s Excruciatingly Awkward Press Conference
By Siobhán
O'Grady
July 19, 2016 -
5:50 pm
It’s unlikely that
anyone thought Boris Johnson’s first London press conference as
Britain’s new foreign secretary would go smoothly, per se. But did
it really have to be this bad? And also, Boris, could you please
smooth down that infuriating tuft of hair sticking out the top of
your head?
Below, Foreign
Policy has compiled some of the worst (or best) moments of the event,
which took place beside U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in London.
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— Multiple
journalists asked Johnson to defend his history of insults. And Brad
Klapper, from the Associated Press, took the time to recount some of
Johnson’s less forgivable moments: “You’ve accused the current
U.S. president, Barack Obama, of harboring a part-Kenyan’s, quote,
‘ancestral dislike [of] the British Empire,’ unquote,” he said.
“You’ve described possible future U.S. president Hillary Clinton
as someone with, quote, ‘dyed blonde hair and pouty lips, and a
steely blue stare, like a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital,’
unquote. You’ve also likened her to Lady Macbeth.”
— Here’s one of
Johnson’s responses to critiques of his behavior: “I’m afraid
that there is such a rich thesaurus now of things that I have said
that have been, one way or another, through what alchemy I do not
know, somehow misconstrued that it would really take me too long to
engage in a full-blown itinerary or apology to all concerned,” he
said. “And I think most people who read these things in their
proper context can see what is intended.”
— Johnson, at one
point, mentioned a “burgeoning crisis in Egypt.” This is
particularly notable because he brought it up twice, and it would
appear he may have actually meant Turkey, where a coup attempt was
foiled over the weekend.
— Gardiner Harris,
a New York Times reporter, asked how Kerry and other world leaders
“should believe what [Johnson] says” due to his history of
telling “outright lies.” Johnson interrupted, saying that he
appreciates “the First Amendment and your right to free speech, but
I think we need chapter and verse on this stuff.”
Then Johnson
apologized for interrupting, and Harris pointed out that if Johnson
were in his shoes, he would ask the same questions.
“I think people
are more than welcome to rake over stuff I’ve written over many,
many years, but I think the most important thing is to get on with
the very heavy agenda we have before us today,” Johnson responded.
— Kerry was, at
one point, put in the incredibly unfortunate position of actually
almost complimenting Johnson, despite the fact the now British
foreign secretary led the campaign to remove Britain from the
European Union and has, as indicated above, insulted Kerry’s
colleagues at home. Kerry acted gracefully, saying that those who
have worked with him have described him as a “very smart and
capable man.” He added: “That’s the Boris Johnson I intend to
work with.”
“Phew. Stop there,
that’s great,” Johnson said. “It’s called diplomacy, Boris,”
Kerry responded.
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