Gordon Brown's "misstep"

It seemed like any other innocuous walkabout or knock and talk/greet the voters earlier this week. Alas, after Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown had an impromptu, albeit scheduled by his staffers, meeting with the woman who expressed her outrage about "those Eastern Europeans" wanting to move to England.......he went back to his car with his entourage and spoke candidly, mike still live - about the woman's obvious bigotry.

Later that day, the comments aired on a radio show where the Prime Minister of England was being interviewed. He was clearly not prepared for the playback on live radio.

He hurried back to the constituent's house to do some spin and damage control. He apologized profusely to the woman and seemed to make things smooth, though the woman has indicated that she will not be changing her vote back to vote for him.

His numbers are slipping in the polls - indeed, they were prior to this debacle, and now he is fighting for his political life.

Frankly speaking, I would have had more respect for him had he not apologized - the woman is clearly bigoted and does not appreciate the many immigrants who helped make Britain what it was after they emancipated the colonies - my own parents are first generation Jamaicans who came to England in the 60's and tried to make a new life.

I wish he had not apologized - it was not necessary - I believe in calling a spade a spade and even though I worked for several years as a political appointee to an elected official, I heard plenty of spin, I can only recall one occasion where I personally heard the mayor speak disparagingly of a constituent - she never knew - there was no live hidden mike.

Lessons learned....