George W. Bush’s inability to admit fault at a press conference in 2004 didn’t win him much compassion from voters. Oliver Stone’s movie, “W,” mocked the awkward moment, where the ex-president couldn’t come up with one mistake he made since 9/11.
Bush garnered a reputation as being too stubborn to own up to his mistakes. For politicians who can take responsibility, it can help soften the blow of criticism.
Joseph Crowley admitted fault for the delay in reconstruction of the World Trade Center buildings on Monday. In straightforward language, Crowley criticized his actions as well as those of other New York Politicians.
“Many of us on this stage have let you down,” said Crowley of the project to the Examiner. “There’s enough blame to go around and I take responsibility as well, because nine years ago when I was told it would be built I assumed like everyone else that it would happen. I no longer assume anything. And from here on out I take no promises to bed. Along the line I’ve let you down; we’ve let you down. We’ve let this city down and we’ve let this country down.”
A far cry from politicians’ favorite, “mistakes were made,” Crowley’s political acumen elicits empathy from constituents. By being your biggest critic, it makes getting the same criticism from opponents seem redundant. Plus, it’s hard to imagine someone saying, “God, what a jerk, he totally screwed up, knows it and apologized for it.”