By Traci Tillman
On last night's show, Ezra discussed Mitt Romney's gaffe-ridden visit to London this past week. To help illustrate the point of the segment on the TV screen, we used the phrase "#RomneyShambles," an homage to the widespread hashtag that began across the pond.
One fine British viewer, Kevin, revealed to us today that there may be more meaning behind the phrase "#RomneyShambles" than we initially realized realised:
Like much of the US Press, you noted the widespread usage of the hashtag "Romneyshambles". (Earlier today the top trending non-sponsored topic in the UK!) This is actually a little more than just the obvious meaning of "Shambles/mess involving Romney" though.
The term comes from another one which was used earlier this year to describe the terribly-designed UK government budget which then completely fell apart, caused the government to plunge 6 points in the polls, was mostly reversed on and was shredded by Left and Right alike and all major media as a total mess. That term, originating in a comedy program called 'The Thick Of It', was 'Omni-Shambles' as in, all-consuming disaster.
Omni-shambles thus gained huge popularity in the UK as "Horrible event in which everything that could possibly go wrong does so in a spectacular way".
Update: Our friends over at the Lean Forward blog found a clip of the "omnishambles" scene in question!
More after the jump.
Ned Resnikoff of Lean Forward blog writes:
In the first episode of the third season, after learning that the new minister of DOSAC is a public relations nightmare, Tucker dubs her "the [expletive deleted] omnishambles."
Warning: the clip contains a lot of swearing. In a British accent, no less. "Omnishambles" makes its appearance at around 2:38.
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How fitting.
Proving again, as I believe G.B. Shaw said, we "are one people divided by a common language" Like the wonderful word "wazzock"the Daily Telegrraph used to describe Mittens which translates as "idiot"
We need all this military spending like we need a hole in the head. What didn’t Chenney get enough money for Halliburton? America has better uses of that money than to keep acting like we have to be warmongers. There are other countries that can help share the burden of watching over the earth for some nut job dictators. Let’s start having other countries doing their fair share and start doing things in better ways than to want to have a war all the time to settle a conflict. What are these men in control totally loony tunes and thinking violence and murder is the only way to settle a dispute or to make things better. Use your imagination and brains for once in thinking of good solutions to help these countries and their people.
Honestly, I think the US is the best place for a globalized military.
I realize I'm in the minority here, but if we made some real effort to cut waste (insert military overpaying for common thing anecdote here), our military would be absolutely worth what we pay for it. The ability to be at any hot spot in the world with highly trained, well equipped troops is exactly the kind of thing the world needs right now. I'm not even being sarcastic here.
When there's a flareup in some backwater country in the middle east or Africa, our ability to stabilize the situation in a matter of hours is revolutionary. Beyond saving lives now, it can prevent flare ups from becoming full blown conflicts.
Why not have a multinational force do this? Because they won't move fast enough. Because if any nation on the force is involved with the flare up, their hands will be tied (Hello Sudan refugees; sorry we can't help China's really protective of that oil of yours. Good luck with the whole genocide thing). The US is geographically isolated - invasion with any meaningful force is nigh impossible. We can act without fear of consequence - these are dangerous advantages, but used responsibly, the concept of the US being the world police is accurate and is also a good thing.
It'd be nice if the world helped pay for it though.
So we should cut defense spending completely (our navy has already been cut to 1912 levels...) and keep spending borrowed money on food stamps, chevy volts, solyndra, libya, and michelle's lavish global vacations. Thank God for term limits
So how much money do you get paid for posting that claptrap? Hope it isn't much, weapons grade stupid is pretty overstocked in the market right now.
Just want to say that while I miss Rachel, Ezra is a terrific replacement - thanks Ezra!
both are hermaphrodites
Of cours, 'shambles' ius a synonym for 'abattoir' or 'slaughterhouse'.
I like Ezra, he's doing a wonderful job. That said, I miss Rachel & when is she coming back? Please Rachel, coming back!
Rachel needs to play the Beatles 'Nowhere Man' as intro theme music for the next segment on Mitt goofs.
British humor can be SO dry! I love it!
i'm really waiting for the transcripts from mittens meeting with malcolm tucker. should be f**king epic.
Want epic? Try reading the transcripts of B O's rare and recent speechs sans teleprompter. You are able to see what the man trually believes in...
So, was that 'prepared' enough for you Mr Romney?
Nice left wing focus to the event too... especially loved the highlighting the NHS and the BBC, (plus the sort of peace, togetherness and harmony message that you'd expect for the Olympics) Some idiot Tory MP over here complained on twitter how left wing it all was. Looking forward to seeing him tarred and feathered tomorrow. (Although to be fair, I made a similar observation to the missus, - it just that I wasn't complaining)
I was particularly impressed with the speed the volunteers rolled up the wet sod to transform Rural Britain into Industrial Britain. If you've ever had to lay sod you'd know how heavy even dry sod is. And after a rain? Pretty darn prepared I'd say.
#FUBARomney
I'm a huge fan of The Thick of It and it really amused me to hear the hashtag reported on by people accenting the wrong word (shambles instead of Romney). But, I'm a huge anglophile, so I can't really hold it against my fellow yankees.
Romney reminds me of the kid in grade school running for class president who promises hour-long free playground time, cake every day, and that he'll give everyone a dime to vote for him. Of course, he can't deliver, but what kid in grade school knows or cares? Trouble is, we aren't there and he isn't that kid. Too bad the class grew up--and Mitt didn't.
I fear you are confused with the USA's first food stamp pres. Notice the recent SNAP ads in spanish? Notice the national debt recently? I understand the unease about the Book of Mormon, but can you imagine the USA after four more years of incessant spending of our national credit card? Wake up people
We all need to be more sympathetic of Mitt. We also need to know who will be his top white house advisors. Why? If he is elected, his top advisors will be making critical decisions. In my personal and professional opinion, Mitt Romney is in the earliest stages of alzheimer's disease. He actually, IMO, has a valid medical excuse for his word gaffes.
He certainly isn't yet diagnosable, as Alzheimer's requires a certain level of advancement before it is diagnosable.
Trust me. He has early onset Alzheimer's. I know it when I see (hear) it. Also known as MCI (mild cognitive impairment).
We should probably be more sympathetic.
Maddow reminds me of an angry, bitter version of the 90's SNL skit/movie "It's Pat!" Ezra must be his daughter.
If you own a business you didn't build it.
Wow. Wake up yourself. Not the right place to bring your "FOX sound bites without evidence."
Name the "incessant spending" to which you refer. Or was that simply another baseless sound bite from Sean Hannity. Wake up...before it's too late! But...first watch the video about the food stamp president.
http://youtu.be/-AnuDkXlX0o
ssinp- if you believe the post to his other blogs- GWB and Republicans hate the "poor" etc- apparently not true if the Congressman's facts are correct as set forth on your you tube post- if it were true then they would have cut food stamps not increased-
and by the way food stamps will be reduced- but only with support of the Senate Democrats
I hate the idea of cutting food stamp benefits while the unemployment rate is still high. Don't you think there are other things that should be cut before food benefits for the poor and elderly? Cutting food stamp benefits, while unemployment remains high, only worsens the economy.
WITH OFFENDS LIKE MITT'S I think we all know WHO NEEDS "ENEMAS" ... it's time to RE-mitt ROMNEY. He is a GAFFE GIRAFFE. Or didn't you notice. There are times a person needs to have the good sense NOT TO STICK HIS NECK OUT.
We CERTAINLY DON'T NEED another WAR-MONGREL ... Mutt Romney might appeal to the hostiliTEA PARTY, but with BUSH'S belligerence, it's time to STOP OUTSOURCING OUR SOLDIERS and REBUILD HERE AT HOME.
Isn't Romney's comments about what the US foreign policy concerning backing Israel illegal under the Logan Act?