November 15, 2006 10:41 AM PST
No. 7: Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) is caught ditching an eco-friendly vehicle for a gas-guzzler after an alternative-energy event.
One of the things that politicians tend to forget is that the cameras can be anywhere. Anywhere. Hastert, for example, spoke at a news conference in April to address rising gas prices and the need for alternative fuel. He made a big, public exit from the conference in a hydrogen-fueled car, only to ditch it a few minutes later for a big black SUV, once he was out of camera view. Unfortunately for Hastert, an anonymous camera wielder happened to snap a photo of the switcheroo. MSNBC newscaster Keith Olbermann was, naturally, all over it.
It should be noted that Rep. Hastert probably needed to travel in the standard government SUV for security purposes. But still, it looked pretty dumb.
Photo by Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly
