major bloopers

i don't know whether you ever stay until the end of a film in the cinema or watch the credits on a DVD to see if there are any out-takes showing huge gaffs and people messing up. I don't think any of them could have come up with what we saw or heard today. On a huge campaign trail and trying to retain their government from 3rd place (although people keep showing me that that is more than possible), what a huge opportunity Gordon Brown had to meet some real people, in a campaign where he still has the responsibility of running our country. You know he is probably fuming at himself today as he was overheard, under pressure, muttering that a woman he had met was a 'bigot'. Definitely not a wise statement in a close fought election battle.
A couple of thoughts on this whole situation. First, we all make mistakes, but there is no smoke without fire. I made a pact with myself when i was 16. i wasn't a christian, but had got into the habit of swearing quite a lot and i didn't like it, it made me feel horrible about myself, so i decided to stop swearing then. Now if something bad happened to me, or if i hurt myself, i wouldn't slip into swearing because it is not in my head to do so. if i swore occasionally, then i would probably do so if i hit my thumb with a hammer, because the words are in my head. It is what is said and thought when no one else sees or hears that will come out at some point.
Second, we all make mistakes and i think that the mistake that Gordon made today will probably come to haunt him on May 6th, because however many times he apologises he will now be tarnished. We are so good at holding things against people. The Church, as a whole, the place where grace, mercy, forgiveness and restoration are the manifesto of their leader Jesus, are up there with the best. How forgiving as a Christian am I? or do i hold things against people. What do we stand for?
I am not a political beast, and for me the elections are not about personalities but about who, as a team, can lead this country. Yet i have been challenged by how i judge people and what I, as a candidate representing Jesus, can offer others. Richard