When snack attack gaffes take a bite out of presidential campaigns
The kinds of food gaffes that are so damaging are the ones that play into pre-existing opinions about the candidate
Was Gerald Ford beaten by a tamale? Did Swiss cheese cost John Kerry the White House? Will Donald Trump lose after chowing down on fried chicken on a private jet?
Food can play a key role in how candidates solicit votes for the most powerful job on the planet.
But for every master stroke - when food and politics majestically come together in mouth-watering theatre - there are gaffes that may hasten electoral disaster.
“Food can be a way for politicians to communicate a type of accessibility,” said Dan Pashman, host of The Sporkful food podcast at WNYC Studios. “But when politicians screw it up, it’s very easy to make a mistake,” he said.
It’s awkward eating in front of the press
The British monarch may never have seen a frankfurter before or eaten anything but a canape with his hands - indeed, Queen Elizabeth whispered to Eleanor Roosevelt, “How do you eat this?” - but as the president’s guest, the king wolfed down the dog American-style.