When London mayor Boris Johnson got stuck on a zip line last week
in a botched attempt to soar over Olympic spectators -- ending up suspended
above them awkwardly for several minutes, Union Jacks in each arm fluttering
dejectedly -- all of Britain chuckled, particularly at his wit and good grace in a graceless position. And pundits actually launched into another round of speculations about the mayor's
political ambitions. Although Johnson has vehemently denied a desire to become
Britain's prime minister, as Alex Massie writes for FP, "he doth protest too much
-- and he knows it too." The Conservative Johnson, whose party is the only thing
about him that sounds politically orthodox, has a reputation for being London's
court jester, a disheveled and jolly bloke who always seems to be pulling
strange antics. Despite the unflattering photos and all manner of mishaps and unsavory quotes,
Johnson seems to be politically indestructible, and London's Mad Hatter just
might give David Cameron a run for his money. Here's a colorful year in
the life of the ridiculous man who just might lead Britain, from cleaning up
the mess of last August's riots to hosting the dazzling 2012 Olympic Games.
Above, Boris Johnson dangles from a zip line after losing momentum in an attempt to glide over Olympic spectators on Aug. 1. Video footage of his zip line flop went viral, sparking a spate of speculations about his political ambitions. Downplaying the incident, Johnson said of himself: "How could anybody elect a prat who gets stuck in a zip wire?"
