
REUTERS/Kirsty Wigglesworth
Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson during a press conference at the Foreign Office in London, Britain, July 19, 2016.
The journalist quoted back at Johnson some of the inflammatory remarks he has made about Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton during his years writing for the The Daily Telegraph and other national newspapers.
Clapper's question in full (emphasis ours):
"You've accused the current US president Barack Obama of harbouring a part-Kenyan's "ancestral dislike for the British empire," while claiming untruthfully at the time that he didn't want a [Winston] Churchill bust in the White House. You've described a possible future US president Hilary Clinton as someone with "dyed blonde hair, pouty lips, and a steely blue stare, like a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital." You've also likened her to Lady Macbeth. Do you take these comments back, or do you want to take them with you into your new job as some sort of indicator of the type of diplomacy you will practice?"
Johnson: Such a rich thesaurus of things I've said… take me too long to engage in a full global itinerary of apology https://t.co/oWLFQVSJfH
Clapper's question was applauded by his fellow journalists on Twitter after it left Johnson looking uncomfortable and drew some memorable facial expressions from Kerry.
When Boris Johnson's comments came back to bite him. https://t.co/50Zp7LCw6h
- norman smith (@BBCNormanS) July 19, 2016
In 150 year history, few more embarrassing pressers at FCO as @StateDept pool tears into #BorisJohnson. Mortifying. https://t.co/TYuQg4TJU1
- Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) July 19, 2016
Oh my. AP reporter Brad Klapper lays it in to Boris Johnson. Quite the question. https://t.co/jd638DmDfx
- SimonNRicketts (@SimonNRicketts) July 19, 2016
Great questions from Brad Klapper https://t.co/lXrbZo1ddV
- Katty Kay (@KattyKayBBC) July 19, 2016
Way to go, Brad Klapper of AP! https://t.co/zzFRYY7uUO
- Bobby Ghosh (@ghoshworld) July 19, 2016