The 3 Funniest Republican Debate Slip-Ups

Presidential elections are great, not only because you get to exercise your patriotic right to determine the fate of the country, but also because Americans get to sit back and watch groups of mostly older men try to express themselves on TV, in the media, and, now more recently, across social media. They joke, they say ridiculous things, they stick their tongues out — presidential candidates are usually pretty awkward. And presidential candidates in high pressure situations, like the GOP debates, are even more awkward. The best Republican debate stumbles and slip-ups will remind you just why election season is one of the best seasons.

It's really stressful being a presidential candidate — that's an undeniable fact. And maybe it's unfair for us to lampoon these normal people when they slip up sometimes. But, unfortunately, it seems pretty fair when the position they are hoping to attain could have an impact on, you know, like all of history. When presidential candidates slip up during debates, it's fun not only because we get to see their normal, human side, but also because we can see just how they react under pressure. Hopefully all of the candidates featured in Wednesday's GOP debate have been prepping adequately, so that they can avoid meme- and GIF-worthy slip ups that could haunt their campaign (or future campaigns) forever. Here are three of the best Republican debate stumbles.

John McCain's Zombie McCain Moment

After Arizona Sen. John McCain's third presidential debate against then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, McCain stuck out his tongue when he accidentally walked the wrong way on the stage, according to The Daily Beast. Photographers who snapped the moment dubbed the image "Zombie McCain," and internet users photoshopped it next to other hilarious images.

Sarah Palin Referenced A General From The Civil War

In response to a question about the future of the war in Afghanistan during the GOP debate in 2008, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin repeatedly referred to a general with the last name "McClellan," according to The Huffington Post. But Gen. George B. McClellan was the general-in-chief of the Union Army during the Civil War. Apparently Palin had been searching for the name Gen. David D. McKiernan, who served in Afghanistan as the U.S. Forces commander from October 2008 to June 2009. Hey, I mean, they're both generals, right? And they both served in some kind of big war. Maybe we should cut her some slack!

Rick Perry's Big "Oops!"

In a mortifying few seconds during a Republican presidential debate in 2011, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry forgot the name of the third federal agency that he pledged to eliminate if he was elected president, according to CBS News. Perry was discussing his jobs plan and his flat tax plan when he said, "And I will tell you, it's three agencies of government when I get there that are gone. Commerce, Education, and the... what's the third one there? Let's see," according to CBS News.

Perry paused, people laughed, and then another Republican candidate and former Texas Rep. Ron Paul chimed in, saying, "You need five," according to CBS. Perry responded, "Oh, five, OK. So, Commerce, Education, and the...," which is when former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney also decided to try and help him out by suggesting, "EPA?" Perry responded, "EPA, there you go, no..." and people laughed yet again.

Finally, after some back and forth with CNBC moderator John Harwood, Perry admits that he can't remember the name of the third agency he would eliminate. He responds to Harwood's question of whether he remembered the name of the third agency with, "I can't. The third one, I can't. Sorry. Oops."

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