BUTTONGATE?!?!

[sisu1618]

Hello everyone! I am new and I have a question. I was reading F1 Racing and I came across a term I was not familiar with. It was "buttongate" and it seemed to have some negative conotation, although I could not excatly decipher what it ment. However, they (F1 Racing) used "gate" after a couple other words that have escaped my mind. Can someone explain this unusual term to me?

[DaveKillens]

"Watergate" is a general term used to describe a complex web of political scandals between 1972 and 1974. The word specifically refers to the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. This scandal eventually led to the resignation of Richard Nixon as the US President.
http://www.watergate.info/
Since then, it has become fashionable to name scandals with "gate".
Jenson Button, a current Formula One driver, was embroiled not once, but twice in two sordid affairs where he attempted to get out of his contract to go to another team. This most certainly tarnished the credibility and reputation of Mr Button, and obviously, is where the term "Buttongate" comes from.

[manchild]

Another one - "Irangate" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra_Affair

OT - Blonde: "How it is pronounced right, Iraq or Iran?"

[RH1300S]

Another one - "Irangate" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra_Affair

OT - Blonde: "How it is pronounced right, Iraq or Iran?"

I hope I'm not being rude or mis-understanding the question

Different countries:

Iraq is a large Arabic country near the Gulf - bordered by Saudi Arabia, Iran and Kuwait (amongst others). Only has a narrow point of access to the Gulf and invaded Kuwait some years ago in the hope of improving that situation.

Iran is a larger Arabic country near the Gulf which used to be called Persia. It borders Iraq and they have been quarelling for years.

[dumrick]

That was a joke (and a good one)...

[manchild]

haha... sorry RH, you got it wrong, that was a joke about blondes

dumrick got it at first