How to be Insulting about Heroes

The reception given to the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, when he arrived in London far exceeded anything that had been anticipated. Huge crowds turned out to see the cosmonaut and the whole capital celebrated his feat. However, the Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was totally unmoved by the Russian's reception:

'It would have been twice as bad if they had sent the dog,' he said.