This is not a joke. I’m really hoping this congressman was drunk. That would be the best possible explanation other than he’d been hit on the head right before he started talking. Or maybe he was hypnotized and told to act like a four year old. No matter the explanation, for anyone who believes in democracy, this will not help your cause.
John Hawkins writes:
What’s in the water in Georgia’s fourth congressional district? That district used to be represented by Cynthia McKinney, who was one of the biggest fruit loops in Congress, and now Hank Johnson is their man on Capitol Hill.
Hank Johnson, who was last seen claiming that people would put on “white hoods and ride through the countryside” if Joe Wilson wasn’t rebuked, is back in the news.
It seems that he’s identified a terrible new threat: Johnson is worried that if the military puts too many people on Guam, it may “tip over and capsize.”
Read more at Right Wing News.
April 1, 2010 at 2:53 pm
The Powerline blog had a post on this saying that the Congressman suffers from some form of Hepatitis C that causes confusion and inability to concentrate at times. That being said, it is probably not a good idea to be conducting hearings and voting on legislation in that condition and subjecting oneself to public embarrassment. Although, I'm not sure if the illness is entirely the explanation considering what's going on in Congress these days. On the other hand, Admiral Willard exhibited class when he simply answered the Congressman's concern about Guam tipping by stating, "We don't anticipate that."
April 1, 2010 at 2:58 pm
how in the world!!! did that admiral keep a straight face????????
April 1, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Frankly, that and his global-warming talk isn't that much different from any other progressive who is able to cover up the stupid with jargon.
April 1, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Sane, sober people of these United States of America elected this person to represent them?
How truly sad we as a Nation have become. God help us all!
April 1, 2010 at 5:33 pm
This is just plain weird. It's like watching a very stoned teenager trying to explain…well…anything. No, this doesn't bode well for Georgians, Southerners or as you state, Democracy in general.
April 1, 2010 at 5:50 pm
I think the best reply to this inanity was this comment from the Ace of Spades posting of this video:
"I don't know if anyone else experienced this, but while I was watching that, several of my IQ points crawled out of my ear and punched me in the face."
It is a testament to the Admiral's military training that he was able to largely suppress a smile as he replied, "We don't anticipate that happening." It's the perfect understated response.
April 1, 2010 at 6:17 pm
I'm sitting at the kitchen table watching this while my children study (we're homeschoolers). The table just erupted in laughter when they heard this! They thought he was joking! Even my 9 year old understood the stupidity of what Johnson said…
April 1, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Michael LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was GREAT!
And yes, the admiral did a great job. I would have added, "I don't know how that could geologically happen, given that it would defy all the laws of physics, but I'll be sure to take your comments into consideration moving forward."
Ahhhh, Holy Week. God's way of saying, "Hey, tone it down a gram."
April 1, 2010 at 8:26 pm
He's got to be a bigger BOZO than McKinney! I didn't think it possible.
April 1, 2010 at 9:37 pm
If he is so disabled by his Hep C that basic elementary school level geography/geology/vocabulary is too difficult for him then he needs to resign. I don't believe a citizen needs to be a Rhodes Scholar or graduate of an ivy league or any college for that matter in order to be an elected official but I don't think a grasp of basic concepts and a wee bit of common sense is too much to ask.
April 2, 2010 at 12:48 am
Um…I think it's an April Fools joke…if not, well it's already been said.
April 2, 2010 at 1:17 am
And in a related story, it's been discovered that America is sinking due to our obesity problem.
April 2, 2010 at 5:12 am
He isn't the only one saying this, but everyone else either wants a half billion to fix Guam Memorial Hospital, half a billion to fix the island water and waste water (which the Marines would hardly use), a billion dollars to either bypass or fix the roads or to send the Marines somewhere else. The military land stewardship for decades has been outstanding, and some of my favorite jungle hikes and beaches were on the DoD land.
April 2, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Having watched the clip, and read the transcript and Rep. Johnson's subsequent clarification (both posted at NRO's The Corner), I think he's entitled to the benefit of the doubt on this one. The gentleman obviously has trouble with speaking extempore, enough so that he may very well not have meant exactly what he said.
April 2, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Two words: "Georgia Democrat." Jimmy Carter anyone?
April 3, 2010 at 4:33 pm
And this man makes laws for you and me.
April 4, 2010 at 1:30 am
Is he related to one of the Democrats we have here in Houston? She makes equally stupid statements on a regular basis–Shelia Jackson Lee
by name and put back into office each time.
Stupid is as stupid does.
April 4, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Just goes to show what gerrymandering will do. As a native Georgian I hang my head and apologize. We are not really that stupid.
April 5, 2010 at 8:19 am
Hey, man. The Marines are just toooo heavy!
Seriously, if Johnson wasn't kidding, or he simply didn't pay attention during geography class, then he needs a psychological assessment!
April 5, 2010 at 6:32 pm
This from the people who brought us Obamacare. Why am I worried?