Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) really did say, during a hearing in the House, that he’s afraid that the island of Guam will “tip over and capsize” if we increase our military presence there:
I'll cut the guy some slack and say it may be a side-affect of the treatment he's undergoing for Hep-C. Confusion is a mother and that may well be what we're seeing here.
A friend sent me this the other day and I have to admit, I did giggle. I have to wonder, though – if it's true this was because of a side effect of medical treatment, why didn't somebody stop him?
Alan–I'm not suggesting that he's actually mentally deficient in any sort of permanent way. I think Sis hit it, though: Whatever the reason for his mental state at that point, he obviously was in no position to be doing what he was doing. The fact that he chose to be there and was allowed to be there, apparently for the opportunity to attempt to score partisan political points in a hearing of some real significance, does not reflect well either on him or on the operations of this current Congress.
Oh dear — now before I saw that, I was thinking, Oh Rob, it must have been just a joke, for Pete's sake. But he truly comes across as confused and in a stupor. I am shocked that his family and friends would allow him to go on like this, much less his own party members. He probably has no clue is he operating in such a diminished capacity.
Yeah. On further thought, I'm not sure this episode is necessarily to his discredit, depending on the circumstances–you're right, it's entirely possible he didn't realize how fuzzy his thinking was; that was on the people around him. But somebody certainly should have caught that.
I'll cut the guy some slack and say it may be a side-affect of the treatment he's undergoing for Hep-C. Confusion is a mother and that may well be what we're seeing here.
Either way he's in need of our prayers.
Alan
THANK YOU for posting this! I love your blog!!
Common Cents
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com
ps. Link Exchange??
A friend sent me this the other day and I have to admit, I did giggle. I have to wonder, though – if it's true this was because of a side effect of medical treatment, why didn't somebody stop him?
Alan–I'm not suggesting that he's actually mentally deficient in any sort of permanent way. I think Sis hit it, though: Whatever the reason for his mental state at that point, he obviously was in no position to be doing what he was doing. The fact that he chose to be there and was allowed to be there, apparently for the opportunity to attempt to score partisan political points in a hearing of some real significance, does not reflect well either on him or on the operations of this current Congress.
Oh dear — now before I saw that, I was thinking, Oh Rob, it must have been just a joke, for Pete's sake. But he truly comes across as confused and in a stupor. I am shocked that his family and friends would allow him to go on like this, much less his own party members. He probably has no clue is he operating in such a diminished capacity.
Yeah. On further thought, I'm not sure this episode is necessarily to his discredit, depending on the circumstances–you're right, it's entirely possible he didn't realize how fuzzy his thinking was; that was on the people around him. But somebody certainly should have caught that.