Last Sunday, while we covered the weaselly Republicans on the Sunday shows, Donald Trump was on Maria Bartiromo’s show completing his fascist metamorphosis.
Ever since Trump told Bartiromo that the true threat to America’s election on November is “sick people, radical-left lunatics,” AKA the enemies “from within” who should be “handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military,” Republicans have been playing clean-up for his authoritarian confession. But for every failed Glen Youngkin sanewash, there’s another Trump interview or rally to say no, he meant it!
But Republicans like House Speaker Mike Johnson, one week later, are still trying to mask the stench of their presidential nominee’s rhetoric and batshit ramblings.
On CNN’s “State Of The Union,” host Jake Tapper found himself having to discuss the late pro-golfer Arnold Palmer … and not for his lemon iced tea drink. Take it away House Speaker Mike Pence!
TAPPER: Mr. Speaker, you're crossing all over the country. […] Is this really the closing message you want voters to hear from Donald Trump, stories about Arnold Palmer's penis?
Johnson tried to change the subject and tried to use the “are you better off now than four years ago” line. Tapper, again, pushed back to get an answer for the question he asked instead of the ones Johnson hears.
TAPPER: I know you want to talk about policy, and I respect that. But the reason that Donald Trump is not up 10 points is because of comments like that one, where people do have concerns about his fitness, his acuity, and his stability. Why is he talking about Arnold Palmer's penis in front of Pennsylvania voters?
JOHNSON: Jake, you seem to like that line a lot. Let me tell you that Donald Trump is doing rallies nonstop around the country.
We have to admit that it took us a few times watching the interview and reading the transcript to catch Mike Johnson’s not-so-subtle homophobic retort. Tapper, either catching it at the time or personally disgusted that he has to discuss this because a presidential candidate made it part of their campaign, called out Johnson for not wanting to address their sundowning candidate.
TAPPER: I didn't — believe me — let me just say something. Let me just say something. […] I don't want to be talking about this. Donald Trump is out there saying it. It is unstable.
JOHNSON: But you continue to. Let's talk about ...
TAPPER: Because you won't — because you won't address it.
JOHNSON: Wait a minute. Hold on.
TAPPER: You won't address it. He is out there talking about ...JOHNSON: No, I will address it.
He didn’t address it. What he did instead was go on an extended rant about Vice President Kamala Harris being the incoherent one and Trump being full of vigor & stamina.
Tapper then asked the founder of the House “Honor and Civility Caucus” about how he squares that with Trump’s “enemy within” statements. Johnson tried to worm out of answering but Tapper called him out on it.
JOHNSON: Jake, you know that's not what he's talking about there. What he's talking about is marauding gangs of dangerous, violent people ...
TAPPER: No.
JOHNSON: ... who are destroying public property and threatening other American citizens.
TAPPER: No, he talked about Adam Schiff and the Pelosis. He's not talking — Governor Youngkin tried this with me too. That's not — he was very clear.
Tapper then played a Fox News clip that further illustrated that Trump was definitely talking about retribution against political enemies with military force. Johnson tried some conflation and vague incitement, which Tapper caught and tried to get Johnson to clarify to no avail.
TAPPER: He's — that's what he's talking about using the US military against, not marauding gangs of Venezuelan […] Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul. […] So, let me just say, if a Democratic presidential candidate said that you and your wife were evil and that the military should be used against you, I would say that's disgusting.
JOHNSON: […] I did not hear President Trump in that clip say he's going to sic the military on Adam Schiff. That's not what he's saying. You have got two different clips in two different contexts. What President Trump is talking about is that they have been attacking and maligning him from the day he came down that golden escalator. […] He's been the most attacked, maligned political figure in US history. They have tried to kill him twice in the last few months.
TAPPER: Who is they?
JOHNSON: This is real. And he feels that acutely. And, Jake, you would too ...
TAPPER: What do you mean they?
JOHNSON: ... if you were under attack like he is all the time, every day. They, I mean Iran, who has assassination attempts out against him.
TAPPER: Sure. But that's not...
JOHNSON: I mean crazy, dangerous people in the country who get on rooftops and take shots.
TAPPER: But Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi are not trying to assassinate Donald Trump.
More reporters should push GOP to answer who “they” are. It continued longer with Johnson simultaneously trying to blame Democrats for the two crazy armed rightwing assclowns who took shots at Trump while trying to play coy when called out on it.
Tapper ended the interview with perhaps the best description for what Republicans always do on the Sunday shows.
TAPPER: It's like you were answering questions from a completely different interviewer.
That’s how it always is, Tapper. But since mainstream political media will never do anything to fix it, because of their fear of losing “access” or spineless kowtowing to rightwing grifters, brief moments of journalistic clarity will always end like a noir detective film.
Have a week.
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Am I better off than I was four years ago? When had been laid off because of Covid, I could only leave my house for sustenance items I may or not be able to find in stores, when I couldn’t see my kids because CDC guidance said kids should not travel between separate households, when finding work was a pipe dream and finding the human companionship of a relationship was laughable, all because Donald Trump refused to do the job he swore an oath to do?
Yes, you smarmy, self-satisfied cocksucker. I AM better off today.
If Mike Johnson had an ounce of self-awareness, he'd punch himself repeatedly square in the face until his smirk finally disappeared.