One thing that's very telling about this clip is that MSNBC got the congressman's name and state wrong. They say throughout that he's Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania but actually it's Mike Johnson of Louisiana.
They corrected it but it's not surprising that when you close your eyes they all sound the same. One thing Paul Ryan's done is get all these guys on message.
We support the president.
We support the president.
We support the president.
And then they find themselves in a position where they have to say something factual .
"Of course, Russians hacked our election." "Jeff Sessions is doing a good job." "Water is wet." Which goes DIRECTLY against statements made by the "president" you support.
Good on Velshi and Ruhle for pushing back, hard, on this douchiness.
Let's start at the point where he has to "defend" what Anthony Scaramucci said yesterday. As of this writing, Scaramucci hasn't been fired and it looks like he won't be fired. So what does Congressman Johnson/Kelly/Smith say?
REP MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA) We've got to let the operation of the White House be left to the people in the White House. ...All I have a say in is what happens in the House of Representatives.
Amazing that NO Republican Congressman made that statement during the Obama or Clinton administrations, ever. But continue, Congressman....
JOHNSON: I tell you, that's not the language that most of the people back in my district back home use, but what it says to me, there's a lot of passion in the White House
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Excuse me, sir, if you're going to say to us, talk about your late father as something that you would obviously respect him as would we. Are you going to look us in the eye and say speaking about Steve Bannon performing a sex act on himself using the foulest language there is, that would get your children and mine expelled from school, are words of passion? I think not, sir.
JOHNSON: That's not what I said. I don't like those words at all and it's not the language we use back home but I'll tell you this, there's a lot of energy and passion channeled in a way that's productive to move the agenda forward. I agree with what Attorney General Sessions said yesterday, we believe in the president's mission and his goals and it has to be achieved for the American people. we'll do everything we can in this chamber to make sure that happens.
ALI VELSHI: I'm glad you brought that up, that was the weirdest thing I've seen, Jeff Sessions after being smeared by the president consistently insulted and humiliated, something your colleagues in the Capitol have said is offensive and disgusting that he would talk about how great the president is. but you've got the president trying to get rid of Jeff Sessions apparently and Russia and Iran and North Korea sanctions that were passed overwhelmingly in the house -- three votes against it in the House and two in the Senate. and the president is talking about not -- not signing that. what kind of passion is that?
JOHNSON: Listen, I have full confidence in Attorney General Sessions. I think he's doing an excellent job and that's the sentiment on the Hill. When it comes to Russia, the reason that was an overwhelming vote in both chambers of Congress because we understand Russia is our adversary and that's a common sense conclusion everyone can come to. we know they try to meddle in our elections, the last one, the previous one --
VELSHI: Everybody knew that already, there were already sanctions on Russia and North Korea and Iran, the reason you put the vote through is to stop the president from lifting the sanctions. You've taken legislative action against the president lifting sanctions and just told me Jeff Sessions should stay as attorney general. but you're just not capable of criticizing Donald Trump for anything. what are you scared of?
JOHNSON: I'm not scared of anything. I believe in the president's mission and goals and we support that because we have to. We have a rare opportunity to fix some of the problems that ail this country. we're working on that in the house, remarkable record of that --
RUHLE: Sir, hold on -- sir if you would like to speak about the economy, we can. One of the main drivers in pushing the economy forward, President Trump was handed a strong economy. He then promised a pro business agenda involving infrastructure spending and deregulation, none of which we've seen in a significant way. I remind you, one of the main drivers -- in the stock market surge beyond business sentiment -- low interest rates and central bank intervention. Janet Yellen and others around the world are buying up paper, we might not get to the Republican agenda, central banks are buying up paper so I will too. I beg your pardon to entirely credit President Trump with the stock market performance that doesn't serve the forgotten American who doesn't own stocks.
JOHNSON I didn't entirely credit President Trump for that but does deserve a lot of credit as does the Republican House and Congress.
And those talking points and flip flop lying will get him on Paul Ryan's "Good Boy" list to get funding for his re-election from his gerrymandered Confederate state, forever and ever, amen.
