Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-4) worries that Guam will tip over

[notesdev]

Run time: 02:48 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNZczIgVXjg   Posted on YouTube: March 31, 2010 By YouTube Member: psvanbeek Views on YouTube: 1538   Posted on DU: April 01, 2010 By DU Member: notesdev Views on DU: 2345

 
This is making the rounds heavy this morning...

WTF? Is this guy high or something?


Cleanup in aisle GA-4...

[Dawgs]

1. Actually, he has been battling Hepatitis C for over a decade.

BTW, I agree with him on overpopulation.

Looks like you agree with Malkin.

http://michellemalkin.com/2010/04/01/taking-bets-how-long-til-democrat-rep-hank-johnson-cries-raaaacism/

[salguine]

4. I agree with Malkin on that one.

[GreenTea]

11. If one agrees with Malkin & republicans on ANYTHING - I'd advise to investigate further!

[guidod]

2. Yes, he sounds that way,

about tiping over anyway. However, he's not crazy when it comes to worrying about their coral reefs. I was stationed there, in the U.S. Navy from 1968 to 1970, and believe me Guam has some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world and some of the greatest diving in the world. I would hate to see that destroyed.

[baldguy]

3. Good thing FDR had the CCC shore up Manhattan with those concrete pilings in the '30s.

[salguine]

5. I live in Manhattan and I thank God and FDR for that every day.

[Enrique]

6. he was kidding

he was talking about housing so many Marines on such a small island, and chose a colorful way to picture that.

[ronnie624]

10. I think so too.

It seemed like an awkward expression of sarcastic irony. I seriously doubt that Johnson, who is a lawyer, believes that islands float around in the oceans.

Some wingnuts, I think, are just grasping.

[jtb33]

12. I doubt that...

After looking at the video, how he uses hand gestures and listening to his statement, I'd have to disagree that he was using a metaphor.

His statement (removing the umm's and ahh's) was this: "My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize" as he gestured with his hands making a "tip over" motion.

I don't know what to think, but it appears that he was NOT intending to use a metaphor. His comments about the size of Guam prior to that are a little... weird as well.

I do have to give some props to the Navy guy - he certainly held composure.

[pocoloco]

7. Are you high??

He was repeatedly sticking his boot up the General's ass.

[Rubble]

23. wrong branch of the USA military

Willard is an Admiral, not a General.

Also, my best friend has Hepatitis C, is on chemotherapy for it, and is currently earning his PhD, here in Sweden, without diminished mental acuity.

[grandpamike1]

8. OMG

I wonder what is going through the mind of the Admiral while the Rep was talking ? Guam tipping over, has to be one of the best ideas ever. Whoever runs against this person should use that as a campaign slogan.

[gmoney]

9. I wonder if he heard the term "tipping point" regarding the environmental impact...

And for some reason thought that it was literally a tipping point where you put one person too many and, whoops, it will tip over like a rowboat.

I'll have to say NOT one of the brightest bulbs in the room.

If he's having mental difficulties due to Hepatitis C, he should step down.

Of course, a vast majority of people in that room profess to believe in talking snakes, pillars of salt, and that zombie Jeesus rode a dinosaur, too, so maybe there's not a lot of room to criticize him.

[go west young man]

13. A terra dactyl would be more accurate considering the ascension and such.

[Tx4obama]

14. Update from HuffPo

Excerpt:

UPDATE: "I wasn't suggesting that the island of Guam would literally tip over," Johnson says via a spokesman. "I was using a metaphor to say that with the addition of 8,000 Marines and their dependents -- an additional 80,000 people during peak construction to the port on the tiny island with a population of 180,000 -- could be a tipping point which would adversely affect the island's fragile ecosystem and overburden its already overstressed infrastructure.

"Having traveled to Guam last year, I saw firsthand how this beautiful -- but vulnerable island -- is already overburdened, and I was simply voicing my concerns that the addition of that many people could tip the delicate balance and do harm to Guam."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/01/hank-johnson-thinks-guam_n_521541.html

[gmoney]

15. "via a spokesman" indeed

Based on the entire clip, I don't believe Johnson could personally make such a clearly worded and competent statement. And given the hand gestures and the lack of clarification (or even obfuscation) on this point at the time, I think he really believed the island would physically capsize.

[ronnie624]

16. Thanks for posting.

He and his wife are attorneys, which means they are highly educated and presumably well acquainted with fundamental scientific principles. I don't think for a second that Rep. Johnson believes that islands float around in the ocean.

Those who are pushing this story are a bunch of desperate, grasping wingnuts.

[Zavulon]

22. Complete pantload.

His statement was absurdly stupid. I'd never let a Republican get away with this, and I'm not giving him the benefit of the doubt either. He doesn't look fit to serve at all. That was an embarrassment, and as much as I hate talk radio I can't blame them for pouncing on this.

I find his explanation insulting. He honestly thinks we're all idiots.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

17. Dear God. Amazing how that Admiral kept a straight face!

Is this an indictment of Democrats or just Congress in general.

Sheesh, this is more embarassing then just about anything.

Cynthia McKinney was controversial, but not stupid.

Is Hank on drugs?

Lord that was embarassing to watch!

[Politicub]

18. Congressman Johnson is a good man and a great rep for the 4th district

I believe him when he said he was talking metaphorically about a tipping point.

It's pathetic that something like this gets flogged by the MSM.

[Walk away]

19. That was painful...if he has something to say to defend himself...

he should say it in person. Doing it through someone else just makes him look worse. I am happy to give him the benefit of the doubt but he needs to go on the air and explain.

[activa8tr]

20. Is anything ever satisfactory to people like you?

The man was mocked in the right wing press and all some Dems have to say is "he should say it in person"?

Geeze.

[Walk away]

21. Sorry, but people like me think if you say something that makes you look

foolish (whether you are or aren't) you should stop the problem by giving an interview right away that shows that there is nothing wrong with you and that you really were being sarcastic.

All it would take would be a short statement. I am not the one mocking him..I'm just stating a fact. Geeze!