What a Johnson
FOTP News in Review for … August 19, 2018
Because I simply cannot spend another Sunday writing about former NYC Mayor/Post 9–11 Savior/Ladies Man/Most Effective LifeLock Spokesperson evah Rudy Giuliani — though I was tempted because his “Truth isn’t truth” comment on Meet the Press was a new low even for a man spelunkers have come to admire — we’ll head on over to Fox News Sunday and an interview with one the dullest bulbs in an already dim GOP chandelier, the senator from Wisconsin, Ron Johnson, who is on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee and who, not to put too fine a point on this, also spent July 4 in Moscow with Russian officials.
Who, me, worry?
The talk today, as it was everywhere on the Sunday shows, was about the president’s decision to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan because — Donald Trump believes, anyway — Brennan has abused his privileges by going on television on numerous occasions and suggesting the president is as reputable as this guy.
Chris Wallace, whose late father I’m convinced is proud of his son at least one Sunday every month (and this was not the one) asked the Wisconsin senator whether he was concerned the White House had created an Enemies List for those who dared question the president’s anointing by Jesus to help our troubled land. Johnson replied he hoped not because he would hate if that were the case, didn’t think that was the case, but if that were the case, the president could certainly make the case.
SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI), SENATE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE: Good morning, Chris. I’m not sure there’s evidence that anybody has misused it but I do believe that former CIA Director John Brennan abused his privilege …
You say “misused,” I say “abused,” let’s call his clearance off.
Johnson: So, I have no problem with the president pulling his clearance.
Translation: He may have done those things, but who really knows, but I’m sure he did, but don’t ask me how I know that because nobody does, but still …I’m afraid the president will say bad things about me in Racine.
Wallace, because Johnson is not the smartest Republican invited to drink Beluga at the Kremlin on Independence Day, decided to try asking again.
WALLACE: But as I just discussed with Admiral Mullen, we’re not just talking about John Brennan. There are nine other people who were on the list that Sarah Huckabee Sanders read in the White House briefing room. Ten people in all, including Brennan, and the one thing they all have in common is to varying degrees they all have been critics of this president.
JOHNSON: Well, first of all, I don’t want to see this become routine.
That horse, senator, is out the barn and already at the glue factory waiting for processing, but by all means, say the same thing as many times as you can during this segment.
JOHNSON: I don’t want to see it be politicized and the reason you don’t want to pull security clearance is exactly what the Admiral Mullen was talking about, is being able to, you know, provide access to those individuals you want to consult with.
Piercing analysis. It’s the “you know” that makes it art.
So, the best way handling this is if you don’t have confidence in former CIA officials or other government officials that you’re not going to be consulting with, just don’t give them access.
Oh, knock it off, Senator Sunspot. Brennan was stripped of his clearance for criticizing the president for running the country the same way he ran the Trump Marina in Atlantic City.
Even Wallace knows that’s the play going forward.
WALLACE: And I want to follow-up specifically on that. You say you don’t want to be routine. There’s a report in The Washington Post this weekend that President Trump wants to and, in fact, the White House has already drawn up documents to revoke the security clearances of some of those nine other people on the list and is, in fact, being advised to do so at specific times when there’s bad, negative news coming out to try to disrupt the news cycle.
If he goes after some of those other nine people on the list, are you going to support him or are you going to oppose that?
JOHNSON: I don’t want to see him politicize this.
There it is again. This is what passes for courage these day — obfuscation and repetition with a side of pablum. Wallace then tried impress upon Johnson the seriousness of such actions and how what the Trump White House is doing is being almost universally reviled. As it turned out, Wallace wasn’t happy, as you’ll soon see, with the senator’s answer but then they both agreed that America sure has a pretty flag.
WALLACE: I just want to put up one more thing here and that is the backlash which really spread through the intelligence community and a lot of very senior officials.
Let’s start here. More than a dozen senior intel officials wrote this. It has nothing to do with who should and should not hold security clearances and everything to do with an attempt to stifle free speech.
Some 60 former CIA officers wrote this: The country will be weakened if there is a political litmus test applied before seasoned experts are allowed to share their views.
And retired Admiral William McRaven who led the special operations command that killed bin Laden wrote this: I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency.
I’m sure, Senator, you agree an awful lot of people on this list — they go back to the Reagan administration in the case of Bill Webster — they bleed red, white, and blue.
Really, Chris, you went there?
JOHNSON: Absolutely. These are honorable Americans.
Good God.
I don’t agree that President Trump is stifling free speech. I don’t want to see an enemies list, and again …
I. do. not. want. him. to. be. mad. at. me.
WALLACE: Senator Johnson, thank you. Thanks for joining us today. Always good to talk with you, sir.
Indeed. It was almost like a real conversation.
JOHNSON: Have a great day.
It’s mourning again in America.
