Gary Johnson Can't Name a Single World Leader That He Respects (mod edit)

[specsaregood]

He eventually said Fox. Should have just said let me think about it instead of saying I am having a Aleppo moment.

Well if he had actually named Fox, its not like that would have been any better from my POV. I'd prefer him not being able to name any.

[RJ Liberty]

Man, don't go. I'm not a Trump Humper, in fact I've been banned for opposing them. I'm not sorry to say that GJ doesn't cut it for me. He didn't in 2012 and he doesn't now. Just differences of opinion.

Phill, Gary's the only 51-ballot candidate saying he'll pardon Snowden. I know that means something to you.

[anaconda]

That's California hipster style.

Circa 1982.

[Ender]

Circa 1982.

California's always ahead in fashion, about 25-30 years.

[anaconda]

We need Jeopardy contests instead of debates."Monetary Policy for $50, please...."

[dannno]

Bill Weld says Merkel. Of course.

That's the part that gave me the biggest cringe.

[phill4paul]

Phill, Gary's the only 51-ballot candidate saying he'll pardon Snowden. I know that means something to you.

It does. But, it doesn't mean everything to me.

[juleswin]

I would have said Putin but that would have been worse than the non answer Gary Johnson gave. Which world leader/president do YOU respect?

[angelatc]

Since the latest polls show Johnson taking votes from Hillary, look for the attacks to intensify.

[jct74]

Being stoned has it's draw backs. Did he actually say he was having a "brain-fart?"

Do you think he's been smoking up on the campaign trail or that past pot use has damaged his brain?

[dannno]

Do you think he's been smoking up on the campaign trail or that past pot use has damaged his brain?

I would wager to guess he just doesn't pay that much attention to world affairs. When you are advocating a peaceful foreign policy, trade with all, it's not as important to have a grasp on that type of stuff.

[CaptUSA]

I would have said Putin but that would have been worse than the non answer Gary Johnson gave. Which world leader/president do YOU respect?

The right answer - and this goes for ALL foreign policy matters - is, "I don't like to speak in terms of specifics because every leader has good and bad qualities, but the characteristics I generally admire in a world leader are..."

Same thing with Aleppo, or Israel, or any other foreign country. "I won't be speaking about specific problems or issues related to foreign policy because events are ever-changing and a leader has to be flexible, but generally I think that..."


Understand that there is NO right answer to these types of questions. Johnson could have said Mother Theresa and someone would have pointed out in a blog somewhere that she did something wrong once and the media would have taken that to suggest that he supported that act.

I know this response comes across as a dodge - and it is - but that's what you need to do when someone is trying to corner you. If any liberty lovers are thinking about going into politics, you must learn how to do this!

[charrob]

Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson — who made news recently by blanking when asked about the conflict in Aleppo, Syria — admitted to having an “Aleppo moment” again when unable to name a foreign leader he respected.

During a televised townhall meeting Wednesday night on MSNBC with the Libertarian Party ticket, anchor Chris Matthews asked Johnson to name his favorite foreign leader.

As Johnson let out an audible breath, his running mate Bill Weld said “Mine was Shimon Peres,” referencing the former Israeli president who died Wednesday.

“I’m talking about living. Go ahead,” Matthews said to Johnson. “You got to do this. Anywhere. Any continent. Canada, Mexico, Europe, over there. Asia. South America. Africa. Name a foreign leader that you respect.”

Johnson replied “I guess I’m having an ‘Aleppo moment’ in the former president of Mexico.”

“I’m giving you the whole world,” Matthews said.

“I know, I know,” Johnson said.

“Anybody in the world you like,” Matthews said. “Anybody. Pick any leader.”

“The former president of Mexico,” Johnson said.

“Which one?” Matthews shot back.

“I’m having a brain…”

“Well, name anybody,” Matthews said.

“Fox,” Weld jumped in and said, referencing former Mexico President Vicente Fox.

“Fox!” Johnson says, “He was a terrific leader.”

“Whose your favorite foreign leader,” Matthews said to Weld. “Get him off the hook. Any foreign leader?”

“Merkel,” Weld replied, speaking of German chancellor Angela Merkel.

“Ok, fine,” Matthews said, “Saved yourself.”

http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/28/li...oreign-leader/

[Anti Federalist]

“Fox,” Weld jumped in and said, referencing former Mexico President Vicente Fox.

“Fox!” Johnson says, “He was a terrific leader.”

“Whose your favorite foreign leader,” Matthews said to Weld. “Get him off the hook. Any foreign leader?”

“Merkel,” Weld replied, speaking of German chancellor Angela Merkel.

“Ok, fine,” Matthews said, “Saved yourself.”

Jesus...

This whole election is a clown show.

[kahless]

The Libertarian VP nominee thinks Merkel who is destroying Germany is a great leader, LMAO.

If GJ was not a know nothing I would say it was a ridiculous question and he should have said as much but again he is what he is. Really nice guy that I like but a know nothing when it comes to geo-political knowledge.

The LP should have nominated a true intellectual type of libertarian in the mold of a Harry Browne or Ron Paul if they wanted to be taken seriously this cycle.

[puppetmaster]

Seriously gary....fox? Merkel? Lay off the weed dude

[VIDEODROME]

The Libertarian VP nominee thinks Merkel who is destroying Germany is a great leader, LMAO.

If GJ was not a know nothing I would say it was a ridiculous question and he should have said as much but again he is what he is. Really nice guy that I like but a know nothing when it comes to geo-political knowledge.

The LP should have nominated a true intellectual type of libertarian in the mold of a Harry Browne or Ron Paul if they wanted to be taken seriously this cycle.

I sometimes think the LP would be getting a lot more traction with crazy John McAfee.

[nikcers]

We'll I guess I should vote for the guy who said Putin.

[rpfocus]

The LP should have nominated a true intellectual type of libertarian in the mold of a Harry Browne or Ron Paul if they wanted to be taken seriously this cycle.

Exactly. Which is part of the reason I won't support him and will be writing in Ron instead, and voting LP down-ballot.

[juleswin]

The right answer - and this goes for ALL foreign policy matters - is, "I don't like to speak in terms of specifics because every leader has good and bad qualities, but the characteristics I generally admire in a world leader are..."

Same thing with Aleppo, or Israel, or any other foreign country. "I won't be speaking about specific problems or issues related to foreign policy because events are ever-changing and a leader has to be flexible, but generally I think that..."


Understand that there is NO right answer to these types of questions. Johnson could have said Mother Theresa and someone would have pointed out in a blog somewhere that she did something wrong once and the media would have taken that to suggest that he supported that act.

I know this response comes across as a dodge - and it is - but that's what you need to do when someone is trying to corner you. If any liberty lovers are thinking about going into politics, you must learn how to do this!

I see what you are saying but I would still give an answer and then say that I don't like to speak in terms of specifics.......... Yea, but nobody is perfect and that is why giving a name and them following it up with what you like about them and other qualifiers would have been ideal.

I would have said the leader I admire is Vladmir Putin and says that you like the way he stands up to evil and terrorists. Then give em the hands when they start whining about how he is ruining Americans plans in Syria. Ofc, he would swiftly drop way down in the polls after the media loses their collective minds over the answer

[VIDEODROME]

He should have said he was having a Rick Perry moment.

[undergroundrr]

What was the rest of the interview about?

[Brian4Liberty]

He can't name a world leader that he respects.

I don't know if I can either. Nigel Farage isn't a world leader. Putin? Heh.

Bill Weld says Merkel. Of course.

"World leader I like? There are so many, and don't want to leave any out. I would want to have good relations with all."

Nigel Farage would have been a good answer. Matthews didn't say the person had to be in the top position of a foreign government. Then again, Farage is the opposite of Johnson on quite a few issues, so he would get hammered for that answer.

Merkel probably was their best answer. Open borders.

[undergroundrr]

What was the rest of the interview about?

Seriously, this was probably, what, an 8-10 minute interview?

All I've heard is the MSM-fed soundbite. What else was said?

[Brian4Liberty]

CNN is hammering Johnson on this. They are afraid he is taking votes from Hillary.

[misterx]

CNN is hammering Johnson on this. They are afraid he is taking votes from Hillary.

I think they're making a mistake. The only liberals supporting him are the kind that don't care about this stuff. I think the only people it might turn off are the neocons who thought he was a smarter alternative to Trump.

[undergroundrr]

Seriously, this was probably, what, an 8-10 minute interview?

All I've heard is the MSM-fed soundbite. What else was said?

Okay, I'll help you guys out here since you seem to be having an Aleppo moment.

GJ: "We should not be involved in regime change."
GJ: "There have been three polls now conducted among active military personnel and I've been on top of these three polls."
BW: "Wars have unintended consequences, both economic and military and moral."
BW: "Militarily, all the weapons that we armed the rebels with in Syria and Libya wind up in the hands of ISIS."
GJ: "As a result of those interventions, our men and servicewomen are getting killed, they're getting maimed, they're getting injured for the rest of their lives. And in this case, hundreds of thousands of innocents in these countries that get caught in the crossfire of these civil wars."
GJ: "What are you gonna do about these atrocities? You know what, the atrocities are real. But what's not being realized is that when we go in to support regime change to address those atrocities, the situation ends up to be the same or worse in many situations."
Great stuff also about Syria and troops on the ground, drugs are not a criminal justice issue and free market solutions to environmental problems.

Johnson is a threat to Chris Matthews' adoration of Clinton. Ask yourself why the only clip from that interview you can find on Youtube is this supposed gaffe.

[kahless]

Merkel probably was their best answer. Open borders.

This is what is destroying the liberty movement and the LP. It is a very naive view that is counter productive to the goal of achieving individual liberty within a region.

If you instituted complete open borders in Germany it would only be a matter of time before Sharia is implemented and the choice is submit, convert or die.

[MelissaWV]

The right answer - and this goes for ALL foreign policy matters - is, "I don't like to speak in terms of specifics because every leader has good and bad qualities, but the characteristics I generally admire in a world leader are..."

How this would be reported/twisted:

"Gary Johnson thinks Kim Jong Un and ISIS leaders have 'good qualities'; dodges question about world leadership."

[euphemia]

Keep on justifying his ignorance. This is a man who wants to be President of the United States. He wants a job that would require him to meet these world leaders and interact with them. If he can't name a single one he respects, then it is one more reason he should not be president. Negotiating with people starts and ends with respect.