Kerry/Ron Johnson >BOOM

[bigtree]

tweeted by, Michele ?@haymakers

Ron Johnson: I demand to know what happened in Benghazi! Kerry: If you had gone to the briefings, you would. #Boom


Talking Points Memo ?@TPM
John Kerry calls out Sen. Ron Johnson for missing Benghazi hearing (VIDEO) http://tpm.ly/149AcDE

[Thinkingabout]

1. Ron Johnson has shown his lack knowledge on two days in a row.

He sounds like he gets all his information from Faux, Shame and Rush. Don't they ever read anything for themselves, no apparently they get their talking points right out of the garbage.

[bigtree]

4. in a lot of ways, this is the crux of the republicans' decline

. . . with information coming so fast and accessible, more and more folks are able to reject the republican inventions out of hand. The majority of their rap is just made-up rhetoric and stuff Limbaugh and the FOX nuts have dreamed up to entertain their rabble, like you say. They're trapped inside their own fantasy bubble. really, what else is left them? They don't believe in government outside of the personal largess and the kickbacks from their corporate cronies. They have no modicum of a beneficial social agenda. They are an empty shell full of stale air.

[lunatica]

41. These people are convinced they know the facts which is why they don't

have a clue about just how stupid they sound and look to the rest of us.

They just take what Sean Hannity says as a fact and armed with such trustworthy arguments they think they have Clinton (or whoever) nailed to the wall. It's a big surprise to them when someone comes out with anything they haven't heard.

When Kerry asked him if he had gone to the briefing it was probably the first time rep Johnson had even heard of it.

edited for spelling

[cynzke]

39. Rand Paul's TP's.

Did anyone see Hiliary Clinton's response when Rand Paul asked her whether we were shipping arms to Turkey from Libya? Her response was "Turkey?". I wish she would have added.... "Senator Paul, are you getting your talking points from Fox News again?"

[southernyankeebelle]

2. It's nuts that these republicans say they were "mislead". When they were told allot

and there still is an ongoing investigation.

[JDPriestly]

15. If he had listened to Obama's speech in the Rose Garden and Clinton's statement on

September 12, 2013, he would be better informed. Clinton said at that time that it was a heavily armed attack. She also said that there were demonstrations in some places.

The Republicans go on and on about this and the more they do, the stupider they seem. They are making fools of themselves.

[gtar100]

16. Republicans don't hear anything until they hear what they want to hear.

It's part of their communication strategy. Impossible to get new facts into their heads unless they are in agreement with their ideology. It turns many of them into idiots and some into assholes.

[southernyankeebelle]

24. Oh I don't see to much a difference between idiots and assholes. The label fits them well.

[Lifelong Protester]

35. And I'm beginning to think "mislead" means

"The story I'm getting does not 'mesh with the facts' I have in my view, so I'll just say I was mislead". Trouble is, they won't admit who is misleading them....

[southernyankeebelle]

40. Republicans have a problem with letting facts get in the way.

[nick of time]

3. Ron Johnson is nothing more than a loud mouthed tool

and John Kerry put the tool back on the tool rack.

[Auntie Bush]

5. A loud mouthed tool trying to get publicity & name recognition, but getting known as complete fool!

[nick of time]

6. A fool of a tool!!

I love it. Every time that tool opens his mouth, his foot follows.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

7. I just called and demanded to know why Johnson missed the hearing

referred to by Sen. Kerry today during Kerry's confirmation hearing. I was told that they couldn't answer that question and was being given the run around. By now I was livid and shaking and I demanded to know why a person answering phone calls for Johnson couldn't tell me exactly what Johnson was doing during that briefing. The person couldn't answer me. I asked how they could be answering phones but have no answers regarding Johnson's schedule? I asked was he there right now and was told "NO" yet when I asked what he was doing right now, where he was, I was told he is in a meeting with his staff. What, a staff meeting but he's not in his office? Where is he having this meeting? "Sir, all I can do is take your message and pass it along but I can't guarantee a response." To which I replied that passing it along isn't answering a simple question: Where was Johnson when he missed the Benghazi briefing referred to by Sen. Kerry during Kerry's confirmation hearing this morning?

It was clear I had hit a brick wall and I ended up telling him that I'll be "writing this up" exactly the way he handled it and he tried to take my name and I said "I told you my name is (first name) and that Sen Johnson is a servant of The People and when The People call to ask exactly what our paid servant was doing when he should be working it doesn't matter what their name is because you're not going to call me back with an answer anyway". I told him if he had answers they wouldn't need to take my name and number. He said again "If I could just get your name..." and I cut him off and said "No, you can't. Goodbye."

[Myrina]

10. He was probably at McLame's news conference ...

... complaining that there were no hearings, standing right outside the room where the hearing was being held.

[DallasNE]

23. There Were Only Something Like 3 Out Of 11 Republicans That Attended The Briefing

So they were not looking for answers or solutions, only a political issue where they thought they could gain some traction. As these hearings are showing, it was a big miscalculation on their part. Johnson has had his ass handed to him two straight days now. I wonder when he will stop digging.

[vanboggie]

18. Beautiful

You certainly hit Johnson's staffer with all the right questions. Johnson and his staff had better invest in some Depends with all the slap downs and being scared shitless at the tough questions.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

27. Thank you. I plan to call back tomorrow and ask why they've had

24 hours to get the answer to my question yet they don't have it yet. Because I know they won't have it.

[Sherman A1]

20. Well Done!

[ChisolmTrailDem]

28. Thanks, Sherman A1. I love calling little r idiots and blowing off some steam. eom.

[Lifelong Protester]

36. I am inspired by you to do the same

usually I email lame-o RoJo, but maybe his staff needs to hear a few more voices from his constituents...in real time.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

42. I always call because that way I know somebody in that office actually heard

my 2¢ and I don't have to wonder if that email I spent an hour writing was read by anyone. And when I am compelled to call a politician or government agency, it's mostly because I'm not happy with what they are doing or saying. So it's a great way to blow off some steam that I would otherwise sit here and stew in.

[Lifelong Protester]

44. Probably better off calling

if you write or email, you get this boiler-plate crapfest of a response, and you rarely get an answer, but you're right, you may have spent an hour on an email, and who knows?

Although, meeting Russ Feingold and listening to him talk about constituents, he said he and his staff went over the topics/letters weekly to get an idea about what we were thinking. But of course, that's Feingold; now we have this asshat.

[CrispyQ]

51. This is the kind of activism we should all be taking!

Now write that experience up into a LTTE & send it to your local paper! Let your community know about Representative Johnson's hypocrisy. Then, when it's printed, mail the LTTE to Johnson's office.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

54. That's a very good idea! Thanks! eom

[CrispyQ]

56. If you do & it gets published, report back!

Maybe others will be encouraged to do the same.

I used to write LTTE quite often. I should take my own advice.

[cilla4progress]

52. Good for you!

I assume you are constituent.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

55. Nope, not a Wisconsin constituent. I am, however,

a US citizen who sees every single member of Congress as my subordinate and I won't hesitate to take it to any one of them.

Why would you assume I'm a Johnson constituent?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. Wow..they kind of exaggerated that headline, didn't they? I

didn't see Kerry call Johnson out at all. Maybe I was hoping and expecting a real putdown and am disappointed

[Scuba]

9. Sunspot Johnson, dumbest hammer in the bag.

[BainsBane]

11. without question

a complete dolt

[Greybnk48]

12. Amen to that. n/t

[StepnKretchit]

13. Like I said in a previous post,

Ron Johnson (R-Stupidass) is too Stupid. He is too stupid to know that he is stupid. And everybody can still smell the shit that Secretary Clinton slapped out of him yesterday because it is still stuck to the bottom of his shoes.
Dumbass!

[Cha]

14. First Hillary now Kerry expose

Sen Johnson for an idiot.

Thanks bigtree

[DainBramaged]

17. Ron Johnson; see the big one in the middle?

[Honest_Abe]

19. Mr. Johnson:

A word to the wise from a fellow Republican:
It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Just sayin'
A. Lincoln

[Thinkingabout]

45. Very true

[radhika]

21. And to think that THIS idiot was picked over Russ Feingold in 2008! n/t

[vlyons]

22. Pols like Johnson are paid

mouthpieces for a corporate, criminal conspiracy. They are the same as attorneys for the mob. They rid the script that is given to them, and when something pops up that's not on the script, they hem and haw and blather on and on and on about freedom, American values, foreign terrorists,dangerous socialists, welfare Moms, and of course Jesus.

They are grifters diverting tax dollars into the corporate criminal conspiracy.

[Scurrilous]

25. K & R

[gateley]

26. Kerry was too gracious, IMO. Wish he would have subtly played it up.

[karynnj]

46. I don't think so - remember that his number 1 goal is to get confirmed

In the hearing, he strongly defended HRC -

- He completely defused Johnson - ie the reason he did not know was he did not attend meetings. Per articles, his office took the time and effort to defend that he attended LOTS of meetings and he just joined the committee in letters to WI media.

- He sharply objected to Mccain's use of "misled" - the KEY word in the RW attacks.

HRC had ONE goal to defend herself and the administration - she had no need for the Congressional Republicans to like or respect her - though it would be nice. Kerry met the goal of defending the Obama administration, but also maintained his graciousness. In a way, this can be seen as a test of diplomatic skill. There will be times adversaries from other countries will say things that the US will dispute. The ability to stay cordial and focused - but of which he was - is a major plus. (Not a criticism of HRC - she did NOT need to stay cordial at this point when personally attacked.)

[gateley]

48. I still would have preferred a "you did not attend the meeting?" to give that more weight,

then launch into those "those who attended saw..." and maybe even a little bit of "I understand your question better now, it makes sense since you didn't attend the meetings and weren't really up to date."

Something like that.

[karynnj]

49. Absolutely Not! Kerry made HIM confess he didn't

That completely made the point. He followed it with what happened at the meeting. Crystal Clear - the former prosecutor at his best.

Not to mention, his hearing was about him -- this was excellent. In reality, it was more definitive than HRC 's angry retort - understandable as it was. Kerry's comment led his staff to send a counter to the WI media - so he clearly thought it was damaging.

[gateley]

50. Haha! We're not going to agree on this.

Either way, it's done, and damage has been done. I just wish it had been more.

[karynnj]

53. We can agree that we will not agree on this

My guess is that a 2016 D challenger could easily use the exchange to move independents away from Johnson. The contrast between the initially agitated Johnson with his baseless charges that he had just been called on the day before being swatted away with zero effort by Kerry quietly pointed out the that Congress did get the timeline is immensely damaging for many reasons.

1) Johnson was utterly ineffective - especially as he quietly conceded "no" - and Kerry then continued to outline what was in the meeting.

2) It called him out for not attending an important hearing. This is a charge always used to hurt Senators. The fact is that they often have 2 or more hearings at the same time making it a physical impossibility to attend all their committee's hearings. Here, he has inflated Benghazi as the premier issue and he then can be seen admitting he did not attend the hearing. (One thing I don't know is whether the closed door hearings are taped as well as the open ones on the web site - if so, it also meant he did not view that.)

I agree that Kerry's interaction was less bombastic than Hillary's and made less of a partisan splash - but that might be why it is ultimately more damaging.

(The alternative you suggest might not have been positive as Johnson was grilling Kerry, not the other way around - even though in essence JK did do that via his question on attending the hearing.)

[gateley]

57. You have a good point about fodder for a challenger.

Other than that, we just view this differently.

But really, the RW is going to think that Johnson did JUST GREAT in CALLING KERRY OUT -- no matter how it went down.

All in all, I think it was a big positive!

[karynnj]

58. The same RW that would declare a victory over pushing Hillary to say it doesn't matter?

The statement, clearly out of frustration dealing with a creep, was used even by the others Senators. (example - Kerry had to explain it when McCain brought it up. )

I have long thought that the exchanges DU likes best (even Kerry's) are when they get angry enough to become at least somewhat not political in what they say.

Hillary faced what was about 5 hours where 2 12 were Democrats leaping praise on her and taking the time to thank her for 4 years of hard work ... and 2 1/2 hours of Republican attacks. She showed great knowledge of the details of what happened and she explained well that she has already started the department working on changes. But, the Johnson attack really got to her and her reaction was very human and everyone except the RW saw him as a bully.

It is likely that history will look at the issue that the Republicans have made - whether the WH intentionally played down that it was an AQ attack and whether they strove to keep the issue murky until after the election. For Democrats, one question might be who and why Susan Rice was thrown out there. It may be that had the explanations come from Obama, Biden or Clinton, they would not have been able to walk away from them as easily as they did - where the claim was essentially that Rice was uninvolved and speaking CIA talking points.

[Number23]

29. Rec

[Pretzel_Warrior]

30. Ron Johnson is on a roll this week.

[lark]

34. He's rolling in the mud

and looking awfully dirty to these old eyes.

[AlbertCat]

31. If you had gone to the briefings, you would.

Well, that was easy!

[pansypoo53219]

32. senator stupid. teabag asshole.

[JEB]

33. I'm kind of surprised

that Johnson or some other Puke tool didn't try and run with the old Swiftboat garbage.

[karynnj]

47. I think the reason is they know they are lies and that Kerry would - in person - refute them

The last thing they want is to allow Kerry to have a forum to answer them. (as he did in 2004, but the media decided his words before the firefighters addressing it were not news.)

I wonder if McCain read them the riot act.

[nyquil_man]

37. Garbage in, garbage out.

Elect a moron to represent you and you will get moronic representation.

[Lifelong Protester]

38. It sure is taking him a long time to realize

that talking smart to folks who know more is a dangerous game.

What an idiot. I'm so embarrassed by him, and sorry our state sent yet another dumbo to the senate (the other being the much worse Joe McCarthy...)

[Blue_Roses]

43. Ron Johnson looks like a major arrogant prick.

It's not just enough that he is asking a question that he would have known the answer to if he had attended the meeting, but to watch him talk down to John Kerry as if he (Kerry) were just elected to the senate, goes beyond the pale. John Kerry could do cartwheels around this nut where foreign policy is concerned. By trying to be a badass, not only does it show his stupidity, but his inability to be an effective senator.

This loon needs to go bye-bye. His "field trip" to Congress is over.

[stevenleser]

59. Hillary told Johnson in their exchange "You need to read the two ARBs" This guy doesnt read or

attend the briefings he is supposed to attend in his capacity as a member of the senate foreign relations committee.

He is like George W. Bush, he ran for the title of senator because it sounds cool and gives him power.