This Guy Was Elected!?!?

[Stinkerbell]

(April 1) -- At first, people suspected it might have been an April Fools joke, but the following story is not, despite all hopes to the contrary, an April Fools' Day prank.

During a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the proposed relocation of naval personnel to the island of Guam, Rep. Hank Johnson expressed his concern for the stability of the tiny U.S. territory -- not its political stability or its economic stability, but its basic, physical stability.

"My fear that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize," the Georgia Democrat said, making a tipping motion with his hands.

"We don't anticipate that," Adm. Robert Willard responded. (How did he keep a straight face???)

Guam, like many islands, is attached to the sea floor, and thus unlikely to tip over under normal stresses.

The blogosphere had a field day with the bizarre incident. Many brought up the fact that Johnson's battle with hepatitis C may have had an effect on his brain.

Allahpundit on HotAir.com asks: "If that's what's going on here, a polite question for madam speaker arises. What's he doing at these hearings instead of resting?"

One blogger at Annuit Coeptis thought that now might be a good opportunity to drug test members of Congress.

Johnson later explained in a statement that he was merely using the concept of capsizing as a metaphor for the stress that 8,000 soldiers and their families could put on the tiny island.

Guam Rep. Madeleine Bordallo doesn't believe the congressman was serious. "He was saying that in jest. I don't know how it was said or when, but I know Congressman Johnson; he's been here. I'm sure it was just a joke," she told KUAM radio.

Watch the video here:

[gator8_24]

This was on Yahoo
Concerns Over Guam Create a Stir on the Web
by Mike Krumboltz
28 hours ago

           3,756 Votes
On April 1, anything suspiciously bizarre or interesting is to be taken with a shaker full of salt. Still, a recent comment from Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) has many wondering if he's misguided on gravity and geography or just a very gifted deadpan comedian.

At a March 25 meeting of the Armed Services Committee, of which Rep. Johnson is a member, the esteemed congressman had an interesting discussion with Robert Willard, commander of the United States Pacific fleet. The topic: Guam. Specifically, how an influx of Marines and their families may cause the tiny island to "tip over and capsize."

The comments were delivered without a clear hint of sarcasm or irony, however Rep. Johnson is now insisting through a comment issued by a spokesperson that he was simply using a metaphor.

"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."Maybe so, but Admiral Willard responded to the question with the utmost sincerity. His answer to Rep. Johnson's concerns over Guam capsizing like a lily pad playing host to an obese frog (our words)...

"We don't anticipate that. The Guam population, I think, currently about 175,000, and again, with 8,000 marines and their families, it's an addition of about 25,000 more into the population."We're inclined to give Rep. Johnson the benefit of the doubt, but many Web searchers aren't so sure. After news of the bizarre exchange hit the Internet, online lookups for "hank johnson guam" and "guam sinking" both roared to life. The odd comment and clarification have also proven irresistible fodder for talk radio hosts, notes Atlanta Journal Constitution writer Jim Galloway.

Below, a clip of the exchange. Concerns over Guam's ability to stay literally or figuratively afloat occur at around the 1:18 mark.

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/93533?fp=1

[Stinkerbell]

I think that's what I posted, Gator.  And I watched the exchange, the whole thing, and it didn't sound like a metaphor to me. I hope it was, because I'd hate to think that the American people would vote him into office. Although, look at some of the recent presidents who've gotten through the White House doors.

[harley89]

Look this looney replaced another looney that will remain nameless but the voters in this district just dont vote for normal people.  Just lunatics

[gator8_24]

I think that's what I posted, Gator.  And I watched the exchange, the whole thing, and it didn't sound like a metaphor to me. I hope it was, because I'd hate to think that the American people would vote him into office. Although, look at some of the recent presidents who've gotten through the White House doors.
[/quote

LOL that shows how I skim over articles!

[Stinkerbell]

LOL Gator...