Elections

‘I’m Not A Dummy,’ Johnson Pleads To Journo In Cringeworthy Tax Policy Interview

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Phillip Stucky Political Reporter
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An interview with Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson went promptly downhill after he made a reference to his “Aleppo Moment,” according to a Thursday report from The Guardian.

“Well, I’m an idiot,” Johnson said before the interview began. “Really, I’m the dumbest guy you’ve ever met in your life.”

From there, Johnson argued over poll results, claiming that he currently has a 10 percent standing in the polls. Host Paul Lewis reminded the guest that the Real Clear Average showed only 6.1 percent at the time of the interview, prompting a terse response from Johnson.

“You pick your polls,” Johnson said. Johnson asserted that in individual states, he is doing as well as 24 percent.

“We’re not getting elected king or dictator,” Johnson said about his tax plan. “If Congress passes tax reduction, tax simplification, I sign on to it. But I also recognize that government picks winners and losers, that crony capitalism is alive and well.”

Lewis reminded Johnson about the official campaign policy that would abolish the IRS and replace income and payroll taxes with a “consumption tax.”

“I don’t want to argue, I didn’t come here to argue,” Johnson said.

“I came out for the legalization of marijuana — let me just use that as an example,” Johnson said. “And I will tell you that I had people in my face for years, and years, and years, telling me about how stupid and how idiotic it was that we should allow marijuana to be legal.”

“What’s that got to do with your tax policy?” Lewis asked.

“It’s leadership,” Johnson said.

Johnson is currently polling at 5.3 percent in the Real Clear politics three-way poll average, where Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton leads at 45.1 percent.

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