As many now know due to an outpouring of media coverage, Gary Johnson was asked about Aleppo during his interview on Morning Joe at MSNBC. He asked, "What is Aleppo?" and needed a small definition before being able to provide a fitting answer.
Many are using this blunder to suggest an end to Gary's campaign. However, I implore you to consider a few things before writing him off the ballot.
1. The question was given out of context.
The interview abruptly switched from talking about polls to a question about Syria. Now, while Johnson has already openly taken ownership for mistaking it as an acronym and insisted anything is fair game when running for president, I think we could all relate to the same situation. When asking my daughter which friends she wanted to invite to her party, she asked for Ashley. Just Ashley. I had no idea what she was talking about. I don't know a single little girl in her life named Ashley. After a small fit and a few probing questions, I was able to determine she was referencing her Aunt Ashley. In the context of talking about friends and without the context of "Aunt," I never even thought about family. Sure, this is far less important, but very much the same brain processing. It was a hiccup. Hiccups are human.
2. He was unapologetically honest.
Johnson could have acted just like every other candidate in the history of presidential races and pandered his way through the question, not really answering what was asked. Instead, he asked a clarifying question in order to answer the original fully and properly. To be completely honest, I would take honesty over bullsh*t any day. Johnson didn't pander. He owned up to his brain fart instead of attempting to fool the American public. That, to me, is admirable.
3. He still answered the question.
After understanding what the interviewer was asking when referring to Aleppo, he was able to give a pretty good response. To say he doesn't know Aleppo would be entirely inaccurate, as he was able to discuss it afterward. Rather, the correct headlines should read: Johnson Doesn't Understand Interviewer's Question. That wouldn't be much of a headline, though, huh? Misunderstandings happen often and reporters would have to address his honesty in not understanding, so that story wouldn't push their propaganda.
4. This isn't the only blunder on the campaign trail.
To take this one gaffe of Johnson's as disqualifying without even considering or discussing the many blunders from other presidential nominees is partisan at the very least. Presidential candidates' mistakes have occurred so frequently, The Atlantic now keeps a running tally of them on their "Gaffe Track." They're a little biased in their analysis of the gaffes, but any critical thinker can look the gaffes up themselves and come to their own conclusions. Did we already forget Trump's clear confusion on the nuclear triad?
5. Johnson still offers so much for his constituents.
While Governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson "cut taxes 14 times while never raising them. He balanced the state’s budget, and left New Mexico with a billion-dollar surplus." It is very hard finding any kind of unbiased fact-check website to confirm these statistics, so what better source other than the good people of Reddit from New Mexico?
Reddit user Runfumaster said, "I thought he was a great Governor, he went above and beyond to avoid anything that might suggest corruption."
Emteeboyd said, "I loved the guy for a number of reasons (tax cuts, balanced budgets, and education reform just to name a few) but what I liked most was his sincerity in his convictions."
He is fiscally conservative and liberally inclusive. His proposed stances on the major issues lie perfectly in the middle of both extremes. Johnson offers something for everybody and I guarantee you that you'll find something you agree with.
I leave you with this comment from the same Reddit feed: "This Election truly reminds me of how he won the Governorship in New Mexico, although he was included in the debates. I hope people really give him a look, if they do I have no doubt they will realize that he's the best by far of the three candidates."
