Liberal Democrats and their allies in the media are beside themselves. The new U.S. House speaker, Mike Johnson (R-La.), must be ridiculed because he simply does not fit into refined Washington culture. He supports Donald Trump, an absolute no-no. He thinks Democrats cheat on elections, tsk-tsk. He is a barbarian who thinks it honorable to protect innocent human life, including unborn babies. He is a Neanderthal who believes in the Second Amendment. Worst of all, he believes in... wait for it... God! Oh, the horror!
The Daily Beast described Mike as "a far-right, election-denying, anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, pro-gun, ultra-religious Republican." This guy must be from a different age, or maybe from flyover country. The press reports with bated breath that he attends church and actually admits to believing in Jesus. What kind of nutjob are we talking about here? Bill Maher mocked Mike's faith by comparing him to the Maine shooter, suggesting the former's devotion was not that different from the latter's "hearing voices."
I have known Mike for many years. He and his wife took me around the Shreveport area when I was running for governor, introducing me to pastors and local community leaders, and I actually observed them doing this extremely weird thing—he actually bowed his head and prayed before we ate, causing more than one waitress to run over to make sure there was nothing wrong with our food. I asked Mike to write, edit, and review my policies on faith, religious liberty, and traditional values for 10 years while I served in office, and I am proud to call him a friend.
Liberal critics mean their comments as witty insults, but they might double as a pretty effective nominating speech within the House Republican Conference. When I served in Congress, members in both parties took pride in serving in the "People's House," the branch of the federal government closest to and most responsive to the voters. It is only shocking to liberals that Republicans elected a speaker who shares many of the views held by their voters. True, this is unusual in Washington, where many elected officials promptly forget their voters and campaign promises five minutes after the polls close.
But is it really shocking that House Republicans elected a speaker who supports former president Trump, the current frontrunner for the Republican Party's presidential nomination? After House Democrats unanimously refused to vote for any Republican as an acceptable speaker on multiple ballots, is it really shocking that the party that presents itself as socially and fiscally conservative nominated a social and fiscal conservative to be its leader? The media and Democrats, it seems, would only have been satisfied if the Republican Conference had endorsed a Republican like Liz Cheney who could not win a primary, or simply admitted defeat and turned things over to Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
Liberal reporters have attacked Mike both for his public political views and his personal life. They have breathlessly broken the "scandalous" news that Mike and his wife adopted and raised an African American boy since he was 14 and have been engaged in a "covenant marriage" for even longer. My wife and I were one of the first couples to get a covenant marriage 26 years ago, shortly after then-state representative Tony Perkins authored the enabling legislation. We had to return twice to the local clerk's office to complete the paperwork, after well-meaning government employees originally tried to dissuade us—arguing the marriage might not last.
The Left is mocking Mike, but they are the ones that should be mocked. Mike is a good, decent family man, who faithfully served his community long before being elected to office. The press describes him as unfailingly friendly, polite, and humble, but insist these virtues are nothing more than a mask and do not compensate for his irritatingly rotten conservative principles. The press loves community organizers like Barack Obama, but only when they are organizing the right types of communities. They have no patience for a man who actually believes in and lives by the conservative principles he sells to voters.
If Mike held the opposite political views, the media would have gladly embraced his humble background, his intellect as a constitutional lawyer, and his inspiring rise against all odds. Or if Mike were a transgender atheist who drove an electric car, the headlines would trumpet "Mr. Johnson Goes to Washington," likening him to Jimmy Stewart's character in the Frank Capra classic. The good news for conservatives is that Mike is, for a politician, uniquely immune from the establishment's praises and criticisms. The same steadfastness and consistency that infuriate the Left will endear him to regular Republican voters who see that one of their own has finally been chosen to help lead the nation.
Bobby Jindal (@BobbyJindal) was the governor of Louisiana from 2008-2016 and a candidate for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
The Left's Attacks on Mike Johnson Can Only Backfire
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21.11.2023
Liberal Democrats and their allies in the media are beside themselves. The new U.S. House speaker, Mike Johnson (R-La.), must be ridiculed because he simply does not fit into refined Washington culture. He supports Donald Trump, an absolute no-no. He thinks Democrats cheat on elections, tsk-tsk. He is a barbarian who thinks it honorable to protect innocent human life, including unborn babies. He is a Neanderthal who believes in the Second Amendment. Worst of all, he believes in... wait for it... God! Oh, the horror!
The Daily Beast described Mike as "a far-right, election-denying, anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, pro-gun, ultra-religious Republican." This guy must be from a different age, or maybe from flyover country. The press reports with bated breath that he attends church and actually admits to believing in Jesus. What kind of nutjob are we talking about here? Bill Maher mocked Mike's faith by comparing him to the Maine shooter, suggesting the former's devotion was not that different from the latter's "hearing voices."
I have known Mike for many years. He and his wife took me around the Shreveport area when I was running for governor, introducing me to pastors and local community leaders, and I actually observed them doing this extremely........
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