Even as Libertarian Presidential nominee Gary Johnson is still answering for his infamous “Aleppo” gaffe, he put a particularly rosy spin on another of his foreign policy faux pas in a Tuesday interview.
Johnson told MSNBC that most politicians get so wrapped up in facts, figures and the geographic locations of countries that they recklessly intervene overseas, putting “our military in harm’s way.”
MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell asked Johnson to explain just what happened during his interview with Chris Matthews, in which he was unable to name a single world leader he admires (he ultimately spit out the name of former Mexican President Vincente Fox with an assist from his running mate, Bill Weld). Johnson said the real reason he couldn’t come up with any names is because he doesn’t admire any of world leaders.
“Five days after the interview Andrea, I still can’t think of a world leader that I respect,” Johnson said. “I mean, having never been involved in politics before, I will tell you I held a lot of people in this country on pedestals thinking that they were role models. I got to meet them up front and personal and found out that they were empty suits.”
“When it comes to talking about a foreign leader that you respect, that you admire, I have a hard time with that one,” he added. “That’s politics. That’s just who I am.”
When Mitchell pressed him further on the issue, reminding him that foreign policy was part of president’s portfolio, Johnson suggested that his lack of knowledge on the topic was actually an asset.
“You know what? The fact that somebody can dot the Is and cross the Ts on a foreign leader or a geographic location, that then allows them to put our military in harm’s way,” Johnson argued.
“We wonder why our men in service and women suffer from PTSD in the first place,” he continued. “We elect people who can dot the Is and cross the Ts on these names and geographic locations as opposed to the underlying philosophy which is, let’s stop getting involved in these regime changes.”
Watch below: