Gary Johnson Has a Meltdown When Asked Something Every Candidate Should Know

“I’m not a dummy. I’m not.”


Since August, Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson has been plummeting in national polls. A new interview with the Guardian isn’t going to do him any favors.

When reporter Paul Lewis asked Johnson about his tax policy, specifically his intention to abolish income tax altogether, Johnson at first demurred: “Look, I don’t want to argue.” But when Lewis challenged him again, Johnson snapped: “Look, I came out for the legalization of marijuana!” 

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

“It’s leadership.”

Watch the entire cringe-inducing five-minute video—featuring lines like “I’m not a dummy. I’m not.”—above.

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And the essential ingredient that makes all this possible? Readers like you.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to devote the time and resources to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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