Question: What kind of article would make the liberal New Republic magazine look absolutely clueless about Christianity?
Answer: Writer Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling suggesting new House Speaker Mike Johnson was making some sort of oral-sex joke when he mentioned his wife,,,,praying to Jesus. The headline:
New House Speaker Kicks Things Off With Crass Remark About His Wife
Representative Mike Johnson made a gross gaffe about his wife in his acceptance speech.
This doesn't seem crass at all in context. But Ellie Houghtaling had to imagine the worst:
Usually when a new speaker of the House is elected, they have major plans to unveil, recontextualizing the House’s work. Speaker Mike Johnson, however, had some other priorities. First thing on his agenda? Make a weird joke about his wife.
Shortly after the little-known congressman won the title that he claimed he never sought, Johnson took the podium to thank the hard work of the congressional staff, Speaker Emeritus Kevin McCarthy, and his wife.
Johnson thanked his wife, and noted they couldn't get a flight from Louisiana so she could be present. Then he said:
“She’s spent the last couple of weeks on her knees in prayer to the Lord. And, um, she’s a little worn out,” Johnson smirked.
“We all are,” he added.
Ellie Houghtaling and TNR made no attempt to explain how this was "gross" and "crass." Let's guess it's a Clinton-intern kind of joke. What's crass and gross is sexualizing a mention of a woman praying to Jesus. This pink-haired "breaking news" specialist just started at the magazine, and so far, she's just breaking wind.
Hat tip: Tim Carney, whose negative opinion we share:
I see the criticism of Mike Johnson is very incisive. Here's a New Republic writer who thinks "on her knees in prayer" is a "crass ... gross ... weird joke."
— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) October 26, 2023
I wonder whether it is just media partisan brainworms, or total ignorance of religiosity. https://t.co/I188BjzUpi
PS: Speaking of foolishness on the Left, former New York Times economics writer David Cay Johnston also feels nothing but contempt for people praying and being in politics:
.@HouseGOP members praying on the House floor offends both our Constitution and the New Testament, which denounces public displays of devotion.
— David Cay Johnston (@DavidCayJ) October 26, 2023
The blasphemy of the new Speaker, who says God ordained him, is just as disgusting. pic.twitter.com/3JETJujFUM
