How Johnson Answered a Simple Q About Kim Jong Un

'Really?'
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 6, 2016 1:58 PM CDT
Maybe Johnson Knows N. Korea Leader's Name, Maybe He Doesn't
You're an enigma, Johnson.   (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Gary Johnson's had his "Aleppo moment." He's had his "forgetting world leaders" moment. And now the Libertarian candidate for president has completed the foot-in-mouth trifecta with his "Are you seriously asking me for the name of North Korea's leader?" moment. USA Today reports that that latter event happened during a Wednesday interview with the New York Times, in which Johnson was asked if he knew the name of that particular person who happens to run Pyongyang and its environs. "I do," he replied, before adding, "You want me to name [that person]. … Really."

Yes, Gary, really—which is why you were asked. But he didn't ever give the Times that name. (It's Kim Jong Un, by the way), and the Times speculates he was "conspicuously [seeking] to avoid another misstep" with his non-answer, noting that he spoke "dryly" when he asked if the reporter was serious. Jezebel has the most reasonable speculation on why Johnson may have demurred from speaking the Supreme Leader's name: He perhaps confused him with Voldemort. (Still, Gary Johnson says don't forget about Gary Johnson on Election Day.)

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