And pulling ahead in the race for Dumbest Member of Congress is…

July 9, 2007

The way I look at Congress, there are, broadly, lawmakers who I agree with (most Dems), and lawmakers I disagree with (most Republicans). But more specifically, I have an informal hierarchy for those with whom I disagree.

The largest group is “generic conservatives,” who think the way one expects them to think. Then there are “conservative hacks,” who perceive the business of government as a callous political exercise. They’re not idiots, but they are dishonest. This group exists to take cheap shots, abuse demagogic rhetoric, confuse the public, and basically remove any shred of honor from the political process.

And then there are “mindless conservatives.” It’s a small-but-curious group of lawmakers who appear to be so dumb, one wonders how they manage to tie their shoes in the morning. Based on their comments and decisions, it’s not entirely clear if they can even read.

And one of the leading members of this caucus is Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah). Here is Cannon yesterday on Fox News, with his unique perspective on Scooter Libby’s commutation and the nation’s confidence in the justice system.

“By not having prosecuted Bill Clinton, we have said people get a pass. I think we have healed and after having prosecuted Scooter Libby, I think goes to some degree to visciate (?) the problem we created by a president who lied and obstructed justice. People now know that you actually go to jail for those things. (lengthy delay) Or at least will have huge penalties.”

Wait, it gets better.

During the same appearance on Fox News (where else?), Cannon addressed the U.S. Attorney purge scandal.

Yesterday on Fox News Sunday, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) pointed out that Iglesias, like many of the other prosecutors, exercised “independent judgment” and refused to follow the Bush administration’s political agenda. “And as a result, he was fired,” said Van Hollen. Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT) then shouted out his reason for why the Bush administration fired Iglesias: “No, no. He was fired because he’s an idiot.”

I have to admit, hearing Cannon describe anyone as an “idiot” is rather amusing.

In this case, though, it’s particularly odd. Iglesias was one of the best U.S. Attorneys in the country. As recently as 2004, he was up for a promotion. In 2005, former Deputy Attorney General James Comey called Iglesias “one of our finest.” Once the scandal broke, Justice Department officials tried to craft after-the-fact talking points to explain why Iglesias had to be removed from office — and they had trouble coming up with anything.

All available evidence suggests Iglesias was fired after he rebuffed pressure from Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) and Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) to bring bogus criminal charges against Democrats.

So who’s the “idiot”?

Down on the Hill they probably call him “Loose” Cannon.

If not, they should. 😉

  • Inhofe takes it with a 5 lap lead, walking across the finish line without breaking a sweat, for Dumbest Futhermucker to Ever Elected to Congress. He most recently opposed Al Gore’s plan to have a Live Earth concert at the Capitol with the claim that “that’s a partisan event and there’s never been a partisan event at the Capitol.”

    Cannon is living proof of the fact that you can best understand Mormons by removing the second “m”, but Inhofe is the living embodiment of where the term “dumbf – – k Okie” came from. In his case, it’s not a slur, just a statement of fact.

    I’ll admit that his fellow senator Coburn is probably within sight of the finish line as Inhofe walks across it, but Inhofe definitely takes it.

  • Well, how do you rate Marcia Blackburn of – I think – Tennessee?

    I truly don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody stupider in power.

  • Fun with time-shifting Cannon’s remarks:

    “By not having prosecuted Richard Nixon, we have said people get a pass. I think we have healed and after having humiliated Bill Clinton, I think goes to some degree to visciate (?) the problem we created by a president who lied and obstructed justice. People now know that you actually go to jail for those things. (lengthy delay) Or at least will have huge penalties.”

  • Cannon is as dumb as a post…on a rightwing blog. Unfortunately a lot of equally dumb Republicans are nodding in agreement as he speaks like a bunch of ditto heads.

  • The word is “vitiate” and I must say I was surprised to hear him utter it since it’s a 25¢ word. He did, however, use it somewhat incorrectly, though close enough to understand what he was driving at. He meant it in the sense of negate, I believe, though of course his whole train of thought is so askew that it’s hard to discern exactly where his mind was wandering.

    A moron with a new word? Happens with Dumbya on a fairly regular basis. And just as often as not he ends up using it or pronouncing it wrong.

  • The word is “vitiate” meaning to eradicate or alleviate a problem or issue. A lawyer’s word, usually. However, nothing else he said makes any sense, so it’s hard to determine if he actually used the word correctly or not. As Bugs would say, “what a maroon….”

  • Well, I was going to mention “vitiate,” but you all beat me to it.

    The problem with having people like Chris Cannon on as if he actually knows what he’s talking about, is that rarely is this the case. You still get people on who insist that Armitage was the only “real” leaker, that Libby’s convictions were unjust because there was no underlying crime, and that Valerie Plame was not covert. And when there is someone who does know the case and the facts, it’s all just too much for the simple-minded moderators, who only know how to ask questions that allow others to respond with some standard talking point.

    It’s all really only worth watching to see if there is ever anything that is presented correctly, or if anyone actually knows what they are talking about.

  • Cannon what an Asshat, Idjit. The comment is “Takes one to know one.” He is as Rodger Rabbit said “What a maroon.”

  • I have to nominate Pat Roberts for “hack of the year(s)”. What he did NOT do as head of the Intelligence Committee in the last session, borders on criminal.
    Patrick Murphy has to be in the running as the dumbest.

  • My god how do these people get into office? I’m afraid to make fun till I know these guys aren’t in the final stages of alzhiemer’s. Just look at Reagan, the republican hero. How long did he operate without knowing really what he was saying or doing completely before we found out about it?

    How much of Reagan’s rhetoric came from a sick mind. Republicans sure can’t tell the difference.
    Where have these people been for the last 20yrs? And they are still in office is the great mystery.
    That fox news interview was a total embarrassment for anybody watching it. What an idiot.

  • You’re keeping track of dumb congressmen? Then keep an eye on Adrian Smith (R-NE), the Pride of Nebraska (not).

  • “Cannon what an Asshat, Idjit. The comment is “Takes one to know one.” He is as Rodger Rabbit said “What a maroon.”

    That would be Bugs Bunny, not Roger Rabbit.

  • I’m always puzzled by the incredible lack of truthful information that seems to come from our elected leaders, and it leads to the larger question of who exactly is it that voted for such dull bulbs. Doesn’t the United States have a free public education system that provides a K-12 education to everyone? Some of these people are so ignorant that they are a serious negative reflection on their constituents. I am afraid that quite a few children have been left behind in the USA, and it will take a lot more than an occasional achievement test to fix the problem.

  • “By not having prosecuted Bill Clinton, we have said people get a pass. I think we have healed and after having prosecuted Scooter Libby…”

    I have to admit, if a person were reading that remark as referring to the failed impeachment attempt against Clinton, you might walk away thinking of Cannon as a more complete moron than if you realized he was probably talking about the deal Clinton cut with Ken Starr’s successor to avoid prosecution for perjury in regular criminal court after leaving office… or then again, you might not. I think many on the Right are still pretty miffed about that though.

  • Whether we like Cannon or not…. I don’t think it would be possible to remove him, considering which State he hails from. He’ll get reelected, regardless of his IQ as long as he continues to look at ‘abortionists’, ‘liberals in general’, gays in general – gay wanting marriage equality, democrats, any progressives, as in cohorts with the devil. He’ll do just fine in Utah.

  • Gracious: You know I’m really not one for conspiracy theories. I generally don’t think most people are that smart. But I am occasionally tempted to connect Republicans’ hostility toward public education with the fact the less informed and more easily distracted and misled the electorate is, the better it seems to work out for them.

  • WHEN CalD USED THE WORD “IDJIT” DIT HE MEAN IT IN THE KERRY SINCE OR THE EAST CLAIR SINCE?

  • JIM, @21

    CalD *hasn’t* used the word “idjit” but, if he had, he might have applied it to you…
    1) Can you not see the difference between a quote and a person’s own comment?(CalD @16)
    2) What’s with the yelling (all caps)?
    3) And, really, “in the Kerry”??? Have some mercy for those of us who are struggling with the Engllish language. Even when I read past this totally incomprehensible, Cannon-like bit, the rest was no more illuminating: “in the Kerry since or the East Clair since”. What on earth is that string of words supposed to mean???

    I’d like to talk to your 1st-grade teacher (always assuming you’d made it to the first grade)…

  • JIM – I see you’ve chosen this special moment to embarrass yourself. I appreciate it, and I hope we can meet your expectation of ridicule.

  • Don’t count on the dumber of the two decidedly dumb Cannon brothers to be automatically re-elected. It may take a few years, but we few Utah Mormon Democrats who actually live in his district and recognize him for the national embrassment he is are working hard for his defeat.

    • Comments are closed.