Mike Johnson’s meteoric elevation from an under-the-radar congressman from Louisiana to second-in-line to the U.S. presidency sent journalists, Democrats and Republicans alike to uncover information about the personal and professional history of the most right-wing and least experienced House Speaker in history, who took the top job on Wednesday.

On the day Johnson was voted in, several major right-wing social media accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter, began circulating clips of an interview Johnson gave to PBS in 2020, in which he told journalist Walter Isaacson that the police killing of George Floyd was “an act of murder” and called for “systemic change.” Notably, Johnson said in the interview that he had learned about racism in America through the experience of raising a Black son, Michael.

  • HuddaBudda
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    8 months ago

    If I was a republican with an African American son, I would world tour with him. At least get SOME photos of me with him.

    At least seen proud with him.

    But there is nothing.

    Day told Newsweek that the Johnson family did not formally adopt Michael because of the “lengthy … process,” and declined to say whether Michael used the same surname as the family.

    So… he wasn't their son, he was their project.

    Johnson said that he had asked his son about the idea of reparations for slavery, and that his son said he opposed it.

    Convenient. That a 14 year old is making the decisions for an entire demographic.

    Sounds like at best, he was supposed to be a stand for the African American voters for Mike Johnson. He realized his role early on and broke away from them, or the Johnsons decided to whitewash their history in order to secure the white supremacy vote.

    Either way, it sounds like an unloving household if you cannot even get 1 picture with him.

    • themeatbridge
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      58 months ago

      It's entirely possible for all of that to be accurate and still be a loving household. Families are weird, and love is love. There are plenty of real, tangible, known reasons to oppose Mike Johnson politically and morally, and we don't need to be casting aspersions on adoptive parents without any evidence.