First, before you watch this short but remarkable video, a little background on Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson. He's from Georgia's Fourth District. A Washington, D.C. native, he's the fellow who took office in 2007 after knocking off former five-term Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney.
A former county judge, the 55-year-old is an attorney, a standard liberal Democrat, receiving 100 ratings from the ADA and ACLU.
In this House Armed Services Committee hearing last Friday (no, it wasn't April Fool's Day), Johnson was questioning Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific fleet, about the stationing of 5,000 additional U.S. Marines and their families on the western Pacific island of Guam, a 212-square-mile American territory that is 30 miles long and from four to 12 miles wide.
President Obama will visit there this summer.
Of course, since Johnson is one of 535 members of the United States Congress, everything he says is important. But pay particular attention to the congressman's comments starting at the 1:16 mark and the pregnant pause after his stated concern and hand gestures.
Followed by the admiral's admirably measured military response.
Also, remember you are paying Congressman Johnson's salary this year -- $174,000.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/03/hank-johnson-guam-.html
