Mike Johnson Doesn’t Want to Hear About Trump Discussing Arnold Palmer’s Manhood
House Speaker Mike Johnson doesn’t want to hear about Arnold Palmer’s johnson. The Republican bristled when confronted about Donald Trump’s recent rally comments where he told a story about Palmer’s “unbelievable” penis size.
During an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union, host Jake Tapper asked for Johnson’s reaction to Trump saying that when other golfers showered with the links legend, “they said, ‘Oh, my God, that’s unbelievable.’” Trump also described Palmer as “all man.”
Tapper referenced an Associated Press article that opened with the line: “Donald Trump’s campaign suggested he would begin previewing his closing argument Saturday night with Election Day barely two weeks away. But the former president kicked off his rally with a detailed story about Arnold Palmer, at one point even praising the late legendary golfer’s genitalia.”
“You’re talking about substantive issues,” Tapper said to Johnson. “Is this really the closing message you want voters to hear from Donald Trump stories about Arnold Palmer’s penis?”
The speaker attempted to dodge the question, saying, “I think that the headline that I read about the rally in Pennsylvania yesterday was the big question. And it’s the one that Kamala Harris has not been able or willing to answer. And that is, are you better off now than you were under the Trump administration four years ago?” (That headline, unsurprisingly, was on a Fox News article that did not even mention the penis comments, although a story under the outlet’s sports vertical did.)
But Tapper didn’t let Johnson stonewall him. “I’m sure that you think that a policy debate would be better than a personality debate, but if President Biden had gone onstage and spoke about the size of a pro golfer’s penis, I think you would be on this show right now saying you were shocked and appalled and you would suggest it was evidence of his cognitive decline,” the host said.
Johnson then testily replied, “Jake, you seem to like that line a lot. Let me tell you that Donald Trump is doing rallies around the country to say something.” (Yes, he sure is saying something.)
The two then got into a back and forth until Johnson snipped, “I’ll address it. Let me answer it, OK? Don’t say it again. We don’t have to say it. I get it. There’s lines in a rally. When President Trump is at a rally, sometimes he’ll speak for two straight hours. You’re questioning his stamina, his mental acuity. Joe Biden couldn’t do that for five minutes … So [Trump] has fun at the rallies. He says things that are off the cuff. But I’m telling you, I’ve been in those events. I’ve been in those arenas, and people have a great time at those arenas. So you can cherry-pick, you know, a few words or lines that of a two hour event.”
While certainly some people have a “great time” at a Trump rally, other attendees have been exiting the former president’s events before he’s done speaking. As one recent rally goer told The Washington Post, she chose to leave early because of “the insults and just being an hour late.”
More from Rolling Stone
Best of Rolling Stone
Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.