Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) appeared on C-SPAN‘s Washington Journal on Thursday morning to take calls from viewers, the first speaker of the House to do so in over 20 years.
Johnson answered calls from Democrats, Republicans, and independents, and there was a special line open for federal workers. Most of the calls were respectful, and questions stayed along party lines.
Republicans praised Johnson’s work on the short-term spending deal the House passed in September, while Democratic callers asked him why the GOP isn’t working with Democrats to negotiate and reopen the government after it shut down on Oct. 1. Other callers expressed concerns with the lapse in funding for medical care and the military.
The last time a speaker took questions from C-SPAN callers was in 2001, from former Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert. Former Democratic Speaker Tom Foley appeared six times between 1990 and 1993. Former Democratic Speaker Jim Wright was the first speaker to take live calls on C-SPAN in 1987 from students in Fort Worth, Texas.
Former GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Johnson’s predecessor, did not take calls from C-SPAN listeners during his 269 days in the leadership position.
Johnson, known for being one of the more level-headed members of Congress, kept his cool during the calls and most of the time went over the allotted time to answer each question.
Several calls were focused on President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to blue cities like Chicago and Portland. Republicans have held up the federal takeover of Washington, D.C., as a blueprint for how Trump’s move to send troops to several big cities can make cities safer.
Johnson said everyone in D.C. is “smiling” and the sun is shining brighter thanks to troop presence in the district, a remark that caused one caller concern.
“Hearing you say that everyone is smiling in the cities where troops, our National Guard has been rolled into feels dystopian and insane to hear you say that,” a Democratic caller said. “That’s not actually my question, I just needed to say that.”
The speaker did not stray from GOP messaging on the government shutdown, insisting that the blame falls on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Democrats to reopen the government.
Johnson insisted there’s nothing he can do to negotiate a better product, and he said wouldn’t bring the House back to vote on separate legislation to fund the military. The remarks come after news that as many as 77 House Democrats are signing onto a letter to ask the speaker to bring up legislation to pay military personnel.
Johnson dismissed this idea, saying it would be a “show vote” that would provide Democrats political cover after all but one voted against the GOP’s continuing resolution.
“They all voted on the record three weeks ago to stop pay for the troops,” the speaker said. “They’re desperate to try to get on the record, but that would be a show vote for Democrats. They do not care about it.”
SENATE DEMOCRATS CAUTIOUS WITH SHUTDOWN DEMANDS AS JEFFRIES FACES HOUSE BACKLASH
On the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, Johnson once again dodged a question on whether he’s supporting a one-year extension. Instead, he pointed to comments from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) that a one-year extension was “laughable” and a non-starter. He has since clarified those remarks, but several Republicans and Democrats have undercut him, stating that every option should be explored.
A handful of Republicans have signed onto a bill for a one-year extension of the credits. But Johnson and other members of GOP leadership have shown little interest in an extension. The speaker has repeatedly insisted that Obamacare needs heavy reforms and that there are ongoing negotiations between and within the parties on how to move forward on the credits that expire at the end of the year.