Curt Clawson becomes latest Flori-duh rep over India gaffe

[mota bhai 2,675]

The latest inductee to the Sunshine State's face-palming club: U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson, the Bonita Springs Republican who replaced Trey Radel, the cocaine congressman busted for buying blow in Washington last year.

The scene: The House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday.

The players: Clawson and two congressional witnesses named Nisha Biswal and Arun Kumar.

“I am familiar with your country; I love your country,” Clawson told them, speaking about India, which he thought was their land. “And I understand the complications of so many languages, and so many cultures, and so many histories, all rolled up in one.…”

Yes. All those languages. Like the English language. Spoken primarily in the United States. English is also a written language and, in plain English, the witness list said Biswal and Kumar, respectively, hold senior positions at the State Department and Commerce Department.

That is, Biswal and Kumar work for the U.S. government. They don't work for India. They are Americans.

But Clawson apparently didn't read the witness list's plain English. Nor did the freshman probably know that it's rare for foreign-government officials to testify before Congress, according to Foreign Policy's blog, The Cable. The Cable reports that Clawson had been busy talking about his knowledge of India and his favorite Bollywood movies.

You know, most of his friends are Indians. Oh, and he's also concerned about U.S.-India trade relations.

So the congressman plowed on in error. None of his colleagues stopped him to point out his mis-identification of the U.S. officials sitting before him.

“Just as your capital is welcome here to produce good-paying jobs in the U.S., I'd like our capital to be welcome there. And there to be freedom of capital,” he said. “And I ask cooperation and commitment and priority from your government in so doing. Can I have that?”

One second passed.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

And then, four long seconds later, Biswal tried to be as diplomatic as possible while Kumar smiled broadly.

“I... I think,” she stammered, “your question is to the Indian government and we certainly share your sentiments. And we certainly will advocate that on behalf of the U.S.”

Clawson didn't appear to catch the context of what she said.

“Of course. OK,” he grinned. “Let’s see some progress.”

Yes. Let's.

But first someone needs to explain the congressional ropes to the politician from that sometimes-alien land known as Flori-duh.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/25/4255428/curt-clawson-becomes-latest-flori.html

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Oh yes, our Republicans only send the very best to Washington. Tells you a lot about the Republicans down here in the sgunshine state.

[JohnR! 5,495]

What an idiot! He is the reason people laugh at America.

[Darnell 8,478]

Curt is really funny, in a 'I hired incompetent staff'-sorta way.

See, a Congressman's staffers are supposed to fully brief said Congressman, prior to any hearing. uhmmmmmmm. no. not this time. maybe there were other times when they were as abysmally absent in their duties, as well.

Oh well.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

Meh.. he is a brand new politician who made a stupid mistake of assuming two peoples nationality based on their looks and names. He has degrees from Purdue and an MBA from Harvard and speaks multiple languages.. If you are reading this is he probably smarter than you... Sadly he grew up in a religious background (in this case Mormon) so he has some brainwash filters to forever taint the smarts.

The problem with painting an entire party with this is that Republicans have the Guam-tipping-over story - it's Democrat kryptonite - it will never be topped.

Edited August 6, 2014 by OnMyWayID

[Darnell 8,478]

oh - so it's his religious upbringing that tainted his thought-process and real-time decision-making process...

go it.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

oh - so it's his religious upbringing that tainted his thought-process and real-time decision-making process...

go it.

Exactly.. My son had a kids astronomy book when he was little and between Jupiter and Saturn I drew in a weird creature and told him it was a space noogie.. Years later (he was 10 or 11) he found the book and was flipping through the pages and on that double page he was going the planets: "Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, asteroid belt, Juptier, space noogie, sat... Hey! thats not real!" all those years it never occurred to him, he just took in the information and went along his life not realizing how obviously fake it was. Religion works along those lines but on serious steroids.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Exactly.. My son had a kids astronomy book when he was little and between Jupiter and Saturn I drew in a weird creature and told him it was a space noogie.. Years later (he was 10 or 11) he found the book and was flipping through the pages and on that double page he was going the planets: "Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, asteroid belt, Juptier, space noogie, sat... Hey! thats not real!" all those years it never occurred to him, he just took in the information and went along his life not realizing how obviously fake it was. Religion works along those lines but on serious steroids.

You mean, space noogies aren't real?!!?!?