#whatisaleppo

Politics

'What is Aleppo?' asks third party presidential candidate

If it was greater attention Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson wanted, he got it — but probably not the kind he wanted. As part of a media blitz in New York to try to raise his polling numbers enough to qualify for the upcoming presidential debate, Johnson fielded a range of questions Thursday, but one very pressing question stumped him. "What would you do about Aleppo?" Johnson was asked on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," referring to Syria's largest city, which is the epicenter of the country's ongoing civil war. "About Aleppo. And what is Aleppo?" said Johnson.

I blanked ... It happens, and it will happen again during the course of this campaign ... Can I name every city in Syria? No. Should I have identified Aleppo? Yes. Do I understand its significance? Yes.

Gary Johnson

Syria's 2011 pro-democracy uprising, which gradually devolved into civil war, has sparked a refugee crisis across the Middle East and Europe as millions fled their homes for safety. Many have criticized President Obama's administration for doing too little, particularly after a failed promise that the use of chemical weapons by Syrian President Bashar Assad's government represented the ultimate "red line" and would prompt intervention. Johnson acknowledged to another MSNBC reporter afterward that the attention to the blunder was deserved and apologized in a statement, saying he was thinking of an acronym, not the Syrian city. The error couldn't have come at a worse time for the candidate. He needs to average 15 percent in polls to qualify for the presidential debates, which begin Sept. 26, and has been trying to cash in on widespread voter revulsion toward the two major party candidates.

For those that believe this is a disqualifier, so be it.