Thread by @JakeSherman

☀️ @PunchbowlNews AM: The Week of Self-Inflicted Wounds

We live in a society filled with politicians who make a range of really questionable decisions on a somewhat regular basis. We all watch career public servants act foolishly.

@PunchbowlNews In fact, it’s our job to document them and put their behavior in the larger context of clownery in our political system. We see so much stupid behavior that it takes a lot to surprise us.

@PunchbowlNews But this week, irrationality and silliness have reached new heights. It’s been the week for politicians to engage in a stunning level of self immolation.

Welcome to “The Week of Self-Inflicted Wounds."

@PunchbowlNews → @NYGovCuomo - In the middle of a scandal that threatens his political future, called a Democratic state legislator to yell and threaten him. The legislator promptly spoke to the press, and Cuomo had another headache on his hands.

→ Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said on Wisconsin radio that the armed insurrection at the Capitol was, in fact, not armed. Police recovered guns and other weapons. There are videos of people with bats. Five people died that day, and more afterward.

Johnson made this claim after being escorted around the Capitol Jan. 6 by heavily armed police officers. What happened on Jan. 6 was the definition of an armed insurrection.

→ Texas Gov. Greg Abbott blamed the disaster in his state on the Green New Deal. The Green New Deal has never passed Congress. The proposal itself has only been around for a couple of years.

→ Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry -- a former secretary of Energy -- suggested Texans don’t mind freezing for a few days to keep their freedom. Do we need to even put this in context?

→ And then there’s Sen. Ted Cruz, who somehow thought it wise to decamp to the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun while Texas was in a state of emergency.

Clowning by public officials -- CPO, that’s a technical term, by the way -- is getting more attention than it has in years.

Joe Biden takes up a lot less oxygen and media attention than Donald Trump did. So crazy episodes by politicians not named Trump or Biden get more airtime than they might’ve otherwise.

Now, these people aren’t dumb.They were all elected by large populations in big states. Some are, in fact, extremely smart. But, man, is this behavior something.