LONG-SHOT JOHNSON

Iowans got the first taste of potential presidential campaign candidate Perry Johnson of Bloomfield Township during the Super Bowl, thanks to a one-minute, $192,000 commercial by the self-billed “quality guru” who claims to have saved the auto industry. Millionaire Johnson, you will remember, spent $7 million of his own money in the last gubernatorial GOP primary here in Michigan until he and four other candidates had their nomination petitions rejected due to fraudulent signatures. So much for quality control, right? The mid-70s Republican swore off future state political runs but suggested then and early this February that he could well try a run for president. So football aficionados were hit with a commercial on Super Bowl Sunday in which some familiar Washington pols were portrayed as bloated figures, among them, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate colleague Bernie Sanders, as well as Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib and other members of the progressive squad, as they are known. The thrust of the satirical plug was to suggest Johnson has a plan, outlined in his latest book – which he never hesitates to promote – about cutting the national debt and budget. Johnson says he will be forming a campaign committee soon which will allow him to raise/spend funds. Don’t despair, his campaign says he will be booking more TV time in the coming weeks so we can all see his Super Bowl message.