I Have High Hopes for Mike Johnson

The song High Hopes was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn, and popularized by Frank Sinatra in the 1959 film, A Hole in the Head. Nominated for a Grammy, High Hopes won an Oscar for Best Original Song the following year.

When John F. Kennedy ran for president in 1960, Sinatra recorded a new version of the song with updated lyrics written exclusively for JFK, who was a close personal friend of his at the time. Both versions allude to the unshakable resolve and the superhuman efforts of creatures such as an ant who manages to move a rubber tree plant all by himself and a ram who single-handedly puts a hole in a “billion-kilowatt dam.”

Something tells me that newly-elected House Speaker Mike Johnson will need some of that same unshakable resolve and superhuman effort in his new position. But just like Ol’ Blue Eyes, I have “high hopes” that Mr. Johnson will get the job done and done well.

Why such optimism? First, Johnson was elected partially because, in the words of Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, “he has the fewest enemies.” In a body with 435 different personalities – and, some would say, 435 oversized egos – that is quite a feat. That means that Speaker Johnson starts his term with a clean slate and no apparent “Et Tu Brute’s” lurking in the House cloakroom, ready to pounce.

Just the fact that no one in his own caucus is noticeably sticking pins in a Mike Johnson voodoo doll has its merits.

Second, Johnson has solid conservative credentials. He is an evangelical Christian who spent almost 20 years working for groups such as the Alliance Defending Freedom (formerly the Alliance Defense Fund), which should assuage any doubts that the powerful Freedom Caucus and others might have. While he was in the Louisiana State Legislature, Johnson also championed pro-life causes and fought to defend the traditional definition of marriage.

Third, Mr. Johnson curiously reminds me of another former member of congress who hailed from a nearby state. Whereas Mike Johnson was born in the relatively small city of Shreveport, Louisiana to a firefighter and his wife, his Democratic counterpart came from the tiny hamlet of Lamar, Missouri, population 4,335. However, Johnson and Harry S. Truman have more than a few things in common besides their humble upbringings.

Just like Truman, Johnson comes across as modest and trustworthy, a straight-shooter if you will. Unlike some other members of Congress who constantly preen for the cameras, I simply can’t imagine Harry or Mike spending much time admiring themselves in the mirror each morning.

And like the former haberdasher from Independence MO famous for his bow ties, Johnson is being underestimated by some other members of the Washington bureaucracy. Truman, who ascended to the presidency following the death of Franklin Roosevelt, had more than his share of early detractors. In fact, Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn flatly told Truman, “Look Harry, we both know you are not a great man.” Not exactly a resounding vote of confidence for the just sworn-in 33rd President of the United States.

Likewise, when notified of Speaker Johnson’s election by the full House, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah told reporters, “Apparently experience isn’t necessary for the speaker’s job. We’re down to folks who haven’t had a leadership or chairmanship role, which means their administration of the House will be a new experience for them.”

Ouch! But then again, considering the source, maybe having less experience as a Washington insider and a career politician is a decided plus. And maybe that’s why Mike is on his way in… and Mitt is on his way out.

Truman, like Johnson, also had some core beliefs that served him well. Faced with the issue of racial prejudice, Truman famously said, “You can’t cure a moral problem by ignoring it.” And with a stroke of a pen, President Truman integrated the U.S. Armed Forces.

Somehow, I can see Mike Johnson uttering those same words… and meaning them. After all, he began his 2022 podcast with a program titled “Can America Be Saved?” while referencing Psalm 11:3, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

When Eleanor Roosevelt broke the news to Truman that her husband had just died, Harry reportedly asked the former First Lady if there was anything he could do for her. "Is there anything we can do for you?” Mrs. Roosevelt replied. “For you are the one in trouble now!”

Mike Johnson may not be in as much trouble as Harry Truman was, inheriting the Oval Office at the end of World War II, but he sure can use our unconditional support, fervent prayers, and heartfelt best wishes. If he succeeds – and I believe he will – America wins.

The buck truly stopped with “Give ‘em hell, Harry” and I think it just might with Mike Johnson, too.