Can you name one member of Congress? Just one.
It sounds like a simple task, given America’s very public discontent with Washington. A mere 14% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, according to August’s Gallup poll, a 3% drop from the month prior. Depending on which side of the political aisle you fall, the face of the establishment could be House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi or Speaker of the House John Boehner — each known for their headline-making roles in passing and attempting to repeal Obamacare.
But as team behind Jimmy Kimmel’s “Lie Witness News” discovered, while Americans have strong opinions about Congress, they don’t know much about who runs it.
“It just seems like they aren’t listening,” one woman on the street of Los Angeles said about lawmakers. Yet that comment could arguably apply to her, as well. When prompted by Kimmel’s undercover crew, she was unable to name her congressman. In fact, she was so out of the loop that the camera crew connived her into sending a message to Neville Longbottom, a fictional friend of Harry Potter from the magical series by J.K. Rowling.
More shocking is that she doesn’t seem to be alone. The four other Americans questioned for the segment complained about the economy as a common source of discontent. But they also had a similar shortcoming: None could name a member of Congress to blame. Not one.
Watch the full segment from “Jimmy Kimmel Live” above to see the stunning and at times hilarious results. Susan Lucci for Congress?
Joseph Neese