What is Aleppo? Gary Johnson foxed by Syria question

Sometimes I wish there were special schools for "want to be politicians"

The bloke down the pub who doesn't know anything knows what's going on in Aleppo. It would be hard to miss, but Johnson somehow managed to.

Aleppo - are they in the Champions League this year?

The got knocked out by Damascus Lokomotiv.

Aleppo was once the financial capitol of Syria, where a Sephardic community once existed. Today that community is in Israel or NYC. Who doesn't now this? While many people think they know a Jew by a "Jewish look," they usually are thinking of an Ashkenazi look, that reflects mixing in many countries. The Sephardim can be mistaken for Greek, Italian, or some other Mediterranean people. Also, the women are extremely style conscious, and tend to be Modern Orthodox. Glad you asked.

What???? I thought Aleppo was a designer line of yoga duds.

For me it's always Macbeth.

"Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger,"

To me, it's Pinus halepensis, aka Aleppo pine.

On Johnson, I agree with him on one or two or a few things and disagree on scads of others. No way I'd vote for him, but I don't hate him or really fear him like I do Mr. Trump. That I keep seeing Trump's photos all over the news makes me mentally nauseated. Hardly any of us follow everything going on in the world in detail; I did know about Aleppo's horror, but I'm at this point in my life a news hobbyist. The guy is running for president, and he did know at least that Syria's a mess, just hadn't clocked the name Aleppo. Bit of a small bruhaha to me.

I think Johnson didn't frequent your pub often enough. .....................

Or any pub.

How can he not have clocked the name Aleppo and still be aware of what's happening in Syria? It doesn't make sense. It shows a level of ignorance one would not expect in anyone serious about running a country.

We have an Aleppo pine bonsai, Its almost 70 years old and was my mom's prize plant(I think my dad looted japanese officers quarters or homes in Burma. I didnt wanna get in izzy's face, since he loves to make his points about how stupid Americans are.

Hopefully I don't think Gary Johnson is representative of all Americans.

When have I ever called you stupid?

I think you're being too critical. The guy was asked "what would you do about Aleppo if you were elected" completely out of context. He obviously is educated on Syria and showed that later in the interview. Not everyone is going to immediately process a relatively unfamiliar group of syllables. He might've thought Aleppo was an acronym. It's like being asked out of the blue "what would you do about Sana'a." Few people would straight away think Yemen.

It's not unfamiliar it's in the news right now.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37292143

How could he not know about this war crime that happened not long before his interview?

One thing I thought was odd was how the questioner pronounced Aleppo. It wasn't the way I'm used to hearing it. I'm not sure I would have recognized it - though in the context of being interviewed as a presidential candidate, I'd hope my team would have better prepared me.

My first thought on hearing the clip was ... doesn't the interviewer know what that word is. Ohhhh it's supposed to be Aleppo.

Not seen it, but you'd think a professional interviewer would know how to pronounce place names. Wouldn't happen on the BBC.

Using the BBC as an example isn't meaningful. BBC announcers have their own pronunciation tics that are distinct from what you hear in other parts of the world.

I listen to Monocle as well as other international radio programs most nights. Pronunciation varies significantly by region/country/background.

that isn't how the question was phrased

<slaps BBC reporter's wrist>


throwing in a clip here




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Separately - while I want/expect leaders to be able to think on their feet - a little context would have helped.