Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, on Wednesday said she "misspoke" while talking about the sun and moon earlier this week regarding the solar eclipse, remarks that went viral online.
While speaking at Booker T. Washington High School in Houston on Monday before the solar eclipse, Jackson Lee began speaking about the sun and moon and said, "Sometimes, you've heard the word full moon. Sometimes, you need to take the opportunity to just come out and see a full moon — it's that complete rounded circle which is made up mostly of gases."
"That's why the question is why or how could we as humans live on the moon?" she said. "Are the gases such that we could do that? The sun is a mighty powerful heat, but it’s almost impossible to go near the sun. The moon is more manageable, and you will see in a moment — not a moment, you will see in a couple of years that NASA is going back to the moon.
"I don’t know about you; I want to be first in line to know how to live and to be able to survive on the moon. That’s another planet which we’re going to see shortly."
A video of her remarks quickly went viral online, prompting Jackson Lee to release a statement saying, "Obviously I misspoke and meant to say the sun, but as usual, Republicans are focused on stupid things instead of stuff that really matters. What can I say though, foolish thinkers lust for stupidity!"
She added, "Also, I care more about these children who would not have experienced the eclipse in this enthusiastic manner. And I care more about protecting the rights of women and children than engaging in this kind of senseless dialogue!"
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.