Jake Tapper Says Trump Rally Comments Were ‘Made for a Democratic Attack Ad’ 

CNN’s Jake Tapper panned part of a speech by President Donald Trump on Friday, saying the remarks were tailor-made to be used against Republicans before the midterms.

The president spoke at a rally with law enforcement officials on Long Island in support of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican who is running against Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul. During the rally, Trump mocked Democrats because they “keep talking about affordability,” calling it a “hoax,” while also blaming high prices on them. At the same time, he acknowledged that the Iran war he launched with Israel has contributed to higher gas prices, but insisted the war was necessary.

“So, for you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline, just remember, you’re doing it so that a very evil country cannot have — a country, really, it’s the number one state sponsor of terror in the world,” he told the crowd. “We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon. So remember that. When you have to pay a little bit more, you’re at $4. It’s ok, I mean, it’s not– I’ll never apologize. I did the right thing.”

Tapper aired those comments on Friday’s edition of The Lead and turned to Republican strategist Matt Mowers.

“So, I have to say,” Tapper began. “That is made for a Democratic attack ad. Not all of it. Not the part about Iran and the nukes, but for you to pay a little bit more for the gasoline cut two, you’re at $4. It’s ok. I mean, I’m not I’ll never apologize. I did the right thing.”

“Yeah, well, look, I think he’s explaining the cost of conflict,” Mowers replied. “What he’s now doing is saying there is a reason that we are all paying more for it right now. What he didn’t do, and I think this was actually smart politically, is he didn’t try to say, ‘Well, it’s actually not that high. He didn’t try to pooh-pooh it. He didn’t try to dismiss concerns.'”

“He said it’s a little bit more,” Tapper interjected. “That’s kind of a pooh-pooh.”

“Yeah, but you know, he was explaining that there is a cost to this and why he’s doing it,” Mowers protested. “And look, this is why presidents make tough decisions sometimes. It’s also why presidents who are in their last term sometimes make politically unpopular decisions. It’s because they don’t have to face the electorate again. I truly believe that in his heart of hearts, he felt like Iran was on its pathway to obtaining a nuclear weapon.”

U.S. intelligence has concluded that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon.

Watch above via CNN.

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