MSNBC columnist and SiriusXM host Dean Obeidallah called former president Donald Trump visiting congress last week “bring a terrorist to work day” and trashed the GOP as a “fascist movement” that’s violent and ideologically opposed to democracy.
Along with author David Cay Johnston and former RNC chair and MSNBC host Michael Steele, Obeidallah joined host Joy Reid on Friday’s The ReidOut on MSNBC to discuss Trump’s visit to Congress last week.
Reid asked Obeidallah to talk about his column on the meeting, “Trump went to Washington Thursday. He met with a bunch of cowards.”
“Apparently yesterday was bring a terrorist to work day,” said Obeidallah, referring to Trump. “They welcomed a terrorist to the Capitol yesterday. This was like bringing Bin Laden to Ground Zero three and a half years after 9/11.”
“Today’s GOP is how democracies die,” he said as Michael Steele, who had just called the GOP “my party”, nodded along. “It is not a democratic party. It’s not a political party that we know it. It is a fascist movement that’s anti-democratic, that will use violence to acquire power and retain power.”
Former Republican Liz Cheney on Friday similarly blasted Republicans for welcoming the party’s presumptive nominee, saying “history will remember the shame” of those who enable him.
Apparently yesterday was bring
a terrorist to work day, because that’s the reality. You know what so angers me, Joy, is that January 6th was an act of domestic terrorism. That’s what Christopher Wray, the FBI director, testified before the House and the Senate. Those Republicans know, Ted Cruz even leaked it out once, saying it was an act of terrorism, then had to apologize for telling the truth. They welcomed a terrorist to the Capitol yesterday. This was like bringing Bin Laden to Ground Zero three and a half years after 9/11. And they went there, a man who now with 34 convicted felonies. He can’t go to 37 countries. But he ca go to the Capitol where they cheer him. They sang songs, they gave him the baseball from the congressional baseball game the day before. And to me, Joy, as you noted, these people ran for their lives. Josh Hawley ran like a cartoon character, fleeing. And there they are, sucking up to him, singing songs to him. And to Michael’s point, this is, this is who they are. It’s not like we go like, this is not who we are. No, this is who they are.And today’s GOP is how democracies die. And that’s historically accurate. It is not a democratic party, it’s not a political party that we know it. It is a fascist movement that’s anti-democratic, thatwill use violence to acquire power and retain power. And look what’s coming between now and November 5th. Who knows what they have in store for us.
Watch the clip above via MSNBC.