‘Desperate Deflection’: John Avlon Goes After GOP Rep During Debate For Glossing Over Reported Trump Praise For Hitler

Former CNN analyst and journalist-turned Democratic congressional candidate John Avlon took his Republican opponent to task during their debate on Wednesday when he brought up former President Donald Trump’s reported praise of Adolf Hitler.

Avlon was up against Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY), who is a supporter of Trump and has endorsed him. As the debate conversation turned to the Israel-Hamas War, Avlon (at around the 34:55 mark) took that as a way in to address LaLota’s support for the ex-president who, according to his former chief-of-staff Gen. John Kelly, praised the Nazi dictator responsible for the Holocaust.

But, you know, while we’re talking about the state of Israel and the purpose for the state of Israel, I couldn’t help but notice that my opponent’s chosen political candidate, the one he enthusiastically endorsed, told his chief-of-staff Gen. John Kelly that he admired Hitler, said “he did a lot of good things.” Said he wanted generals like the ones Hitler had. That seems pretty urgent. That seems pretty relevant to the choices facing our nation and to the judgement my opponent observes. Because that kind of slander and slur to a man responsible for the murder of six millions Jews and hundreds of millions around the world should not enter anywhere near the Oval Office. And that’s from the mouth of his own general and chief-of-staff. That’s about weakness. We need strength to oppose that as a united nation.

Lalota responded by dismissing Kelly’s account of events, which were recorded on audio that was published by The New York Times:

LaLota: John Avlon will claim that he’s a journalist. A good journalist, an independent, honest, trustworthy journalist would verify the fact before he spewed some sort of rhetoric hearsay. That has not been confirmed, the campaign denied that as it should. That should not be said anywhere. But what you hear out of Mr. Avlon is totally wrong.

He then went on to criticize the foreign policy of Democratic presidents and said Avlon should prove he’s truly bipartisan by doing the same. The moderator gave Avlon a chance to respond:

Avlon: You know it’s interesting, because what you’re saying is you take Donald Trump’s word over Marine General John Kelly. You at home, does that sound credible to you? Or does that sound like desperate deflection? Here’s the fact: We do need to be strong. Weakness does invite aggression. I have condemned illiberalism wherever we see it, on the far left or the far right, especially the far left because it’s up to people to police their own party’s extremes — something my opponent has consistently failed to do. That’s how we reunite as a nation. That’s how we move forward together. And I’ve got no time for anyone who protests and turns it into a riot. That is an absolute condemnation, and I’ve done it consistently, and I will in Congress.

Watch the full debate via News 12 on YouTube.