GOP Senate Candidate Defends Controversial ‘RINO’ Hunting Ad: ‘We Are 100 Percent Proud of This Ad’
Missouri Republican Senate candidate Eric Greitens defended his recent, very controversial ad while appearing on Steve Bannon’s WarRoom on Tuesday.
“Join the MAGA crew, get a RINO hunting permit,” Greitens says in the ad, which shows him storming a home while carrying a gun.
“There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit, and it doesn’t expire until we save our country,” He adds, clearly raising the specter of violence against moderate Republicans – pejoratively known as “RINOs” – Republicans in name only.
“There’s one thing about being provocative. There’s another thing about crossing a line,” Bannon began, hinting at the massive blowback the ad received online.
“Do you believe in hindsight now this is out, you’ve seen all the controversy, but you’ve also seen the traffic I’m sure it’s driven to your campaign site. When you balance provocative versus maybe I crossed the line here, where does Eric Greitens come out?” asked Bannon, who ran the early stages of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
“Oh, we’re 100% proud of this ad, Steve. We’re glad that it’s had over 5 million views. And the fact is, all normal people who actually see this ad, they also see that it is a metaphor,” Greitens replied.
Steve Bannon asks Eric Greitens if, in hindsight, he thinks his ‘RINO Hunter’ ad might have gone too far: “We’re 100% proud of this ad .. The fact is, all normal people who actually see this ad – they also see that it is a metaphor.” pic.twitter.com/O0bUPGpMlP
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) June 21, 2022
Greitens also defended the ad to local media outlets in Missouri saying it was humorous.
“I don’t think there is a real person in Missouri who thinks about it literally. Not one,” Greitens told KFTK (97.1 FM) radio. “What you’re seeing is a tremendous amount of faux outrage from leftists and RINOs.”
Greitens who resigned in disgrace as governor of Missouri and has been accused of both spousal and child abuse was roundly condemned on Monday for the ad.
You’d think a Senate candidate accused of spousal and child abuse by his ex-wife — to say nothing of the accusations he sexually assaulted and blackmailed his former hairdresser — might consider a less violent appeal to voters. https://t.co/MbBZvIIuxz
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) June 20, 2022
