McConnell Defends GOP Silence on Trump Tweets in Deflect-Fest of a Presser
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell addressed the press for the first time since the ugly battle between President Donald Trump and four newly elected Democratic Congresswomen was sparked with Twitter attacks Sunday morning.
Amid allegations that Trump’s tweets were racist by both Democrats and a handful of Republicans, the vast majority of the House GOP has fallen in line behind the president, either staying out of the political fray or straight up defending the his “love it or leave it” attitude. The four women of color being targeted are Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and Rep. Ilhan Omar.
After McConnell called for everyone, on both sides of the political spectrum, to tone down the rhetoric, he was asked if Trump’s attacks undermined his argument. McConnell deflected by turning Democratic policies, including the Green New Deal, which he predictably labeled as socialist.
CNN’s Manu Raju invoked McConnell’s wife Elaine Chao, who herself is a naturalized citizen who immigrated from China at age eight, and serves as Secretary of Treasury in the Trump cabinet.
In the context of Trump’s factually inaccurate and racist claim that the Democratic freshman should go back to their home country, Raju asked the Leader: “Wouldn’t you consider that a racist attack?” In response, McConnell lauded the benefits of legal immigration.
After one reporter asked whether party leaders should speak out “more forcefully” against Trump, McConnell said, “Everybody ought to tone down their rhetoric.”
When pressed on the very racist nature of Trump’s tweets, McConnell refused to answer directly, only to proclaim that, in his esteem, “The president is not racist.”
Watch above via CNN.
