Neil Cavuto Grills Republican Senator on Comment About Mexicans Eating Cat Food: ‘You Mentioned the Loon Wing in Each Party…’
Fox News’s Neil Cavuto grilled Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) over a comment he made about Mexico and its people.
“Without the people of America, Mexico, figuratively speaking, would be eating cat food out of a can and living in a tent behind an Outback,” Kennedy said earlier this week.
Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S. called the remark “vulgar and racist.”
Appearing on Wednesday’s Your World, Kennedy mentioned he has some “loon-like” colleagues in both parties, which Cavuto used as a springboard into a discussion about his comment on Mexico.
“You know, Senator, you mentioned the loon wings in each party,” Cavuto said. “As you know, Democrats have been coming out and pouncing on your remarks regarding Mexico in which you said without us, the Mexicans ‘would be eating cat food out of a can and living in a tent behind an Outback.’ You also suggested the U.S. invade Mexico to subdue the drug cartels.”
“Well, I love the people of Mexico,” Kennedy responded. “I hate the cartels. President Lopez Obrador, who is the president of Mexico, he ran on a slogan with respect to the cartels of ‘hugs not bullets.’ Well, that’s not working out too well for him.”
Cavuto interrupted to ask Kennedy if he thought in hindsight his language was “too colorful.” Kennedy addressed his proposal for military intervention.
“What I proposed to the head of DEA was that [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping] and the president call the president of Mexico and ask if the American military and the American law enforcement can come into Mexico under the supervision of the Mexican military and the Mexican law enforcement and let us work together to eradicate the cartels because we know who they are,” Kennedy said. “We know where they are. And I suggested to the DEA secretary that we use America’s economic leverage to try to convince the president of Mexico to do that.”
“No, that makes perfect sense the way you explained that to me,” the host said. “I guess what I’m asking you, sir – and not meaning to badger you on this point – but Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regrets the fact that some people might think you’re related to him. He went that far. I’m just wondering, do you think the way you explained it to me just now would have been probably the better way to explain it?”
Kennedy denied his remark was offensive.
Cavuto said some Mexicans may feel Kennedy was maligning them.
“I would say that’s not true,” Kennedy answered before repeating his line about loving the Mexican people and hating the cartels.
“But you don’t take back any of those other words?” Cavuto pressed. “Just to be clear?”
“No,” Kennedy said.
Cavuto then wrapped up the interview the two bid each other a friendly farewell.
Watch above via Fox News.
