It is interesting to watch Republicans, especially the Republican leadership, when they try to defend Donald Trump. After all, the president is not an easy man to defend, but there is an additional iron in this fire. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was caught on camera doing his best.
In a brief meeting with the press, the Kentucky senator tried to defend POTUS’ attack on the four progress congresswomen who fall into minority groups. Trump said that they came from countries that are a “total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world,” according to The New York Times:
‘So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world. now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run.’
The president continued saying they should “go back” to the “broken and crime-infested places:”
‘Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done.’
The question became, would that be Minnesota, Massachusetts, or the Bronx? The four are all American citizens, and only one was born off-shore. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and her family were legal asylum seekers from war-ravaged Somalia.
McConnell had a hard time defending the president’s words, which were a racist attack on sitting members of Congress. Instead, the senator went down the road of all of God’s children should just learn how to get along or to put that into political language, Democrats and Republicans need to “tone down their language.”
The Senate leader came from a difficult place. His wife, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao was a naturalized citizen from a wealthy Chinese shipping family.
A reporter asked McConnell how he would feel is someone told her to “go back to your country,” CNN reported:
‘You’re married to an immigrant naturalized citizen. If someone were to say to her, ‘you should go back to your country’ because of her criticisms of federal policies, wouldn’t you consider that a racist attack?’
The Senate majority leader danced around the edge of the question:
‘Well, the secretary of transportation came here at age 8, legally, not speaking a word of English and has realized the American dream. I think all of us think this is a process of renewal that has gone on in this country for a very long time, and it’s good for America, and we ought to continue it.’
The reporters continued to press him about whether the president should use such phrases and were they racist. McConnell replied:
‘As I said, legal immigration has been a fulfilling of the American dream. The new people who come here have a lot of ambition, a lot of energy. They tend to do very well and invigorate our country. My wife is a good example of that.’
He also refused to say whether he would ever use the phrase “go back to where you came from” himself.
He continued, adding that Donald Trump was “not a racist:”
‘I think the tone of all of this is not good for the country.’
Then, he beat a rapid retreat.
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
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