What should a Republican politician do after Donald Trump endorsed him other than follow the leader and slur Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “thug?” WRAL News reported about a video showing that Representative Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) was still stuck in the old GOP playbook on the Russia-Ukraine war.
The North Carolinian Republican representative said:
‘Remember that Zelenskyy is a thug. Remember that the Ukrainian government is incredibly corrupt and is incredibly evil and has been pushing woke ideologies.’
In the past two weeks, members of the not-so-Grand Old Party have lightened up on the charismatic leader. At the beginning, Fox News personality Tucker Carlson and Trump were down on the scrappy Ukrainian president. But they changed after seeing hundreds of people who looked like them, more or less, running away from Putin’s bombs.
Apparently, the U.S. representative hadn’t received the memo yet. He told his supporters that Zelenskyy was “incredibly evil.” But the Republicans had long abandoned their first stance.
On Thursday afternoon, one hour after WRAL reported the comments, Cawthorn realized he had fallen into the swamp waters. In a furtive attempt to become invisible, Cawthorn said:
‘I am praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.’
State Representative Larry Pittman (R) said during a floor debate:
‘I’ve heard people criticize Zelenskyy and talk about how he’s no good either and that sort of thing. Well, I don’t think he’s near as bad as Putin. Right now, he is fighting for his life and the life of his people, and I’m glad to see us stand up and support that.’
‘[The Chamber] stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine as they fight for their freedom.’
GOP House Speaker Tim Moore brought it up for a declaration:
‘There can be no moral ambiguity about where we should stand.’
One big roadblock for the not-so-Grand Old Party was Donald Trump. When he first heard of the news Russia had attacked Ukraine, his first instinct was to say that Putin was “smart” and “a genius.”
Trump endorsed Representative Ted Budd (R-NC) who then called the Ukrainian president”evil” but, (and there is always a “but”) a “very intelligent actor.”
Governor Pat McCrory (R) will be Budd’s main primary rival. The governor ran an ad attacking Budd’s words:
‘I don’t compliment or enemies. I stand for truth and freedom.’
Cawthorn had to be right, so he looked for a way to justify calling Zelenskyy a “thug.” His solution was saying the Ukrainian president pushed “misinformation on America.” Then he blogged posts containing “examples.”
Cawthorn is looking at a line of contenders during his primary. One of his 11th Congressional District opponents, Michele Woodhouse, stepped up to the political podium with remarks accusing the representative as “boorish” and calling Zelenskyy “a hero.”
Republican state Senator Chuck Edwards has been trying to take a more center-of-the-road approach. He tweeted:
‘Let’s be clear. The thug is Vladimir Putin. We must unite as a nation to pray for President Zelenskyy and the brave people of Ukraine who are fighting for their lives and their freedom. Anything less is counter to everything we stand for in America.’
Thursday, the State House lawmakers unanimously passed a resolution to back Ukraine and its people “112-0.”
Three White Lions is Gloria Christie’s new serialized book available in episodes on Amazon. Go to Kindle Vella and insert her name. She also writes for the liberal online newspaper The Bipartisan Report. Gloria Christie Report her newsletter for people on the go. Written in her own unique style with a twist of humor in a briefer version of Bipartisan Report. Christie’s Mueller Report Adventures In Bite-Sizes a real-life compelling spy mystery. Find her here on Facebook.
