WATCH: GOP Congressman Says He Would ‘Consider’ Condemning Trump if He Said ‘I Like Raping Women’
‘I would consider it’
Republican U.S. Congressman Blake Farenthold of Texas, a Donald Trump surrogate, Tuesday evening stunned MSNBC’s Chris Hayes when he could only muster up the courage to say he would “consider” condemning Donald Trump if the Republican nominee said, “I like raping women.”
The exercise of course was hypothetical – Trump has not said he likes raping women – but Farenthold’s response was not. He literally could only say he would consider condemning Trump even if, hypothetically, the GOP nominee admitted to raping women.
At first, Hayes asked, “If someone said, ‘I really like raping women,’ would that be locker room talk?”
Rep. Farenthold, struggling to answer, offered up, “You don’t know the entire context.”
Hayes continued: “If a tape came out with Donald Trump saying that, saying, ‘I really like to rape women,’ you would continue to endorse him?”
“I, again, I, that would be bad,” Farenthold responded, to a thoroughly stunned Hayes (see photo above). “And I would have to, I would consider it,” the Texas Congressman concluded.
.@farenthold on if he’d revoke support for Trump if he said “I like raping women” — “It’d be bad…I’d consider it” https://t.co/jWCZ1YERYl
— All In w/Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) October 12, 2016
Before he was a congressman, Farenthold was a conservative radio talk show host, which makes his comments on Twitter, offering an apology by claiming he was unprepared to discuss a hypothetical wholly unbelievable. And it’s not like the Texas congressman isn’t media savvy – he holds a a bachelor of science degree in Radio, Television, and Film from the University of Texas at Austin.
Here is his apology:
I apologize for my failure to immediately condemn anyone who would say something as outrageous as they like raping women. (1/3)
— Blake Farenthold (@farenthold) October 12, 2016
During an interview on MSNBC with Chris Hayes tonight, I was thrown off by the anchor’s use of a hypothetical question. (2/3)
— Blake Farenthold (@farenthold) October 12, 2016
I do not, and have not ever condoned rape or violence against women. That is not the kind of man I believe Donald Trump to be. (3/3)
— Blake Farenthold (@farenthold) October 12, 2016
And here are some reactions via Twitter:
@farenthold You’re doing your apology wrong.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 12, 2016
.@farenthold Congressman, with all due respect, you are full of shit.
— Will McAvoy (@WillMcAvoyACN) October 12, 2016
chris hayes might have legit just ended blake farenthold’s career, just now.
— fooler initiative (@metroadlib) October 12, 2016
Blake Farenthold (R-TX) might withdraw his support of Trump if Trump rapes a woman. Maybe. He’ll think about it
— Howie Klein (@downwithtyranny) October 12, 2016
Texas Rep Farenthold just said he doesn’t know if an admission of rape would be enough for him to withdraw Trump support. Really. #inners
— llanes (@tllanes) October 12, 2016
Rep. Blake Farenthold just told @chrislhayes “that would be bad” & he’d have to “consider it” if Trump said on tape he likes raping women. pic.twitter.com/9BFJ6yLOLs
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) October 12, 2016
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