Ryan, Like Trump, Is Trying to Claim ‘Both Sides’ and That’s Just Plain False. And Offensive.
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) is urging Americans to not turn the president’s remarks in support of white supremacists into a partisan battle of Democrats against Republicans. Ryan, who appeared in a CNN town hall minutes after President Trump finished his speech on the path forward in Afghanistan, also appeared to deny Trump had given support to hate groups.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper, who moderated the Monday night event, said that President Trump is “giving aid and comfort to people who are using discredited, hateful ideologies.”
Speaker Ryan, who has worked to protect the president at almost every turn since he became the GOP nominee, adamantly disagreed.
“Oh… I don’t think –” Ryan responded, as the audience applauded Tapper.
“The people who applauded [Trump’s] remarks on Tuesday were David Duke and Richard Spencer,” two white supremacists, Tapper reminded Ryan.
“That’s why I said he messed up on Tuesday,” Ryan responded, referring to the president’s off-the-rails press event during which he repeated his “both sides” are to blame argument on white supremacist violence that led to the death of Heather Heyer, and (now updated) the injuries of 30 people.
“He was right on Monday,” Ryan said, of Trump’s scripted condemnation of white supremacists last week, “and he was right just about an hour ago.”
Trump began his speech on Afghanistan with remarks denouncing hatred and bigotry.
“I think he messed up on Tuesday. So, let me say it this way,” Ryan responding, said, then paused.
“It is very, very important that we not make this a partisan food fight. It is very important that we unify in condemning this kind of violence, in condemning this kind of hatred. And to make this ‘us against them,’ Republicans against Democrats, pro-Trump, anti-Trump – that is a big mistake for our country and that will demean the value of this important issue.”
What Speaker Ryan is actually trying to do is wipe the stain of white supremacist, racists, white nationalists, and all the other groups that comprise the so-called “alt-right,” off the GOP, and pretend this extremist hatred is not an issue that is unique to Republicans.
And while there are racists among both parties, white supremacists vote Republican. They support Donald Trump, and the Republican Party has tacitly embraced their ilk for decades.Â
Ryan, like Trump, is trying to claim “both sides” and that’s just plain false. And offensive.
The GOP owns the white supremacists, and until they ban them from their ranks, they forever will.
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