Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 06:07 pm
When he was asked about Donald Trump, Speaker of the House John Boehner refused to speak out against the Republican presidential candidate’s racist comments.
Transcript via CBS’s Face The Nation:
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DICKERSON: Let’s talk about a candidate who is causing some excitement in your party. Is Donald Trump helping or hurting the Republican Party?
BOEHNER: I don’t know whether he’s helping or hurting, but he’s a candidate. There are a lot of candidates in our party running for president. And clearly most of the candidates have disagreed with his assertions with regard to our border. And, certainly, I disagree.
DICKERSON: The chairman of your party called him and told him to tone it down. That seems to be — he’s worried about that the party is being defined by this very colorful character. He’s not just one of 16 or whatever the number is. He’s putting a big spotlight on a set of comments he made about the Mexicans.
And there are people in the party, as you say, who have spoken out, but who are also worried this is now what people think about the Republican Party. Do you think that’s a…
(CROSSTALK)
BOEHNER: No, I think it’s what they think about Donald Trump. I don’t — other candidates out there have much more responsible positions, in my view.
[[AD2]]
John Boehner was given a chance to be a leader and condemn the racism of Donald Trump, and he weaseled out of the question with a total wet noodle of an answer. Republicans have been afraid to state the obvious. Donald Trump is pandering to racists, and he is wrong. John Boehner said that he disagreed with racism, but that is not the same as taking a stand and opposing Trump and his beliefs.
Speaker Boehner wouldn’t take a stand because many Republicans agree with Trump. The message being sent is that opposing racism is bad politics in the Republican Party. Boehner was spineless and cowardly, but his answer was what the nation has come to expect from the man who might be the worst Speaker of the House in the history of the United States of America.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
