Watch 3 conservatives argue, in 3 different ways, that Trump's KKK response was a disqualifying game-changer
You know Donald Trump made a mistake when he implicitly admits he messed up. On Monday, as Trump blamed a "lousy earpiece," Republicans and other conservatives split over Trump's refusal Sunday to disavow David Duke and his former organization, the Ku Klux Klan, on CNN. It may be easy to discount Mitt Romney's criticism that Trump disqualified himself, since Romney, seen as a GOP moderate, and Trump are already feuding. But here are three more conservatives arguing in three different ways that Trump's brush-off of the KKK endorsement is a really, really big deal.
Joe Scarborough, the host of MSNBC's Morning Joe, has been famously friendly with Trump in recent weeks. On Monday's show, after co-host Mika Brzezinski morosely set up the CNN clip, Scarborough lit into Trump: "That's disqualifying right there. It's breathtaking. That is disqualifying right there."
A former Republican congressman from Florida, Scarborough seemed personally offended: "I mean, is he really so stupid that he doesn't think Southerners are offended by the Ku Klux Klan and David Duke? Is he really so ignorant of Southern voters that he thinks this is the way to their heart, to go neutral, to play Switzerland when you're talking about the Klan!?"
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
On the more conservative end of the GOP spectrum, Hugh Hewitt offered a historical perspective. Trump's refusal to disavow David Duke "is what we call in politics a game-changer, equivalent to Mitt Romney's 47 percent comment four years ago, equivalent to Gerald Ford's comment in 1976 that Poland was free," he said on CNN, and even "as bad, much worse, actually," than several famous Hillary Clinton gaffes:
Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) brought some home-town flavor and class resentment to the Trump take-down. King argued on Fox News that Trump's mixed message on the KKK and Duke shows that he'll say anything, "that he's temperamental, that he's erratic," and he lies when caught, a combination that makes him "not qualified to be president." Trump says "he's the tough guy, the tough guy from Queens," King added. "I grew up in Queens. The neighborhood he grew up in Queens, that's where the rich, pampered kids lived: Jamaica Estates. No tough guy ever came out of Jamaica Estates, I can tell you that."
None of the conservatives said they thought Trump's remarks would seriously hurt him on Super Tuesday.
-
Quentin Deranque: a student’s death energizes the French far rightIN THE SPOTLIGHT Reactions to the violent killing of an ultra-conservative activist offer a glimpse at the culture wars roiling France ahead of next year’s elections.
-
Secured vs. unsecured loans: how do they differ and which is better?the explainer They are distinguished by the level of risk and the inclusion of collateral
-
‘States that set ambitious climate targets are already feeling the tension’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Labor secretary’s husband barred amid assault probeSpeed Read Shawn DeRemer, the husband of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has been accused of sexual assault
-
Trump touts pledges at 1st Board of Peace meetingSpeed Read At the inaugural meeting, the president announced nine countries have agreed to pledge a combined $7 billion for a Gaza relief package
-
NIH director Bhattacharya tapped as acting CDC headSpeed Read Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of the CDC’s Covid-19 response, will now lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
