Ryan, other Republicans outraged by Trump news conference
By AUSTIN WRIGHT
08/15/2017 06:44 PM EDT
Updated 08/15/2017 07:13 PM EDT

President Donald Trump sparked a barrage of Republican outrage on Tuesday after he blamed “both sides” for the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia — including from House Speaker Paul Ryan.

“We must be clear,” Ryan said after Trump’s remarks. “White supremacy is repulsive. This bigotry is counter to all this country stands for. There can be no moral ambiguity.”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said on Twitter, “Mr. President, you can't allow #WhiteSupremacists to share only part of blame.” Added Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.): “This is simple: we must condemn and marginalize white supremacist groups, not encourage and embolden them.”

Many other Republicans also slammed the remarks Trump made at a news conference in New York in which he doubled down on his initial reaction to the violence that broke out over the weekend at a white supremacist rally where one woman was killed when a car rammed into counter-protesters.

“I think there’s blame on both sides,” Trump told reporters Tuesday at Trump Tower. “I have no doubt about it.”

Republicans have often been critical of Trump in the past, but the rebuke from members of his own party to his Charlottesville response was swifter and more widespread than perhaps at any point in his presidency.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), now in rehabilitation after being shot during a June congressional baseball practice, responded on Twitter: “I was clear about this bigotry & violence over the weekend and I'll repeat it today: We must defeat white supremacy and all forms of hatred.”

Also on Twitter, Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) said: “@POTUS must stop the moral equivalency! AGAIN, white supremacists were to blame for the violence in #Charlottesville.”

And Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) added: “We are Americans from all walks of life, working towards the American Dream. Nowhere in that dream is there room for racism.”

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Kentucky Republican had no new comment in response to Trump’s remarks Tuesday.

Democrats also responded with outrage.

In a statement, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that by not taking sides, Trump had clearly shown what side he’s on.

“When David Duke and white supremacists cheer your remarks, you’re doing it very, very wrong,” Schumer said. “Great and good American presidents seek to unite, not divide. Donald Trump’s remarks clearly show he is not one of them.”

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said on Twitter that Trump is “not my president.”

“As a Jew, as an American, as a human,” he wrote, “words cannot express my disgust and disappointment.”


http://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/15...ublicans-241668

Quote: Cincinnatus wrote in post #4

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I must admit to feelings of shock, frustration, and dismay. Last night I scanned about a half dozen news sites only to discover the President was under attack from a number of different quarters for having said the truth about the violence in Charlottesville. He correctly blamed extremists on both sides only to be excoriated in the same manner as noted above by Paul Ryan and a host of other characters. And I'm not talking about Democrats and other assorted Leftist losers, but by members of his own Party and commentators generally considered to be on the Right.

Nothing the President said was in error or insulting to anyone. He pointed out what is both observable and common sense. Both sides, not just the "white supremacists", were responsible for the Charlottesville events. If you read what his critics have to say he was apparently obligated to condemn only the "white supremacists" and pretend the other side was just out for a stroll when they were set upon by those racist beasts, and, by golly, they had to defend themselves. Charles Krauthammer, who has always hated Trump, called his remarks "a moral disgrace".

I care nothing about the responses from the Left. The President could have personally machine gunned down the "white supremacists" and they would complain if he missed anyone. But when those on our won side engage in similar fatuous rhetoric and distort what is the obvious truth, I begin to seriously worry.

Here's a quote from Mitt Romney which pretty well sums up the prevailing insanity: No, not the same. One side is racist, bigoted, Nazi. The other opposes racism and bigotry. Morally different universes.

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