It’s a Boomer thing—that’s the only explanation for people being this dense about Donald Trump’s latest remarks on illegal immigration. The former president kicked a hornet’s nest when he said that such activity is poisoning the blood of our country. You knew how everyone would react to these remarks. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and other members of the Senate Republican caucus felt the need to respond when it wasn’t necessary. The former president made these remarks at a New Hampshire rally last weekend (via The Hill):
BREAKING: Reporter asks @LeaderMcConnell about Trump: "Are you comfortable with your party's leading presidential candidate referring to illegal immigrants as people who are poisoning the blood of our country?"
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) December 19, 2023
He responds, "It's strikes me that didn't bother him when he… pic.twitter.com/SB9MorcxLy
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday slapped down former President Trump’s statement that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country” by pointing out Trump appointed his wife, Elaine Chao, who is Taiwanese American, to serve as secretary of Transportation in 2016.
Asked about Trump’s controversial comments, which have drawn comparison to Nazi rhetoric before and during World War II, McConnell pointed out the hypocrisy of the remarks.
“It strikes me that didn’t bother him when he appointed Elaine Chao the secretary of Transportation,” he said.
[…]
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a member of McConnell’s leadership team, called Trump’s comments “unhelpful rhetoric.”
Other Republicans piled on (via NYT):
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Senator Susan Collins of Maine told a reporter for The Independent that the former president’s remarks were “deplorable.”
“That was horrible that those comments are just — they have no place, particularly from a former president,” Ms. Collins said.
Senator Mike Rounds, Republican of South Dakota, denounced Mr. Trump’s language as “unacceptable.”
“I think that that rhetoric is very inappropriate,” Mr. Rounds said, according to NBC News. “But this administration’s policies are feeding right into it. And so, I disagree with that. I think we should celebrate our diversity.”
Trump succeeded in one area: he got everyone’s attention. Whether this helps or hurts him is another thing, but McConnell should have known that his wife’s cabinet appointment during his presidency was a clear sign that he wasn’t referring to legal immigration. Yet, Joe Biden’s crisis at the southern border is making the case that all immigration should be reduced drastically to get the illegal alien fiasco under control.
These aren’t immigrants that are bum-rushing ports of entry. They are rapists, drug dealers, and human traffickers. They’re mostly all middle-aged men, and they bring nothing but trouble. When residents of deep blue bastions in places like New York City and Chicago are voicing strong opposition to having a bunch of illegals dropped off in their neighborhoods, you know this situation is out of control.
Could Trump have said things more delicately? Maybe, but this isn’t the first time some of us knew what he was referring to while the usual suspects blew their stack. When presented to voters, I’d bet heavily that more would side with Trump than the Democrats over immigration.
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