Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told Fox News’s Shannon Bream Thursday night that he was proud of his wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, for confronting protesters who were harassing the couple in Georgetown as they were leaving an event.
“I loved it. It went viral on the Internet,” McConnell said. “And I've got one tough wife. I'm really proud of her.”
He said he told her to get into the car with him but, “she ignored my advice and went right up to them and told them what she thought,” he laughed.
McConnell added that while he believed in free speech, poor behavior was not an effective way to get your message across.
“Look, you know, I'm a big believer in free speech, and sometimes what people say is not great,” he said. “I do think poor behavior is not a great way to convey your views. And I think getting in people's faces in public places and trying to make them uncomfortable certainly is not a great way to sell your point of view."
During the incident, a group of protestors attempted to confront Sen. McConnell and Secretary Chao, shouting “why are you separating families at the border?”
video: @SecElaineChao telling protestors to leave her husband, Mitch McConnell, alone. pic.twitter.com/9jj1AojRMM
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) June 26, 2018
Rather than entering their car, Chao walked towards the protestors and repeatedly told them “he is not" separating families.
She continued to confront the protestors and defend her husband until she was guided away by security personnel.