Former presidential candidate and secretary of state Hillary Clinton told us this week that Republicans don't deserve civility. In her sit down with Christiane Amanpour, Clinton insisted that the GOP does not deserve respect after the drawn out battle over now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. She apparently forgot all about former First Lady Michelle Obama's, "When they go low, you go high" mantra.
"You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about," she said matter-of-factly. "That's why I believe, if we are fortunate enough to win back the House and or the Senate, that's when civility can start again. But until then, the only thing that the Republicans seem to recognize and respect is strength."
Many progressive activists are of the same mind. It's happened several times now in the past year where Republican leaders have been unable to enjoy a meal out on the town or go for a leisurely walk without being verbally assaulted by critics or chased out of establishments. Clinton's comments will only fan the flames.
Outside the White House Wednesday, White House senior counselor Kellyanne Conway called Clinton's interview a disgrace, while also mocking the Clintons' new midterms tour.
"I know she and her husband are going to go out there and have a 13-stop tour - she needs to be seated next to him, I guess to get the crowds in there," Conway told the Daily Mail.
In an earlier interview on "Fox & Friends," Conway noted that former President Bill Clinton is "a much more popular man who actually was a two-term president that she'll never be."
Her roadshow is "unfortunate and graceless," Conway added. Her rhetoric? "A little bit dangerous."
"Usually, when she opens her mouth, respectfully, she offends at least one half of the country, and she did it again," Conway said. "But I think her discourse sounds a little bit dangerous. I don't like the implications there."