CNN’s Wednesday edition, New Day, lamented that the GOP’s midterm strategy to win the Senate is trying to win elections, even if it means supporting “dumpster fires” and putting “party over nation.”
Brianna Keilar, host, lamented that this is a party phenomenon. “We just had Governor Asa HUTCHINSON on, who sometimes has constructive criticism for his own party members. He was very critical of Trump’s former president and I asked him about the Georgia Senate race, Herschel Walker, and did he believe Herschel’s denials regarding the story that he had paid for an abortifacient by his ex-girlfriend. He basically said, “You know, to either take him at his word, or he’s giving you the benefit of doubt.”
She also cried, “it just struck my that some of these items, you know, years, years ago, would be completely disqualifying to Republicans and they certainly are not anymore.”
John Avlon is a senior political analyst who appeared on Don Lemon’s last CNN show condemning Republicans for trying to win election races.
Avolon also accused Hutchinson, and other Republicans, of having “politically driven willful ignorance” when they “give Herschel Walk the benefit of the doubt about this stuff at this stage ignores all facts and all evidence but it is the current climate, which is causing people put party over country, and power of principle.” This is the new marching order.”
Gloria Borger, chief political analyst, agreed and added Sens. Rick Scott and Tom Cotton joined the conversation. “They’re there because they know they can’t lose the seat… so they’re there because the party, the goal: they want to control the Senate and that’s above all else. So they will stand behind Herschel Walker and there is no other choice for their right now, they believe.”
Borger, like Avlon with Hutchinson saw presidential aspirations being a key reason Scott and Cotton are campaigning for Walker. This led Avlon, to declare that “The fact is that they’ve gotten use to campaigning with dumpster fires” and that Republicans now say, “Look, what do they expect me to do, endorse a Democrat.”
Borger lamented, “That’s because it is not the party, you understand, it’s control, and so it wasn’t Herschel Walker… It just about control over the Senate.”
Avlon was happy to agree, and Keilar said, “I will leave this at that.” Campaigning with a dumpster fire will eventually lead to you being downwind.
Talking about dumpster fires, CNN refuses coverage of Raphael Warnock’s allegations because they are so committed to putting country before party.
Google sponsored this segment.
Here’s a transcript from the October 19th show:
CNN New Day with John Berman & Brianna Keilar
10/19/2022
8:15 AM ET
BRIANNA KEILAR – We just had Governor Asa Hutton on, who sometimes has some constructive critic–
GLORIA BERGER, Yup.
KEILAR — for members of his party. He was very critical of Trump’s former president. I asked him about the Georgia Senate race, Herschel Walker, and did he believe Herschel’s denials regarding the story that he had paid for an abortifacient by his ex-girlfriend. He basically said, “You know, to trust him or give him the benefit of doubt.”
It struck me that these things, which were years ago, would have been totally disqualifying for Republicans, and they certainly are not anymore.
JOHN AVALON: That’s right. The new litmus test is especially three weeks out. Asa Hutchinson would typically tell truth to power when it was right. But three weeks out, why are you going write off a Senate candidate? It’s still a close race. If you want to run for president, you might.
What you have is political-driven willful ignorance. It is not fair to give Herschel Walker the benefit-of-the-doubt on this stuff at this stage. But it is the current environment that is driving people to place party over country and power over principle. This is the new marching order.
BORGER: Senator Cotton and Senator Scott are going to campaign alongside Herschel Walker. They are out there because they know they cannot lose this seat. They can’t replace him at the moment, right?
AVLON: Right.
BORGER: They cannot replace him, so they’re going out there because the party, this goal: they want control over the Senate. So they will stand behind Herschel Walker, and there’s no alternative for them right now.
KEILAR : Gloria and he go to campaign together and they end up standing behind him.
BORGER: Yeah.
KEILAR — While he’s talking of a bull getting lots and lots of cows pregnant. They’re right there supporting him in this whole scandal, and I don’t know what they were thinking while he was saying it.
BORGER: Thought bubbles.
KEILAR
BORGER: That’s a decision you make, don’t you?
AVLON: But.
BORGER: It is up to you to decide if you will do that. Scott is the head of the campaign committee and has a lot at stake for himself.
KEILAR: Sure does.
BERGER: These two men want to be president. They have to think about that.
AVLON – Yes, but campaigning with a dumpster fire is a problem, especially when the thought bubble explodes. They’ve gotten so used to campaigning with dumpster fires that they’re willing and able to say that Republicans are “look, what do I expect you to do? To endorse a Democrat.”
The idea that drove things in the past when it came to independents in elections was to vote for the person and not the party. Now it’s party over all else, even if the candidate you support is a conspiracy theorist crackpot.
KEILAR : We must–
BORGER: It’s because–once Sec–that’s why it’sn’t the party, you’ll notice, it’s control, and so it isn’t Herschel Walker.
AVLON: No, that’s right.
BORGER: It’s all about control of Senate.
AVLON is the letter after the name. Yes.
KEILAR : I will leave it at that. Campaigning with a dumpster fire will eventually lead to you being downwind.
